Biology, Teaching (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 |
| UTS 101 | Secondary Teacher Education Preparation: Step 1 | 1 |
| MBS 320 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| BIO 311D | Introductory Biology II | 3 |
| BIO 206L | Introductory Laboratory Experiments in Biology | 2 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| UTS 110 | Secondary Teacher Education Preparation: STEP 2 | 1 |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CH 204 | Introduction to Chemical Practice | 2 |
| HIS 329U | Perspectives on Science and Mathematics | 3 |
| EDC 365C | Knowing and Learning in Math and Science | 3 |
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| INB 370 | Evolution | 3 |
| BIO 325 | Genetics | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PHY X02K & PHY X05M |
General Physics Technical Course: Mechanics, Heat, and Sound and Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K |
4 |
| INB 373 | Ecology | 3 |
| INB X22 & INB X22L |
Structure, Physiology, and Reproduction of Seed Plants and Structure, Physiology, and Reproduction of Seed Plants Laboratory |
4 |
| MBS 367C | Cellular and Molecular Bases of Neural Development | 3 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PHY X02L & PHY X05N |
General Physics Technical Course: Electricity and Magnetism, Light, Atomic and Nuclear Physics and Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L |
4 |
| BIO 337 | Selected Topics in Biology | 3 |
| MBS X26R & MBS X26L |
General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory |
5 |
| EDC 365D | Classroom Interactions | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| EDC 365E | Project-Based Instruction | 3 |
| INB 369L | Herpetology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division BIO/INB/MBS or GEO | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| EDC 651S | Topics in Secondary School Teaching Practicum | 6 |
| UTS 170 | Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| 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 | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Sequence 1: | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Sequence 2: | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Fundamentals of Biochemistry | ||
| MBS 320 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| MBS 226L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| MBS 326R | General Microbiology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 4 | |
| Sequence 1: | ||
| Survey of the Plant Kingdom | ||
| Survey of the Plant Kingdom Laboratory | ||
| Sequence 2: | ||
| Structure, Physiology, and Reproduction of Seed Plants | ||
| Structure, Physiology, and Reproduction of Seed Plants Laboratory | ||
| Sequence 3: | ||
| Introductory Plant Physiology | ||
| Laboratory Experiments in Plant Physiology | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Animal Communication | ||
| Principles of Animal Behavior | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Human Systems Physiology | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Bases of Neural Development | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Biology of Birds | ||
| Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Vertebrate Natural History | ||
| Limnology and Oceanography | ||
| Plant Systematics | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Marine Botany | ||
| Marine Invertebrates | ||
| Biology of Fishes | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Discovery Laboratory in Plant Biology | ||
| Research Methods: UTeach (Topic 2: Research Methods: UTeach) | ||
| Research Methods: UTeach (Topic 1: Research Methods: UTeach) | ||
| Energy Production (Topic 1: Research Methods: UTeach) | ||
| HIS 329U | Perspectives on Science and Mathematics | 3 |
| or PHL 329U | Perspectives on Science and Mathematics | |
| Certification Areas | 3 | |
| Composite science certification (3 credit hours required): | ||
Hours chosen from: GEO | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Introduction to Geology | ||
| Climate: Past, Present, and Future | ||
| Earth, Wind, and Fire | ||
| Earth Science and Sustainability | ||
| The Age of Mammals | ||
| Geology of National Parks | ||
| Earth in 2100 | ||
| Crisis of Our Planet | ||
| Climate and the Energy Transition | ||
| Life science certification (6 credit hours required): | ||
| Ecology | ||
Hours chosen from: | ||
| Animal Communication | ||
| Principles of Animal Behavior | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Human Systems Physiology | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Bases of Neural Development | ||
| Biology of Birds | ||
| Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Vertebrate Natural History | ||
| Limnology and Oceanography | ||
| Plant Systematics | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Marine Botany | ||
| Marine Invertebrates | ||
| Biology of Fishes | ||
| Professional Development Coursework | ||
| EDC 651S.4 | Secondary School Teaching Practicum: Science (Topic 4: Secondary School Teaching Practicum: Science) | 6 |
| EDC 365C | Knowing and Learning in Math and Science | 3 |
| or UTS 350 | Knowing and Learning in Math and Science | |
| EDC 365D | Classroom Interactions | 3 |
| or UTS 355 | Classroom Interactions | |
| EDC 365E | Project-Based Instruction | 3 |
| or UTS 360 | Project-Based Instruction | |
| UTS X01 & UTS X10 & UTS X70 | Secondary Teacher Education Preparation: Step 1 and Secondary Teacher Education Preparation: STEP 2 and Student Teaching Seminar | 3 |
| Middle Grade Certification (Optional) | ||
| Hours chosen from: | ||
| EDC 339E | Secondary School Literacy across the Disciplines | 3 |
| Subtotal | 54 | |
| Degree (see details below) | 34 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 0 | |
| Subtotal | 34 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 32 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 32 | |
| 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
Student pursuing this concentration may substitute Science 365 and Physics 108 for Physics 316 and 116L, 317L and 117N, 303L and 103N, or 302L and 102N; Physics 108 is offered on the pass/fail basis.
This concentration is designed to fulfill the course requirements for certification as a middle grades or secondary school science teacher in Texas. Students choose either composite science certification with biology as the primary teaching field or life science certification. However, completion of the course requirements does not guarantee students' certification. Information about additional certification requirements is available from the UTeach-Natural Sciences academic advisor.