Catalogue: Traditional Program:
Biology
Biology (BIO)
Professor Chestnut, Chair
Professor Waltzer
Associate Professor Reese
The department of biology at Belhaven University seeks to encourage students to develop an appreciation for the created world and to integrate factual biological information with foundational Scriptural truths. Students are expected to develop a broad background in biological science as preparation for teaching, graduate school, and the health-related professions. The requirements for the major include courses in three major areas: (1) molecular biology/genetics/biochemistry; (2) morphology/physiology; (3) botany/ecology.
Biology Major: 36 hours of Biology to include:
- BIO 105-106-109, 107-108
- Six upper level courses to include at least one course from each of the following areas:
cell/molecular biology: 342, 370, 371, 410 or CHE 372
morphology/physiology: 310, 320, 333, 336
botany/ecology: 211, 350, 382 - Four hours of "selected topics" as follows: minimum of two hours of 402 and either an additional course of 402 or two courses of 400.
In addition to the core requirements, a biology major must take CHE 111-112, 113-114 and CHE 211 and MAT 102; and a statistics course; either BUS 305, PSY 303, or MAT 305. Recommended for students majoring in Biology: PHY 241-242, 243-244; and CHE 212.
In order to obtain a degree in Biology (or a minor in biology) from Belhaven University, a student must take a minimum of 16 hours in Biology from Belhaven University. In order to declare a major in Biology, a student must have completed eight hours in Biology at Belhaven University. For recommendations for professional, graduate school or jobs, see instructions given under "Pre-Professional Programs." Within the Biology major, anatomy and physiology will count only as elective credit.
All rising juniors must take the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Biology. The test should be taken after completion of a minimum of 12 hours in biology at a time during the spring semester to be selected by the department chairman. The test will be used to aid in the advising and course selection process of the student. This test must be retaken during the senior topics course as part of the course grade.
Students will be required to have completed one semester of internship or research or mentoring to gain real-world experience. This may or may not involve course credit and may be fulfilled a number of ways; i.e. Health Careers Development Program; undergraduate research; internships at Voice of Calvary or Museum of Natural Science; Summer research programs; research at UMMC. Students may work with the chairman beginning as early as the end of their freshman year.
Biology Minor: 22 hours to include BIO 105-106; 107-108; 402; and any three upper-level courses in biology.
Accelerated Second Degree Nursing Minor (Alternate Minor): This minor is designed to provide the prerequisite courses for any student who will complete a degree in any major and who would like to have the option to enter the "Accelearted Second Degree Nursing Program" at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The required courses (17 hours) are as follows: BIO 230, 231, 265, PSY 240, 241, 303.
Honors Program:The Biology Department offers opportunities to enroll in honors courses from its department. The following are general education, elective, and major courses that may be taken as honors courses: BIO 105-106, 320, 336, 342, 370, 371, 382 and 411-412. For students majoring in this department, a student must pass a minimum of 12 hours of honors courses within the discipline and a minimum of nine hours from the honors programs of other departments. The student must take BIO 411-412 during the junior or senior year. Each course must be passed with a B or better. No more than 21 hours are required for the honors degree. For other honors program policies, see “Honors Program” under the “Administration of the Curriculum” section of the catalogue. Upon enrolling in the university honors program, the honors student must meet with the Department Chairman to determine a plan to complete the honors requirements for biology. For specific honors courses, the designation must be made during the registration.
Pre-Professional Programs: The Biology Department advises students for a number of programs in the health-related professions: Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Pharmacy. These programs and the pre-requisite requirements are listed in the current catalogue at http://www.belhaven.edu/academics/Programs/preprofessional.htm.
| 100 | Basic Biology (2). Institutional credit only. Open to any student and/or students judged by the biology department to be deficient in basic biological skills. The course is intended to encourage students who have never used laboratory procedures and is a simplified introduction to biological chemistry, the cell, organ systems in humans, and genetics. This course does not fulfill the core requirement nor does it count toward the 124 hours required for graduation. |
| 105-106 | General Biology (3-3). An analytical approach to the study of basic biological processes and principles as designed by the Creator; stress on the common foundation on which all living events are based. (Lecture 3) (Honors) (105, fall only; 106, spring only) |
| 107-108 | General Biology Lab (1-1). Prereq. or coreq: BIO 105-106. Corresponding lab session for general biology lecture. (Lab 2) (107, fall only; 108, spring only) |
| Prerequisites for each course listed below: BIO 105-106, and 107-108, or the consent of department chairman and instructor, unless stated otherwise. | |
| 211 | Botany (4). A survey of selected nonvascular and vascular plants. Structure, function and ecological relationships of seed plants. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Fall, odd years) |
| 230 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4). Prereq: BIO 105, 106, 107, and 108. Cells and tissues, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Course is open to students in pre-allied health programs, sport medicine, and dance. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) Dance majors who have received an ACT Natural Science score of 25 or above or SAT composite score above 1300 are exempt from the BIO 105 and 107 prerequisite, but not BIO 106 and 108. SME majors cannot enroll in BIO 230 without having first successfully passed BIO 105, 106, 107, and 108 with a C- or higher. (Fall only) |
| 231 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II (4). Prereq: BIO 105, 106, 107, and 108. Cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, digestive, metabolism, urinary, reproductive, endocrine, development, and inheritance. Course is open to students in pre-allied health programs, sports medicine, and dance. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) Dance majors who have received an ACT Natural Science score of 25 or above or SAT composite score above 1300 are exempt from the BIO 105 and 107 prerequisite, but not BIO 106 and 108. (Spring only) |
| 265 | Basic Nutrition (3). Principles of food composition; diets: emphasis on the macronutrients and micronutrients. Personal diet management. Effect of diet on the human body. Not accepted toward the following: a major or minor in biology or the biology requirement for the B.S. degree in science. (Spring, odd years) |
| 310 | Parasitology (4). A survey of the major parasite groups with emphasis on taxonomy, morphology, life history, and epidemiology. The survey will include both experimental and slide laboratories. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Fall, odd years) |
| 320 | Physiology (4). Prereq: CHE 111-112, 113-114. The functions of the major body systems: nervous, cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, muscular, endocrine, reproductive, excretory, and digestive. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Spring, odd years) |
| 333 | Histology (4). Microscopic study of major animal tissues: epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Spring, even years) |
| 336 | Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates (4). A phylogenetic study of vertebrates; representative species dissected and systematic comparisons made; survey of structure in the major body systems. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Fall, even years) |
| 342 | Genetics (4). A study of the fundamental concepts of classical genetics and its historical development; an introduction to the principles and techniques of modern genetics. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Spring, odd years) |
| 350 | Introduction to Marine Biology (4). Physical and biological aspects of the marine environment: emphasis on the major habitats and design of organisms for their environment. Survey of the marine phyla. Field trip to Horn Island. (Lecture 3, Lab 3, field trip) Spring miniterm. |
| 370 | Cell and Molecular Biology (4). Prereq: CHE 111-112, 113-114; CHE 211-212 recommended. Morphology and function of the cell; cellular organelles and processes including enzyme activity, respiration, cell signaling, and reproduction. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Fall, odd years) |
| 371 | Microbiology (4). An introductory study of microorganisms: morphology, cytology, physiology, immunology, and control; emphasis on the prokaryotes. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Spring only) |
| 382 | Ecology (4). A survey of physical, chemical, and biological interrelations in natural communities. (Lecture 3, Lab 3) (Honors) (Fall, even years) |
| 400 | Selected Topics in Modern Biology (1). Suggested for one semester of the junior year and one semester of the senior year. Attendance and participation in a series of student and outside speaker presentations. Library paper required on topic to be selected. (Fall and spring) |
| 402 | Selected Topics in Modern Biology (2). Required of all senior biology majors. Student will present power-point lectures and attend and participate in a series of student and outside speaker presentations. Includes review of recent literature and presentation of current topics in biology. Senior status required: to be taken fall and/or spring of the senior year. Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Biology will be taken as an exit exam and part of this course. May be taken twice. (Fall and spring) |
| 410 | Immunology (3). Prereq: BIO 320 or BIO 333 or BIO 370. The molecular and cellular basis of immunity: antibody diversity, B-cells, T-cells, antigen presentation, tolerance, autoimmunity, and transplantation. (Lecture 3, Lab 1) (Fall, odd years) |
| 411-412 | Undergraduate Research (1 or 2/1 or 2). Supervised research and instruction in a biological field of study for one full year of study. Open by request only to junior and senior biology majors. Offered by special arrangement with the chair of the department. Required of all honor students. (Honors). (411, fall only; 412, spring only) |
Belhaven students may receive credit for biology courses given at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
