Program: B.S., Biology
Marine Biology
Overview
The Marine Biology Option prepares graduates for employment in the marine sciences and for advanced graduate study. Advisement is mandatory and a course program must be approved by an advisor by the beginning of the student’s junior year.
Program Requirements
Each student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree must complete the designated Core program plus all required courses and the selective program of one of the options.
A. Core Requirements for All B.S. Options
1. Lower Division Courses (27 units)
BIOL 106/L Biological Principles I and Lab (3/1)
BIOL 107/L Biological Principles II and Lab (3/1)
CHEM 101/L General Chemistry I and Lab (4/1)
CHEM 102/L General Chemistry II and Lab (4/1)
PHYS 100A General Physics I (3)
PHYS 100B General Physics II (3)
MATH 255A Calculus for the Life Sciences I (3)
2. Upper Division Courses (9 units)
BIOL 322 Evolutionary Biology (3)
BIOL 360 Genetics (3)
BIOL 380 Cell Biology (3)
B. Option Requirements
1. Required Courses (13-18 units)
BIOL 330/L Design and Analysis of Experiments and Lab (2/1)
or BIOL 502/L Biometry and Lab (3/1)
BIOL 421/L/492B Marine Biology (2/1/1)
PHYS 100AL General Physics I Lab (1)
PHYS 100BL General Physics II Lab (1)
CHEM 235/L Introductory Organic Chemistry and Lab (3/1)
or CHEM 333/L/334/L Principles of Organic Chemistry I and II and Labs (4/1) and (3/1)
2. Selective Program (27 units)
Select three additional courses from Section 1 (Marine Biology) below and 15 units from Section 2 (Electives), for a total of 27 units.
Marine Biology (12 units)
BIOL 313/L/392B Invertebrate Zoology (2/1/1)
BIOL 504/L/592P Phycology (2/1/1)
BIOL 527/L/592L Biology of Pelagic Organisms (2/1/1)
BIOL 529/L/592I Marine Ecology (2/1/1)
BIOL 530/L/592J Ichthyology (2/1/1)
BIOL 531/L/592Q Ecology of Marine Fishes (2/1/1)
Electives (15 units)
BIOL 312/L/392F Vertebrate Biology (2/1/1)
BIOL 316/L Plant Biology and Lab (3/1)
BIOL 403/L Plant Morphology and Lab (2/2)
BIOL 406/L/492K Flowering Plant Systematics and Lab (2/1/1)
BIOL 407/L/492N Plant Ecology (2/1/1)
BIOL 409/L/492J Non-Flowering Plants and Lab (2/1/1)
BIOL 415/L/492M Mammalogy (2/1/1)
BIOL 422/L Physiological Ecology and Lab (2/2)
BIOL 423/492F Field Ecology (2/2)
BIOL 424/L/492G Ecological Modeling (2/1/1)
BIOL 427/L/492H Principles of Ecology and Lab (2/1/1)
BIOL 428/L/492W Wildlife Ecology and Management (2/1/1)
BIOL 433/L Biology of Marine Tetrapods and Lab (2/1)
BIOL 481/L Plant Physiology and Lab (2/2)
BIOL 490, 495, 499, 526 (no more than 3 units combined)
BIOL 502/L Biometry (3/1) (if not used to meet required courses)
BIOL 511/L Molecular Markers in Evolutionary Studies and Lab (2/2)
BIOL 514/L/592A Avian Ecology (2/1/1)
BIOL 525 Animal Behavior (3)
BIOL 592D Animal Behavior Field Studies (1)
BIOL 528/L/592B Behavioral Ecology (2/1/1)
BIOL 532/L Advanced Ichthyology (2/2)
BIOL 533/592C Conservation Biology (3/1)
BIOL 560 Advanced Topics in Evolution (3)
GEOL 322/L Introductory Oceanography and Lab (3/1)
General Education (36 units)
Basic Skills Mathematics and the entire Natural Sciences section are fulfilled by required courses in the major.
Total Units in Option V: 76-81
General Education Units: 36
Additional Units: 3-8
Total Units Required for a B.S. Degree: 120
Contact
Chair: Larry Allen
Chaparral Hall (CR) 5101
(818) 677-3356
www.csun.edu/biology
Student Learning Outcomes
The Biology Department has identified five learning outcomes to be achieved by its students as a result of completing one of its baccalaureate degree programs.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of a) the structure and metabolism of cells; b) the transmission and expression of genetic information; and c) the immediate and long-term (evolutionary) consequences of interactions between organisms and their environment.
- Students will demonstrate specialized knowledge in one or more disciplines of biology.
- Students will be aware of and/or capable of using new and existing methods and technologies in these disciplines.
- Students must demonstrate facility in applying the methods of scientific inquiry, including observation, hypothesis testing, data collection and analysis.
- Students will have the ability to engage the biology literature and to communicate scientific information verbally and/or in writing.