Biology, Marine Science (BSBio)
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| M 408S | Integral Calculus for Science | 4 |
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| BIO 311D | Introductory Biology II | 3 |
| CH 204 | Introduction to Chemical Practice | 2 |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| BIO 325 | Genetics | 3 |
| MNS 310 | Fundamentals of Marine Science | 3 |
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MNS 320 | Marine Ecology | 3 |
| MNS 120L | Laboratory Studies in Marine Ecology | 1 |
| INB 370 | Evolution | 3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| MBS 326R | General Microbiology | 3 |
| MBS 226L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| INB 373 | Ecology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MNS 101 | Seminar in Marine Science | 1 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PHY 302K | General Physics Technical Course: Mechanics, Heat, and Sound | 3 |
| PHY 105M | Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | 1 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PHY 302L | General Physics Technical Course: Electricity and Magnetism, Light, Atomic and Nuclear Physics | 3 |
| PHY 105N | Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | 1 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration | ||
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| MBS 326R | General Microbiology | 3 |
| INB 373 | Ecology | 3 |
| MNS 101 | Seminar in Marine Science | 1 |
| MNS 310 | Fundamentals of Marine Science | 3 |
| MNS 320 | Marine Ecology | 3 |
| MNS 120L | Laboratory Studies in Marine Ecology | 1 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division MNS (at least six hours of which must be completed at the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas) | 12 | |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Cell Biology | ||
| Aquatic Entomology | ||
| Introductory Plant Physiology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Ichthyology | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Microbial Genetics | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Geomicrobiology | ||
Upper-division Marine Sciences coursework | ||
| Subtotal | 35 | |
| Degree (see details below) | 34 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 9 | |
| Subtotal | 43 | |
| General Education | ||
| Core Curriculum | 42 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| College Requirements - Natural Sciences | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Degree-Bachelor of Science Biology (BSBio)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hours chosen from: | 4 | |
| Differential and Integral Calculus | ||
| Differential and Integral Calculus for the Sciences | ||
| Integral Calculus for Science and Differential Calculus for Science | ||
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Principles of Chemistry I | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry I | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Principles of Chemistry II | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry II | ||
| Principles of Chemistry II | ||
| CH 204 | Introduction to Chemical Practice | 2 |
| Hours chosen from a single sequence below: | 8 | |
| Sequence 1 | ||
| General Physics I | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 317K | ||
| General Physics II | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 317L | ||
| Sequence 2 | ||
| Mechanics | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 301 | ||
| Electricity and Magnetism | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 316 | ||
| Sequence 3 | ||
| Engineering Physics I | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 303K | ||
| Engineering Physics II | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 303L | ||
| Sequence 4 | ||
| General Physics Technical Course: Mechanics, Heat, and Sound | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 302K | ||
| General Physics Technical Course: Electricity and Magnetism, Light, Atomic and Nuclear Physics | ||
| Laboratory for Physics 302L | ||
| Hours chosen from a single sequence below: | 6 | |
| Sequence 1 | ||
| Introductory Biology I | ||
| Introductory Biology II | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Sequence 2 | ||
| Advanced Introduction to Genetics: Honors | ||
| Genetics: Honors | ||
| BIO 206L | Introductory Laboratory Experiments in Biology | 2 |
| or INB 208L | Field Biology | |
| or MBS 226L | General Microbiology Laboratory | |
| INB 370 | Evolution | 3 |
| All students must complete at least 36 semester hours of upper-division coursework; at least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework in biology must be completed in residence at the University. | ||
| Total Hours | 34 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
Students in all Options must fulfill both the University's General Requirements for graduation and the college requirements. They must also earn a grade of at least C- in each mathematics and science course required for the degree, and a grade point average in these courses of at least 2.00. More information about grades and the grade point average is given in the General Information Catalog.
To graduate under Biology Honors, students must remain in good standing in the Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars, or Polymathic Scholars Honors Program, must submit an honors thesis, and present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college’s annual Undergraduate Research Forum. More information about the Undergraduate Research Forum is available at https://cns.utexas.edu/.
Order and Choice of Work
Students begin the Bachelor of Science in Biology degree program with six hours of introductory biology for science majors (BIO 311C and BIO 311D), as well as CH 301 or CH 301C and CH 302 or CH 302C and M 408C, M 408N, or M 408R. Students should consult with academic advisors about specific concentrations within biology, about appropriate courses in mathematics and physical sciences, and about course load and the balance between laboratory and nonlaboratory work. Most students select a concentration by the end of the second year and take at least 21 hours of upper-division coursework in the major in the third and fourth years.
Additional Requirements and Policies
Students must take MBS 226L instead of either BIO 206L or INB 208L.