Major Requirements

General Biology Requirements

Credits Required: 

Total credits: 120

Credits at CSUMB: 60

Credits in the major: 72 - 82, depending upon the concentration.  At least 40 units must be upper division, but not all of these need to be in the major.

The Biology major is a four-year major that begins in the freshman year with specific requirements, including math and chemistry. Getting good academic advice and an early start in the major are essential for timely graduation, because most upper-division (junior/senior) biology courses require lower-division (freshman/sophomore) courses as prerequisites.

If you are a high school or community college student, please check out our information about preparation for the major. If you are already at CSUMB (or planning to enroll soon), please contact the Division of Science & Environmental Policy to get a biology advisor. Your advisor will help you select courses that match your interests and career goals. You should contact your advisor at least once each semester throughout your time at CSUMB for updates about new courses, internship opportunities, and biology careers.

Like other majors at CSUMB, the Biology major is defined in terms of a set of Major Learning Outcomes (MLOs), which are things you'll be able to do after completing the major. Each of the three concentrations within the Biology major uses a slightly different set of courses to help you achieve the same outcomes in different ways. For details, check out the course requirements for each concentration:

We have put together some sample course pathways illustrating realistic semester-by-semester course sequences that meet the Biology and CSUMB graduation requirements. These are only suggestions. You should work with your advisor to develop a pathway that makes the most sense for you and your goals.

To learn more about each course listed in the requirements and pathways, including prerequisites, please consult the course descriptions.

Major Learning Outcomes

MLO 1 Mathematical Foundations

Students apply the fundamental mathematical and statistical constructs used to analyze, interpret and communicate quantitative information.

Required Courses

  • STAT 100: Introduction to Statistics (4 units)
  • OR
  • STAT 250: Applied Stat:Sci Tech (4 units)

MLO 2 Physical Science Foundations

Students use the nomenclature, concepts and methodology of chemistry and physics to describe, measure and predict the chemical and physical properties and processes of physical and biological systems.

Required Courses

  • CHEM 211: Organic Chemistry I (5 units)
  • AND
  • And complete one of the following
  • PHYS 150: Physics for Biologists (4 units)
  • OR
  • Note: The two-semester sequences of Organic Chemistry and Physics are required by most graduate schools.

MLO 3 Biological Foundations

Students understand and describe the role of evolution as it applies to the diversity of life and life processes on earth, including molecular and cellular biology, genetics, organismal biology and ecology, and they apply basic scientific principles and methods to these biological processes.

Required Courses

  • BIO 240/L: Ecology,Evol, Biodiversity (4 units)
  • BIO 241/L: Cellular & Molecular Biology (4 units)
  • BIO 242/L: Plant & Animal Form & Function (4 units)

MLO 4 Communication and Ethics in Biology

Students identify, research, analyze, and present clearly, in oral and written formats, for scientific and non-scientific audiences, historical and current complex biological concepts in appropriate contexts. Students analyze their own and other ethical frameworks surrounding such issues.

Required Courses

  • BIO 300: Issues & Ethics in Biology (4 units)
  • OR
  • ENVS 300: Read, Writ & Crit Thnk in ENVS (4 units)

MLO 5 Information, Technology and Scientific Inquiry in Biology

Students detect, describe and observe patterns that emerge from the analysis of biological questions, use the scientific method to develop questions and test hypotheses, and demonstrate competence in the analysis and display of data. (Courses taken in MLO 5 may not be double counted for MLO 6.)

Required Courses

  • BIO 344L: Environmental Biotech Lab (4 units)
  • BIO 410: Bioinformatics & Systems Bio (3 units)
  • ENVS 350: Quantitative Field Methds (4 units)
  • ENVS 355: Environmental Monitoring (4 units)
  • PHYS 330: Electronics for Ecol Research (3 units)

MLO 6 Advanced Knowledge in Molecular and Cellular Biology

Students apply scientific principles and methods to the study of molecular life processes and the structure and function of cells.(Courses taken in MLO 5 may not be double counted for MLO 6.)

Required Courses

MLO 7 Advanced Knowledge in Organismal Biology

 Students apply biological principles and scientific methods to the study of one or more chosen areas of organismal biology.

IMPORTANT: All students should meet with their upper-division advisor to select a sequence of courses appropriate to their career goals. (Courses may not be double counted for two different MLOs.)

Required Courses

  • General Biology Concentration
  • Complete one of the following. Courses may not be double counted for two different MLO's
  • BIO 320/L: Microbiology (4 units)
  • BIO 345/L: Marine Biology (4 units)
  • BIO 360: Vertebrate Natural History (4 units)
  • BIO 420: Marine Invertebrate Zoology (4 units)
  • BIO 472: California Flora (4 units)
  • ENVS 442: Vernal Pools of Ft Ord (4 units)
  • Selected MLML course with advisor and MLML approval

MLO 8 Advanced Knowledge in Ecology, Evolution or Genetics

Students apply advanced concepts in molecular and population genetics, evolution or experimental and theoretical ecology to modern questions in biology. 

Required Courses

  • General Biology Concentration
  • Courses may not be double counted for two different MLO's
  • BIO 311: Genetics (3 units)
  • and one of the following courses
  • BIO 340: Ecology (4 units)
  • BIO 342: California Ecosystems (4 units)
  • BIO 448: Aquatic Ecology (4 units)
  • ENVS 440: Environmental Modeling (4 units)
  • ENVS 470: Sci Pol & Mgmt in Marine Env (4 units)
  • or selected MLML course with advisor and MLML approval

MLO 9 Service in Biology

Students demonstrate the ability to share an understanding of biology with culturally, linguistically, economically and technologically diverse communities.

Note: BIO and ENVS courses with "S" designation also count towards two of CSUMB's Graduation Learning Outcomes and as upper-division general education.

Required Courses

  • General Biology Concentration
  • Choose one of the following courses
  • BIO 378S: Health Sciences Serv Learn (5 units)
  • BIO 379S: Biology Education Serv Learn (5 units)
  • ENVS 349S: Natural History Interpretation (4 to 5 units)
  • ENVS 369S: Com-Based Watershed Restor SL (5 units)
  • ENVS 384S: Social & Ecological Justice SL (5 units)
  • MATH 361S: Mathematics Tutors (5 units)
  • or selected upper-division service learning course approved by your advisor

MLO 10 Biology Capstone and Advanced Electives

Students complete a professional-quality poster and give an oral report that synthesizes their biological knowledge with their experiences in a course-based project, an internship, service learning project, independent research or other advisor-approved Capstone-level project. Students complete additional depth in their chosen biological field through advanced elective courses.

Required Courses

  • ENVS 400: Capstone Seminar I (1 units)
  • AND
  • ENVS 402: Honors Capstone Seminar II (3 units)
  • OR
  • ENVS 403: Capstone Seminar II (3 units)
  • May be substituted with advisor approval.
  • Two elective courses from MLO 5, 6, 7, or 8 (or advisor-approved course). One must be a 400-level course and one must be a capstone project course. Selected courses may not be double counted in another MLO.
  • Capstone project courses include:
  • BIO 410: Bioinformatics & Systems Bio (3 units)
  • BIO 344L: Environmental Biotech Lab (4 units)
  • BIO 448: Aquatic Ecology (4 units)
  • BIO 460L: Yeast Genetics & Mole Bio Lab (2 units)
  • BIO 472: California Flora (4 units)
  • BIO 494: Biology Internship (2 to 4 units)
  • BIO 495: Special Topics in Biology (1 to 4 units)
  • BIO 497: Independent Study (1 to 4 units)
  • ENVS 440: Environmental Modeling (4 units)
  • ENVS 442: Vernal Pools of Ft Ord (4 units)
  • or additional course as approved by advisor

Concentrations

General Biology

The General Biology concentration is designed for students with an interest any area of biology other than health sciences or preparing to be a secondary biology teacher. Students in the General Biology concentration can choose electives to focus on ecology, molecular biology, marine biology, or organismal biology, in preparation for either graduate school or working in a biology-related field after graduation

Premedical

The Premedical concentration is designed to fulfill admissions requirements for medical, pharmacy, or veterinary school, and is intended to serve students interested in going on to professional school in the health sciences.

Teacher Preparation

The Teacher Preparation concentration is aligned with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing's standards for middle school and high school biology teachers.