Botany Pathway

Botany Pathway

The Botany Pathway is a suggested curriculum for students interested in studying the biology of plants, and which can lead to careers in the following areas (Please click on the links below which provide additional information regarding the appropriate training leading to occupational opportunities in these fields):

• Conservation Science
• Environmental Science
• Curators and Museum Workers
• Postsecondary Teaching

Students may choose to complete either a standard 36 hour major with a minor in another field, or a 50 credit hour concentration without a minor.

• Biology Major Requirements (minor required)
• Biology Major Requirements (without a minor)

The following courses offered by the Department of Biological Sciences are suggested by the faculty for those students whose interests are focused on studying the biology of plants.

A course is required in each of the menu areas below for the major, but multiple suggestions are offered to reflect the diversity of appropriate courses made available to students by the department.

Organismal menu suggestions

• BIOL 3240 - Plant Anatomy (4 credits)
• BIOL 4647 - Plant Physiology (4) – spring semester

Population menu suggestions

• BIOL 3550 - Ecology (4) – fall and spring semester
• BIOL 4337 - Plant Systematics (4 credits) – fall odd years

Biodiversity menu suggestions

• BIOL 3420 - Plant Biology (4 credits) fall semester
• BIOL 4450 - Bryophytes, Ferns, and Seed Plants  (4 credits) – spring odd years

Molecular menu suggestions

Note that in the molecular menu, both a lecture and a lab course must be completed, but the lecture and lab courses may be mixed. Example; BIOL 3150 combined with BIOL 4157.

• BIOL 3150 - Cell Biology (3 credits) - every semester
• BIOL 3151 - Cell Biology Lab (2 credits) - every semester
• BIOL 4147 - Biochemistry of Macromolecules (3 credits) – spring semester
• BIOL 4157 - Biochemistry of Macromolecules Lab (2 credits) – spring semester

Electives suggestions

• BIOL 4167 - Biochemistry of Metabolism (3 credits) – fall semester
• BIOL 4177 - Biochemistry of Metabolism Lab (2 credits) – fall semester
• BIOL 4247 - Appalachian Flora  (3 credits) - summer
• BIOL 4367 - Modeling Biological Systems (3) - fall semester
• BIOL 4737 - Conservation Biology (4 credits) – fall, even years
• BIOL 4900 - Independent Study (1-4 credits) - every semester
• BIOL 4910 - Research in Biology (1-4 credits) - every semester