Undergraduate Programs

Major Study Requirements

Majors in biology seeking a Bachelor of Science degree must satisfy the requirements given in sections 1, 2, and 3. Majors in biology seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree must satisfy the requirements given in sections 4 and 5. (BIOL. 110, 112L, 123, 124L and 239L are not allowed for biology major credit.)

  1. The B.S. Program requires a minimum of 37 credit hours earned in biology courses. These courses must include 201, 202, 203L, 204L; at least one of the following: 351 and 352L, 360L, 371L, 386L. The remainder hours are to be earned in elective biology courses. (BIOC 423 may be included.)
  2. To satisfy an upper-division breadth requirement for the Biology B.S., each student must complete at least three 400-level courses that are spread across three of the following five categories: 1) Cell/Molecular (CM); 2) Physiology (PH); 3) Organismal (OR); 4) Ecology/Evolution (EE) or 5) Interdisciplinary Science (ID). Note: the category to which each eligible course belongs is listed in parentheses (CM, PH, OR, EE, or ID), and completing three of these courses from only one or two categories will NOT satisfy the breadth requirement.
  3. Required Supportive Courses for the B. S.: MATH 180-181 or 162-163; PHYC 151-152 (or 160-161); CHEM 121, 123L, 122, 124L (or 131L-132L) and 301-303L (or 212). (For those interested in microbiology, molecular/cellular biology, physiology or medicine, CHEM 301-303L and 302-304L are recommended.)
  4. The. B.A. Program requires a minimum of 32 credit hours earned in biology courses. These courses must include 201, 202, 203L, 204L. The remainder of the total required credit hours is to be earned in elective biology courses. The elective courses must include two upper-division courses (300 or 400 level) each of which carries at least 3 credit hours and is exclusive of BIOL 400, 402, and 499. (BIOC 423 may be included.) (BIOL 110, 112L, 123L and 239L are not allowed for biology major credit.)
  5. Required Supportive Courses for the B.A.: A total of seven semesters of math, physics, and chemistry courses must be completed from the following four sets of courses: 1) two semesters of math courses: (MATH 180 or MATH 162) and (MATH 181 or MATH 163 or STAT 145 or CS 150L); and 2) two semesters of physics courses: (PHYC 151 and 152) or (PHYC 160 and 161) or (PHYC 102 and E&PS 101); and 3) two semesters of general chemistry courses: (CHEM 121/123L and CHEM 122/124L) or (CHEM 131L and CHEM 132L); and 4) one semester of organic chemistry: (CHEM 301/303L or CHEM 212).

For both the B.A. and B.S., a grade of C or better is required for: i) the Biology core (201, 202, 203L, 204L), ii) all required supporting courses in Computer Sciences, Chemistry, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics; and iii) all elective courses in Biology. No credit toward the major will be given for courses completed with a grade of C- or below. Transfer students must obtain 19 Biology credits at UNM for the B.S., or 16 credits for the B.A. Only Biology courses completed within the previous ten years will apply.

Areas of Study

The courses offered by the Biology Department can be used to pursue specialized programs in the following areas: Botany, Computational Biology, Evolution/Ecology, Microbiology, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Physiology, Systematics, and Zoology. Departmental advisement is recommended for students who wish to complete one of these informal specializations. A formal concentration in Conservation biology is also offered (see below).


Concentration in Conservation Biology*

The growing emphasis on Conservation in the biological sciences supports this concentration. Students may receive either the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a concentration in Conservation Biology. The concentration provides students with a strong background in biology as well as the complementary interdisciplinary skills critical to understanding and addressing contemporary conservation questions.

Majors in biology seeking a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Conservation Biology must satisfy the requirements given in sections 1, 2, 3 and 6. Majors in biology seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree must satisfy the requirements in sections 4, 5, and 6.

  1. The B.S. Program with a Concentration in Conservation Biology requires a minimum of 45 credit hours earned in biology courses. These courses must include: 201, 202, 203, 204, 310L, 360L, 379; at least one of the following: 351 and 352L, 371L, 386L. A minimum of 3 credit hours must be from the Conservation Biology Seminar 402.
  2. To satisfy an upper-division breadth requirement for the Biology B.S., each student must complete at least three 400-level courses that are spread across three of the following five categories: 1) Cell/Molecular (CM); 2) Physiology (PH); 3) Organismal (OR); 4) Ecology/Evolution (EE) or 5) Interdisciplinary Science (ID). Note: the category to which each eligible course belongs is listed in parentheses (CM, PH, OR, EE, or ID), and completing three of these courses from only one or two categories will NOT satisfy the breadth requirement.
  3. The B.A. Program with a concentration in Conservation Biology requires a minimum of 37 credit hours earned in biology courses. These courses must include: 201, 202, 203, 204, 310L, 360L, 379; and at least one of the following: 351 and 352L, 371L, 386L. A minimum of 3 credit hours must be from the Conservation Biology Seminar 402. A minimum of one 400-level course must be successfully completed.
  4. Required Supportive Courses for the B. S.: MATH 180-181 or 162-163; PHYC 151-152 (or 160-161); CHEM 121, 123L, 122, 124L (or 131L-132L) and 301-303L (or 212). (For those interested in microbiology, molecular/cellular biology, physiology or medicine, CHEM 301-303L and 302-304L are recommended.)
  5. Required Supportive Courses for the B.A.: A total of seven semesters of math, physics, and chemistry courses must be completed from the following four sets of courses: 1) two semesters of math courses: (MATH 180 or MATH 162) and (MATH 181 or MATH 163 or STAT 145 or CS 150L); and 2) two semesters of physics courses: (PHYC 151 and 152) or (PHYC 160 and 161) or (PHYC 102 and E&PS 101); and 3) two semesters of general chemistry courses: (CHEM 121/123L and CHEM 122/124L) or (CHEM 131L and CHEM 132L); and 4) one semester of organic chemistry: (CHEM 301/303L or CHEM 212).
  6. Candidates for both the B.A. and the B.S. degrees in Biology with a concentration in Conservation Biology must take a minimum of 6 credit hours to be taken from a list of complementary interdisciplinary electives available from the department advisor.

Grade of C or better required in all of the above courses.

*NOTE: Departmental advisement is required for students who wish to complete the concentration in Conservation Biology.


Minor Study Requirements

BIOL 201, 202, 203L and 204L, plus 6 additional hours of biology. (BIOL 110, 112L, 123L, 239L, and 499 are not allowed for biology minor credit.)

Grade of C or better required in all courses counted for the minor. Transfer students must obtain 6 Biology credits at UNM.

Curricula Preparatory to Health Sciences

See School of Medicine.


Biology Honors Program

Students interested in the Biology Honors program must complete and submit the application form to the Biology Program Coordinator. Upon entering the honors program, the student’s research must be approved by both members of the honors committee. Students ideally should apply for this program in their junior year.

  • Students pursuing Biology honors must form their honors committee consisting of two faculty members, a research advisor and a reader, as described below:
    • One committee member must be a member of the Biology core faculty. Students must register in the section of BIOL 400 taught by this faculty member.
    • The other committee member may also be selected from the Biology core faculty, or may be an adjunct, research, or regular faculty member at UNM with approval of the Biology Department Honors Program Chair.
  • One of the two honors committee members must be designated as the research advisor, usually the committee member with whom the student will conduct the majority of their research project.
    • The student will work with the research advisor to develop a program of independent research that results in the preparation and submission of an honors thesis and a formal presentation.
    • Students must submit their final thesis, approved by their honors committee, to the Biology Department Honors Program Coordinator by the end of the 5th week in the semester in which they intend to graduate.
  • The formal presentations can be an oral or poster presentation at the Biology Research Day or at an approved scientific venue.  Presentations must also be submitted to the Biology Department Honors Program Coordinator by the 5th week in the semester in which they intend to graduate.  Students may present up to the end of their graduating semester.
  • Enrollment in BIOL 400 is required for two semesters while in the Biology Department Honors Program.  In addition to working on their project, students in BIOL 400 are required to participate in periodic meetings.
  • The Biology Department Honors Committee will consult with the student's committee to determine the level of honors to be awarded.

Courses

BIOL 110. Biology Non-Majors. (3)



BIOL 112L. Biology Laboratory for Non-Majors. (1)



BIOL 123. Biology for Health Related Sciences and Non-Majors. (3)



BIOL 124L. Biology for Health Related Sciences and Non-Majors Lab. (1)



BIOL 201. Molecular and Cell Biology. (4)



BIOL 202. Genetics. (4)



BIOL 203L. Ecology and Evolution. (4)



BIOL 204L. Plant and Animal Form and Function. (4)



BIOL 237. Human Anatomy and Physiology I for the Health Sciences. (3)



BIOL 238. Human Anatomy and Physiology II for the Health Sciences. (3)



BIOL 239L. Microbiology for Health Sciences and Non-Majors. (4)



BIOL 247L. Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I. (1)



BIOL 248L. Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II. (1)



BIOL 300. Evolution. (3)



BIOL 310L. Principles of Ecology. (4)



BIOL 324L. Natural History of the Southwest. (4)



BIOL **351. General Microbiology. (3)



BIOL **352L. General Microbiology Laboratory. (1)



BIOL 360L. General Botany. (4)



BIOL 365. Evolution of Human Sexuality. (3)



BIOL *371L. Invertebrate Biology. (4)



BIOL 379. Conservation Biology. (3)



BIOL 386L. General Vertebrate Zoology. (4)



BIOL 400. Senior Honors Thesis. (1-3, no limit Δ)



BIOL *401. Topics in Cell and Molecular Biology. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 402 / 502. Topics in Biology. (1-3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 404 / 504. Topics in Physiology. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL *406. Topics in Organismal Biology. (3)



BIOL 408L / 508L. Bosque Internship. (3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



BIOL 409 / 509. Topics in Ecology/Evolution. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 410 / 510. Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics. (4)



BIOL *412. Developmental Biology. (3)



BIOL *416L. Histology. (4)



BIOL 419 / 519. Topics in Interdisciplinary Science. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL *425. Molecular Genetics. (3)



BIOL *428. Human Heredity. (3)



BIOL *429. Molecular Cell Biology I. (3)



BIOL 430 . Conservation and Indigenous Peoples. (3)



BIOL *435L. Animal Physiology. (4)



BIOL 436L / 536L. Phylogenetics. (4)



BIOL 437 / 537. Evolutionary Genetics. (3)



BIOL 444 / 544. Genomes and Genomic Analyses. (3)



BIOL 445 / 545. Biology of Toxins. (3)



BIOL 446 / 546. Laboratory Methods in Molecular Biology. (4)



BIOL *447. Prosection. (3)



BIOL *448. Microbial Evolution and Diversity. (3)



BIOL *450. General Virology. (3)



BIOL *451. Microbial Ecology. (3)



BIOL 452. Anthropological Genetics [Human Genetics]. (3)



BIOL *455. Ethology: Animal Behavior. (3)



BIOL 456 / 556. Immunology. (3)



BIOL *460. Microbial Physiology. (3)



BIOL 461L. Introduction to Tropical Biology. (3)



BIOL *463L. Flora of New Mexico. (4)



BIOL 466 / 566. Immunogenetics. (3)



BIOL 467 / 567. Evolutionary Plant Ecology. (3)



BIOL 470 / 570. Biology: Discovery and Innovation. (4)



BIOL 471 / 571. Plant Physiological Ecology. (3)



BIOL 475 / 575. Plant Community Ecology. (3)



BIOL 478L / 578L. Plant Physiology. (4)



BIOL 482L / 582L. Parasitology. (4)



BIOL 485L / 585L. Entomology. (4)



BIOL *486L. Ornithology. (4)



BIOL *487L. Ichthyology. (4)



BIOL *488L. Herpetology. (4)



BIOL *489L. Mammalogy. (4)



BIOL *490. Biology of Infectious Organisms. (3)



BIOL 491 / 591. Population Genetics. (3)



BIOL 492 / 592. Introductory Mathematical Biology. (3)



BIOL *494. Biogeography. (3)



BIOL *495. Limnology. (3)



BIOL *496L. Limnology Laboratory. (1)



BIOL 497 / 597. Principles of Gene Expression. (3)



BIOL 499. Undergraduate Problems. (1-3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 500. New Graduate Student Seminar. (1)



BIOL 502 / 402. Topics in Biology. (1-3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 503. Seminar in Interdisciplinary Biological and Biomedical Sciences. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 504 / 404. Topics in Physiology. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 508L / 408L. Bosque Internship. (3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



BIOL 509 / 409. Topics in Ecology/Evolution. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 510 / 410. Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics. (4)



BIOL 511. Macroecology . (3)



BIOL 513. Physiological and Behavioral Ecology. (5)



BIOL 514. Ecosystem Studies. (3)



BIOL 515. Research in Field Biology. (3)



BIOL 516. Basic Graduate Ecology. (4)



BIOL 517. Basic Graduate Evolution. (4)



BIOL 518. Ecological Genomics. (3)



BIOL 519 / 419. Topics in Interdisciplinary Science. (3, no limit Δ)



BIOL 520. Topics in Interdisciplinary Biological and Biomedical Sciences. (3, unlimited Δ)



BIOL 521. Advanced Behavioral Ecology. (3)



BIOL 524. Collaborative Interdiciplinary Teaching. (3)



BIOL 535. Freshwater Ecosystems. (3)



BIOL 536L / 436L. Phylogenetics. (4)



BIOL 537 / 437. Evolutionary Genetics. (3)



BIOL 544 / 444. Genomes and Genomic Analyses. (3)



BIOL 545 / 445. Biology of Toxins. (3)



BIOL 546 / 446. Laboratory Methods in Molecular Biology. (4)



BIOL 547. Advanced Techniques in Light Microscopy. (4)



BIOL 551. Research Problems. (1-12, no limit Δ)



BIOL 556 / 456. Immunology. (3)



BIOL 558. Geomicrobiology. (3)



BIOL 561. Tropical Biology. (3)



BIOL 565. Sociobiology and Evolutionary Ecology. (3)



BIOL 566 / 466. Immunogenetics. (3)



BIOL 567 / 467. Evolutionary Plant Ecology. (3)



BIOL 570 / 470. Biology: Discovery and Innovation. (4)



BIOL 571 / 471. Plant Physiological Ecology. (3)



BIOL 575 / 475. Plant Community Ecology. (3)



BIOL 576. Landscape Ecology and Macroscopic Dynamics. (4)



BIOL 578L / 478L. Plant Physiology. (4)



BIOL 581. Advanced Molecular Biology. (4)



BIOL 582. Advanced Cell Biology. (4)



BIOL 582L / 482L. Parasitology. (4)



BIOL 585L / 485L. Entomology. (4)



BIOL 591 / 491. Population Genetics. (3)



BIOL 592 / 492. Introductory Mathematical Biology. (3)



BIOL 597 / 497. Principles of Gene Expression. (3)



BIOL 599. Master’s Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



BIOL 651. Advanced Field Biology. (4-8)



BIOL 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



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Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809