Undergraduate Degree Programs
B.S. Biological Sciences
Concentration in Biology and Society
- Checksheet: 2009-10 | Major Map
- Checksheet: 2008-09 | Major Map
- Checksheet: 2007-08
- Checksheet: 2006-07
What can I do with a degree in Biology and Society?
Course List
- Spring 2010 Biology and Society Interface Course List (PDF)
- Fall 2009 Biology and Society Interface Course List (PDF)
- Summer 2009 Biology and Society Interface Course List (PDF)
- Spring 2009 Biology and Society Interface Course List (PDF)
The Concentration in Biology and Society is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of life sciences and related sciences, and to gain the historical, philosophical, political, and bioethical perspectives needed to explore interactions between the life sciences and related complex human issues. The program seeks to cultivate better-informed and more effective policy-makers, teachers, writers, and researchers in areas related to biology, medicine, and society. To achieve this, the curriculum is highly individualized. The major in Biological Sciences with a Concentration in Biology and Society consists of a minimum of 48 semester hours in required courses, and a minimum of 9 semester hours in related fields, a three-semester-hour statistics course, plus a three-semester-hour advanced mathematics course included in the General Studies Requirement. A minimum grade of “C” (2.00) is required in all course work in the major and related fields.
Required courses are as follows:
Core requirements (15 hours):
- BIO 187 General Biology (4)
- BIO 188 General Biology (4)
- BIO 340 General Genetics (4)
- BIO 345 Organic Evolution (3)
Concentration requirements (9 hours):
- BIO 311 Biology and Society (3)
- BIO 314 Research Colloquium in Biology and Society I (2)
- BIO 414 Research Colloquium in Biology and Society II (1)
3 credit hours of Research (see an advisor for approved list)
Upper Division Life Sciences:
12 credit hours of upper division electives from BIO, PLB, MIC, MBB
Interface Courses:
12 credit hours of Interface courses with at least 3 credits from each
of the three areas of:
- Ethics
- History and Philosophy of Science
- Science in Contemporary Society
While these specific courses will fulfill the requirement without further approval, students may propose other courses as well. Please submit a course approval form request with a syllabus or course description to the Center for Biology and Society for approval.
Related fields (9 hours of physical science, chemistry preferred).
Math Proficiency (6 hours; 3 as a General Studies Requirement):
- STP 226 Elementary Statistics (3)
--- or --- STP 231 Statistics for Biosciences (3) - MAT 251 Calculus for Life Sciences (3)
Interface Course Requirements (will not appear in catalog):
Biology and Society, B.S. Majors must take at least one course from each of the three areas below for a total of 12 credit hours. While these specific courses will fulfill the requirement without further approval, students may propose other courses as well.
To propose or petition to take a course that is not listed, please fill out the Biology and Society Interface Course Approval Form and submit it to Dr. Maienschein in room LSC 284.
Ethics:
These courses include rigorous analysis of
ethics and values in the context of the products and processes of the life sciences.
- BIO 312/PHI 320 Bioethics
- BIO 394/PHI 394/REL 394 Bioethics: Religious Issues
- BIO 324/BIO 394/PHI 310 Environmental Ethics
- BIO 394/ENG 394 Science, Ethics and the Public
- BIO 416/HPS 410 Professional Values in Science
- BIO 494 Advanced Enviornmental Ethics
*Other Courses with Topics Related to Bioethics
History and Philosophy of Science:
These courses focus on 1) the development of science over time and the way that
science changes with and within society or 2) promoting a deep understanding and appreciation of
the nature of scientific arguments and logic and how you determine what counts as evidence in
science.
- BIO 316/HPS 330 History of Biology
- BIO 318/HPS 331 History of Medicine
- BIO 494/HPS 494 Darwin and Design
- HPS 314/PHI 314 Philosophy of Science
- HPS 322 History of Science
- HPS 323 History of Science
- HPS 325/HST 385 Chinese Science and Medicine
- HPS 336 Exploration of Science
- PHI 312 Theory of Knowledge
- PHI 394 Philosophy of Biology
- HPS 394 Selected Special Topics*
- HPS 494 Selected Special Topics*
Science in Contemporary Society:
These courses must expose students to the methods of inquiry and
results in the social study of science. They explore contemporary interactions between
biology and society. Each course must clearly recognize and analyze current issues relating
to both science and society, not just science, and may draw from religious studies, philosophy,
economics, policy, law, anthropology, political science, business, and other disciplines.
- ASB 311 Principles of Social Anthropology
- ASB 462 Medical Anthropology: Culture and Health
- ASM 348 Social Issues in Human Genetics
- BIO 302 Cancer and Heart Disease
- BIO 303 Radiation and Life
- BIO 304 Radiation Medicine and Biology
- BIO 322 Conservation Biology and Ecological Sustainability I
- BIO 323 Conservation Biology and Ecological Sustainability II
- BIO 344/HPS 311/REL 383 Origins: Evolution and Creation
- BIO 346/HPS 332 Darwinian Revolution
- BIO 394 Taking Science to the Public
- BIO 411 Quantitative Conservation Biology
- BIO 412 Conservation in Practice
- BIO 427 Fire
- CHM 107 Chemistry and Society
- JMC 445 Science Writing
- SOC 334 Technology and Society
- TCL 410 Race, Medicine, and the Body
*Other Courses Related to Law and Science
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