University Catalog

Biology Major, Environmental Science/Biology Concentration (B.S.)

Certain pre-qualified students may be accepted into the major; others will need to complete the following:

3.00 overall GPA required 

Please note: The Biology and Molecular Biology majors have retention policies. By the end of their second semester in the major (i.e. spring), students must maintain a minimum 2.00 GPA and have completed the following courses: BIOL 112 and/or BIOL 113, CHEM 106 and/or CHEM 120, and MATH 111. These criteria do not apply to students entering in the Fall in the https://www.montclair.edu/university-college/stem-pioneers/ STEM Pioneers Program

Successfully complete one semester of a math, biology and chemistry course in the major with a C- or higher

Departmental advising meeting required.

Contact: Dr. Dirk Vanderklein, Science Hall, Room 116, 973-655-5265

120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
 
On This Page

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements32
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-9
Major Requirements75-78
Free Electives10-1
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Biology Major Requirements
BIOL 112Principles of Biology I4
BIOL 113Principles of Biology II4
BIOL 213Introduction to Ecology4
BIOL 230Cell and Molecular Biology4
BIOL 380Genetics4
BIOL 417Evolutionary Biology3
Major Electives - Environmental Science
Select two courses from the list (see below)7
Environmental Science Concentration
EAES 105Physical Geology4
Select three of the following:9-12
EAES 210
Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing
EAES 230
Hydrology
EAES 240
Earth System History
EAES 322
Environmental Geochemistry
EAES 331
Geohydrology
EAES 340
Sedimentology
EAES 341
Principles of Soil Science
EAES 451
Coastal Marine Geology
Collateral Chemistry Courses
CHEM 120General Chemistry I4
CHEM 121General Chemistry II4
CHEM 230Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 231Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 232Experimental Organic Chemistry I2
Collateral Mathematics Courses
Select two of the following options:8
STAT 230
& STAT 231
Data Science and Statistics
and Data Science and Biostatistics
AMAT 120
Applied Calculus A
or MATH 122
 Calculus I
AMAT 220
Applied Calculus B
or MATH 221
 Calculus II
Collateral Physics Courses
Select one of the following sequences:8
PHYS 191
& PHYS 192
University Physics I
and University Physics II
PHYS 193
& PHYS 194
College Physics I
and College Physics II
Total Credits75-78

Major Electives - Environmental Science

BIMS 220Introduction to Marine Biology4
BIOL 300Environmental Biology and Related Controversial Issues3
BIOL 330Introduction to Animal Behavior3
BIOL 350Microbiology4
BIOL 370Principles of Ecology3
BIOL 404Plant and Animal Histological Techniques3
BIOL 405Cell Culture3
BIOL 406Scanning Electron Microscopy4
BIOL 409Externship in Biological Research (Co-operative Education)1-4
BIOL 410Toxicology3
BIOL 411Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy4
BIOL 415Population Genetics3
BIOL 418Biology Independent Research1-4
BIOL 420Economic Botany3
BIOL 425Elementary Plant Physiology3
BIOL 426New Jersey Flora4
BIOL 429Herpetology4
BIOL 430Ornithology4
BIOL 431Entomology3
BIOL 432Medical Entomology3
BIOL 433Developmental Biology4
BIOL 434Molecular Biology3
BIOL 435Experimental Molecular Biology3
BIOL 436Phylogenetic Zoology4
BIOL 439Biology of Animal Parasites3
BIOL 440Gross Mammalian Anatomy4
BIOL 441Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates4
BIOL 442Human Physiology4
BIOL 443Vertebrate Embryology4
BIOL 444Cell Physiology3
BIOL 445Immunology3
BIOL 446Endocrinology3
BIOL 447Fundamentals of Pharmacology3
BIOL 450Medical Microbiology3
BIOL 451Comparative Animal Physiology3
BIOL 460Biological Oceanography3
BIOL 461Aquatic Ecology3
BIOL 475Medical Genetics3
BIOL 476Biology of Cancer3
BIOL 480Research Community I: Organism Biology4
BIOL 481Research Community II: Organism Biology4
BIOL 484Research Community I: Ecology4
BIOL 485Research Community II: Ecology4
BIOL 486Special Topics in Biology3-4
BIOL 489Special Topics in Organismal Biology3-4
BIOL 493Molecular Ecology3

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course.1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature3
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives 3
G. Computer Science
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.3
H. Mathematics
Fulfilled by collateral Math courses in the major.
I. Natural Science Laboratory
BIOL 112
Principles of Biology I (Fulfilled in the major.)
J. Physical Education
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.1
K. Social Science
1. American and European History 3
2. Global Cultural Perspectives3
3. Social Science Perspectives 3
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
CHEM 120
General Chemistry I (Fulfilled in the major.)
Total Credits32

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

World Languages
Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language.3-6
World Cultures
Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives.0-3
Total Credits3-9

Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion

This recommended four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years.  This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar 1
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing 3
 Credits4
Spring
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature 3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication 3
 Credits6
 Total Credits10