Biological Sciences - Ecology and Evolution, BS

The BS Ecology and Evolution degree, offered by the Department of Biological Sciences , prepares students for careers in conservation and wildlife management, entomology, zoology, and plant biology for jobs at environmental consulting firms, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, water districts, biotechnology companies, and national parks. The program includes several hands-on, field-oriented classes, which prepare students with practical experiences in the field.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums).

Major-Specific Graduation Requirements

Students in this major must complete all lower division courses in the Requirements of the Major with a “C- or better” to graduate.

Prerequisite Requirements

Enrollment in any chemistry course requires that the prerequisite courses be passed with a grade of “C or better” (C- not accepted). Exceptions may be made only with instructor consent or if not explicitly stated in the course description. Refer to the SJSU Course Catalog for specific information regarding course prerequisites.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3B, 4, UD 3, UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) (3 units)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures
Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements including exemptions and waivers, are approved for specific majors and on a case-by-case evaluation only.

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division GE: 18 (10 units may be satisfied by major coursework: Areas 5A, 5B, 5C, 2)

6 required units of American Institutions/US123 may be satisfied by selecting applicable GE courses in Areas 3B and/or 4

Upper Division GE: 6 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework: UD Area 2/5)

Physical Education: 2

GWAR / WID: 0 (3 units may be satisfied by BIOL 100W )

Major Preparation: 31-37

Major Requirements: 45-51

Science Electives: 3

University Electives: 3

Total: 120

2. Major Preparation (31-37 units)

BIOL 100W - Scientific Communication Workshop 3 unit(s) (WID + GE UD Area 2/5 / Formerly Area R)
CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
CHEM 1B - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 2A - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 2B - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)

Statistical Analysis (3 units)

Complete One Course From:

BIOL 155 - Hypothesis Testing 3 unit(s)
BIOL 156 - Ecological Sampling Design and Analyses 3 unit(s)

Organic Chemistry (4-8 units)

Complete One Sequence From:

CHEM 8 - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 9 - Organic Chemistry Lab 1 unit(s)
OR
CHEM 112A - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 112B - Organic Chemistry 3 unit(s)
CHEM 113A - Organic Chemistry Lab 2 unit(s)

Calculus Concepts (3-5 units)

Complete One Course From:

MATH 19 - Precalculus 5 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)

3. Major Requirements (45-51 units)

Core Courses (38 units)

BIOL 30 - Principles of Biology I 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5B and 5C / Formerly Area B2 and B3)
BIOL 31 - Principles of Biology II 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5B and 5C / Formerly Area B2 and B3)
BIOL 106 - Physiological Ecology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 106L - Physiological Ecology Lab 1 unit(s)
BIOL 113 - Principles of Systematics 3 unit(s)
BIOL 118 - Evolution 4 unit(s)
BIOL 160 - Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 163 - Conservation Biology 3 unit(s)
BOT 165 - Plant Communities of California 4 unit(s)

Biological Diversity (8 units)

Complete Two Courses From:

BOT 104 - Plant Taxonomy 4 unit(s)
ENT 101 - Insect Diversity 4 unit(s)
ZOOL 115 - Invertebrate Zoology and Natural History 4 unit(s)
ZOOL 116 - Vertebrate Evolution and Natural History 4 unit(s)

Major Electives (7-13 units)

Complete 7-13 units from:

BOT 104

, ENT 101
, ZOOL 115 and ZOOL 116 (whichever weren’t taken above),

BIOL 111 - Fire Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 115 - General Genetics 4 unit(s)
BIOL 124 - Systems Physiology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 148 - Molecular Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 155 - Hypothesis Testing 3 unit(s)
BIOL 161 - Introduction to Marine Ecology 4 unit(s)
BIOL 162 - Marine Biology and Oceanography 4 unit(s)
BIOL 164 - Ecological Field Methods 3 unit(s)
BIOL 180 - Individual Studies 1-4 unit(s)
BOT 104 - Plant Taxonomy 4 unit(s)
CHEM 132 - Introductory Biochemistry 4 unit(s)
CHEM 135 - General Biochemistry 4 unit(s)
ENT 101 - Insect Diversity 4 unit(s)
ENT 106 - Forensic Entomology 3 unit(s)
GEOL 137 - Introduction to GPS/GIS for Geologic Applications 4 unit(s)
GEOL 142 - Paleontology 4 unit(s)
MICR 101 - General Microbiology 5 unit(s)
ZOOL 115 - Invertebrate Zoology and Natural History 4 unit(s)
ZOOL 116 - Vertebrate Evolution and Natural History 4 unit(s)
ZOOL 143 - Biogeography 3 unit(s)
Other upper-division non-GE BIOL/BOT/ENT/ZOOL/MICR/MS electives with prior advisor approval

4. Science Electives (3 units)

Science electives selected from any of the following departments and/or in consultation with a major advisor: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Forensic Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics and Statistics, Meteorology and Climate Science, Moss Landing Marine Labs (MS), Physics and Astronomy, Public Health, and Science Education.

5. University Electives (3 units)

University electives selected in consultation with a major advisor.

Total Units Required (120 units)

Students must obtain a prior advisor approval for electives and for choice of courses within categories.