Undergraduate Program

Program Description

Phi Sigma Society

Undergraduate Research Grants (PDF)

Graduating Senior Photos - May 2007

Curriculum

Biology (B.A. or B.S.)

Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Studies

Pre-Nursing Studies

Pre-Physical Therapy Studies

Academic Minor Requirements
   Planning Sheet (B.A. or B.S.) 06 - 07 (PDF)

Planning Sheet (B.A. or B.S.) 07 -08 (PDF)
   Freshman and Sophomore Advising Syllabus

                                                                           Undergraduate
Researcher

Department of Biological Sciences

Joseph G. Cloud,  Dept. Chair (252 Life Sc. Bldg. 83844-3051; phone 208/885-6280; http://www.sci.uidaho.edu/biosci).  

Faculty: John A. Byers, Michael A. Cantrell, Joseph G. Cloud, Mark E. DeSantis,  Larry J. Forney, James A. Foster,  Rolf L. Ingermann, Michael B. Laskowski,  James J. Nagler, Scott L. Nuismer, Nils O. Pellmyr, Barrie D. Robison, Deborah L. Stenkamp, John M. Sullivan, Eva M. Top, Holly A. Wichman,
Lecturers: Pamela G. Brunsfeld, Candi K. Heimgartner, Denim JochimsenBruce MobarryMatthew B. Parks, , Kristen Simokat

Affiliate Faculty:  James R. Blackman, Celeste Brown, Dale A. Bruns, Patricia J. Heglund, Kathy Magnusson, R. Francis Rosenzweig, Irvin R. Schultz. 

The biological sciences deal with the basic biological principles of all living things.  Courses in the Department of Biological Sciences reflect the increased awareness that subdisciplines within biology are merging into a broad principles-based discipline that recognizes the similarities among living organisms.  Students will be presented with approaches that are based on unifying biological principles.  This will provide them with information that can then be applied to a vast array of novel situations.  The B.A. and B.S. degrees in biology offered by the department reflect this integrated view of biology.  The Biology Core curriculum involves exposure to concepts fundamental to all living things at several levels of organization.  Upper division electives allow students to emphasize natural history, anatomy/physiology, molecular/cellular/developmental biology, or quantitative/integrative biology.  Courses are available to students majoring in other disciplines, who wish to increase their knowledge of science, or who wish to obtain a minor in biology.  The department offers both Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in  biology.  A nonthesis graduate degree, the Master's of Natural Sciences, which is designed to increase the breadth and depth of understanding of biology and is designed primarily for secondary teachers, is also offered with a major in Biological Sciences.

Graduates from the department may enter a variety of fields and many continue their education. Recent graduates have entered allied and public health professions, primary and secondary teaching, agribusiness, medical school, veterinary school, graduate school, law school, state and national agencies that deal with biology (e.g., forestry and fish and game departments, EPA), as well as a variety of environmental consulting agencies and biotechnology companies.

Graduate and undergraduate research concentrations are available in evolution and ecology (animal behavior, genetics, microbial ecology, systematics), neurobiology and aging, and fish reproductive biology (development, endocrinology, fertility).  Possibilities for multidisciplinary research are further enhanced by interdepartmental graduate programs offered in Neuroscience and Bioinformatics.

A wide variety of ongoing projects have produced a stimulating environment for graduate and undergraduate research.  These projects include areas such as: 

• the study of germ cell development in salmonids and the establishment of a germplasm repository for threatened and endangered fish;
   

• investigation of the reproductive physiology of vertebrates at the biochemical, cellular and organismal levels;
   

• examination of metabolic regulation within gametes of salmonids and sturgeon;
   

• hormonal actions at the molecular level;
   

• the development of behavior, play, and sexual selection in animals;
   

• the ecology and adaptive evolution of prokaryotic organisms;
   

• phylogeography, phylogenetics and their use in conservation biology;
   

• coevolution of plants and animals;
   

• experimental evolution of bacterial viruses;
   

• evolution of transposable elements;
   

• the biology of aging in humans, mammals, and birds;
   

• the structure and function of neuronal tissue during normal development, aging, and regeneration after nerve damage; and
   

• photoreceptor differentiation during retinal development and regeneration.

For more complete information on research concentrations, please see the faculty profiles and the faculty research labs.

Admission to graduate programs in the department is based upon an estimate of probable success in work leading to a specific degree.  The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (aptitude only) is required of all applicants.

Prospective students, or students desiring more information, may write, call (208-885-6329) or email the department (biosci@uidaho.edu).

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Biology (B.A. or B.S.) (pdf)

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Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Studies

Admission to schools of medicine or dentistry involves satisfactorily fulfilling prerequisite course work, obtaining a sufficiently high score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or Dental Admission Test (DAT), submitting completed applications, and having a successful interview.  The allied health advisor in the Department of Biological Sciences advises students in all areas of the application process and maintains MCAT and DAT study materials through the Reserve Desk in the University Library.  A committee of three faculty members interviews pre-med students (and pre-dental students on request), writes a letter of evaluation, and provides guidance to students in the interview process.  A video recording of the interview is reviewed by the student with the allied health advisor to better prepare the student for formal interviews elsewhere.

Students with interests in either the M.D., D.D.S., or D.M.D. degree are urged to contact Professor Rolf Ingermann, Gibb 237, as early as possible.

NOTE:  Pre-medical and pre-dental students are strongly encouraged to take Chem 277/278.

UI Pre-Medical Student Manual (PDF file) - The UI Pre-Med Manual is a PDF file and you will need Adobe Reader to view it.

Please refer to the Allied Health website for more information about pre-health studies at the UI.

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Pre-Nursing Studies

The University of Idaho does not offer a degree in nursing. However, student advising for pre-nursing is available on campus.  Please refer to the Allied Health website for more information about pre-health studies at the UI.

In general, admission to a school of nursing is competitive and involves satisfactorily meeting the program's entrance requirements.  Entrance requirements vary but typically include achieving an acceptable scholastic record, completing a science based curriculum, achieving a satisfactory score on a nursing entrance test, and possession of personal qualifications (including experience in health care) essential for effective nursing.

Prerequisite courses differ among schools of nursing and students should investigate the requirements of their school of choice.

The following are suggested courses for students who plan to transfer to a school of nursing.

• BIOL 120 Human Anatomy (4 cr)

• BIOL 121 Human Physiology (4 cr)

• CHEM 101 Introduction to Chem I
  or 111 Principles of Chem I (4 cr)

• CHEM 275, 276 Carbon Compounds and Lab (4 cr)

• FCS 205 Concepts in Human Nutrition (3 cr)

• MMBB 250 General Microbiology
  or MMBB 154 Intro Biology of Bacteria and Viruses
  and MMBB 155 lab (4 to 5 cr)

• PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology (3 cr)
  or PSYC 305 Developmental Psychology (3 cr)

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

• PSYC 218 Intro to Research in the Behavioral Sciences (4 cr)

• STAT 251 Principles of Statistics (3 cr)

• Humanities and social sciences electives
  (at least 6 cr in each field) (21 cr)

• Communications electives
  (3 cr must be in written communication) (6 cr)

NOTE: Pre-nursing students are strongly encouraged to take Math 143.

For information about the BSN program at Lewis-Clark State College:

• http://www.lcsc.edu/Nurdiv/

Transfer plans for Lewis-Clark State College Nursing program include 1 year and 2 year options:

• 1 Year Plan  (PDF file)

• 2 Year Plan  (PDF file)

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Pre-Physical Therapy Studies

UI does not have a professional program in physical therapy and does not offer a degree program in pre-physical therapy.  Students can, however, take courses that are prerequisites for admission into master's or doctoral degree programs in physical therapy at other institutions.  Since a B.S. or B.A. degree is also required for admission into these programs, we strongly urge students to pursue a B.S. or B.A. degree in a related area (such as biology, psychology, or sport science) while completing the prerequisites for admission to a physical therapy degree program.  UI students designating pre-physical therapy as a major will be temporarily placed in the biology major.  The pre-physical therapy advisor in the Department of Biological Sciences advises students interested in preparing to enter into a professional program at another institution.

Recommended Preparation

The doctoral program in physical therapy at Idaho State University, Idaho’s only physical therapy program, is required by law to fill most of its program with Idaho residents.  Consequently, Idaho residents have a competitive advantage in applying to this program.  In addition to completing an undergraduate degree, the successful applicant must have completed the following list of prerequisite courses for the Idaho State University program.  Students interested in the prerequisite courses for other programs should contact Professor Rolf Ingermann.

Prerequisite Courses (with a GPA of 3.0 in each category):

• Biology (3 courses)

Courses 1 & 2:  Biol 120 Human Anatomy and Biol 121 Human Physiology

Course 3:  Upper-division course, 3 cr minimum (Lab-only course will NOT be accepted.  Courses in plant biology or evolution will NOT be accepted)

• Chemistry (2 courses)

Chem 111 and Chem 112 Introductory Chemistry with laboratory

• Physics (2 courses)

Phys 111 and Phys 112 Introductory Physics with laboratory

• Math/Statistics (1 course)

Stat 251  Principles of Statistics

• Psychology and Sociology or Anthropology or Health Science (2 courses)

Course 1:  Psych 101 Introductory Psychology

Course 2:  Sociology or Anthropology or Health Science or Psychology.  (This course must be relevant to health care, rural societies, cultural diversity, aging, health care administration, abnormal psychology or epidemiology.  Marriage/family, religion or history courses will not meet this requirement.)

Please refer to the Allied Health website for more information about pre-health studies at the UI.

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Academic Minor Requirements

BIOLOGY MINOR

• Biol 115  Cells and the Evolution of Life (4 cr)

• Biol 116  Organisms & Environments (4 cr)

• Biol 210  Genetics (4 cr)

• Biol 212  Molecular and Cellular Biology (4 cr)

• Biol 213  Principles of Biological Structure and Function (4 cr)

• Biol 314  Ecology and Population Biology (4 cr)