Biology Degrees Online

The Department of Biological Sciences provides the biological component of the liberal arts education at Central Washington University. We promote student understanding of biological concepts relevant to the individual and to society, and foster an appreciation of scientific inquiry. Evolution is the unifying theme of our curriculum. Our students obtain a broad education covering a wide variety of biological disciplines. Our teaching philosophy and facilities support a rich education experience with small class sizes, hands-on experience, regular interaction with expert faculty, and opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate research. We offer a full complement of competitive pre-professional programs, strong programs in regional field biology, and a high-quality pro

developing a holistic understanding of human issues through the theories and methods of cultural, linguistic, archaeological and biological anthropology;
fostering student learning in small-scale and individualized settings with respect for different points of view;
providing opportunities for student-faculty interaction in research, field work, and teaching assistant experience;
building interdisciplinary relationships that express the multidisciplinary scope of anthropology;
engaging in research and scholarly activities and sharing results with peers, students and the public;
offering public services that link research and teaching with the needs and interests of local, state and regional communities.

An honours degree provides the opportunity to continue undergraduate studies at a higher level, specialising in a particular area of interest. An honours degree is a rigorous and scholarly program of further study, which develops a student’s ability to generate new knowledge and distil new ideas out of existing knowledge. Candidates with honours are particularly sought after by employers and can choose from more interesting research and development positions because of their extra skills and proven abilities. It can also provide a pathway to research higher degree study. Completing an honours degree involves an additional full-time year of study (or the equivalent) following completion of a bachelor program, or alternatively additional study with a research element included in the final year or years of a bachelor program.

An honours degree provides the opportunity to continue undergraduate studies at a higher level, specialising in a particular area of interest. An honours degree is a rigorous and scholarly program of further study, which develops a student’s ability to generate new knowledge and distil new ideas out of existing knowledge. Candidates with honours are particularly sought after by employers and can choose from more interesting research and development positions because of their extra skills and proven abilities. It can also provide a pathway to research higher degree study. Completing an honours degree involves an additional full-time year of study (or the equivalent) following completion of a bachelor program, or alternatively additional study with a research element included in the final year or years of a bachelor program.

Biology is the study of life. Molecular, cellular, and ecological discoveries form the basis of biology and are applied to the associations that exist among living organisms, including human evolution. COCC Coursework includes Principles of Biology, Biology of Plants, Biology of Animals, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, as well as supplemental chemistry and mathematics classes.

Career Opportunities in Biology
Careers in the health care and pre-professional studies in dentistry, medicine, optometry, medical technology, podiatry, veterinary medicine, ecology, marine biology, and genetics are all possibilities for biology students.

Description of Courses:

BIO 0950 – Introduction to Biology: Prerequisites: MATH 0750 or Accuplacer Arithmetic score of 57 or equivalent, RDG 0750 or Accuplacer Reading score of 69 or equivalent. Recommended: RDG 0950. Explores basic topics such as characteristics of life, biological molecules, cells, anatomy, and classification, while developing a sense of scale, observation and diagramming skills, familiarity with the microscope, reading and note-taking skills. Complements, but does not replace, CHEM 0950. Provides essential background for BIO 1410, BIO 1310 and other next-level Biology courses. (60 theory/lab hours per term)

CHEM 0950 – Basics of Chemistry: Prerequisites: MATH 0750 or Accuplacer Arithmetic score of 57 or equivalent. Recommended: MATH 0930. Focuses on the study of chemistry: the periodic table, chemical bonds and reactions, solutions and energy. Integrates applied math (metric system, unit analysis, significant figures), reading academic text and study skills. Provides essential background for CHEM 1410, BIO 1410 and BIO 1310. (60 theory/lab hours per term)

Core Courses
4
BIO 110 Concepts of Biology
3
BIO 203 General Botany
3
BIO 208 Microbiology
3
BIO 218 General Zoology
4
BIO 326 Genetics
3
BIO 340 Ecology
(20-21 hours)
Required Courses
3
BIO 324 Cell Biology
3
BIO 330 Light Microscopy
3-4
BIO 403 Undergraduate Research
4
BIO 550 Transmission Electron Microscope Technique
4
BIO 552 Scanning Electron Microscope Technique
3
BIO 553 Confocal Microscopy
(5-8 hours)
Other Requirements I
(8 hours)
Option A
4
CHM 131 Introduction to Chemistry I
4
CHM 132 Introduction to Chemistry II
(5 hours)
Option B
5
CHM 161 Principles of Chemistry
(7-8 hours)
Other Requirements II
(8 hours)
Option A
3
CHM 345 Organic Chemistry I
3
CHM 346 Organic Chemistry II
2
CHM 349 Introduction to Organic Chemistry Lab
(7 hours)
Option B
4
CHM 342 Survey of Organic Chemistry
3
CHM 421 Survey of Biochemistry
(10 hours)
Other Requirements III
(10 hours)
Option A
4
PHY 130 College Physics I
4
PHY 131 College Physics II
1
PHY 170 College Physics Laboratory I
1
PHY 171 College Physics Laboratory II
(10 hours)
Option B
4
PHY 145 University Physics I
4
PHY 146 University Physics II
1
PHY 175 University Physics Laboratory I
1
PHY 176 University Physics Laboratory II
(3 hours)
Other Requirements IV
3
MTH 106 Plane Trigonometry
(1-2 hours

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, for all occupations through the year 2014:
Employment of biological scientists is projected to grow 9 to 17 percent.
Recent budget increases at the National Institutes of Health have led to large increases in federal research and development expenditures.
New industrial applications of biotechnology, such as changing how companies make ethanol for transportation fuel, also will spur demand for biological scientists.

The biology-related programs provide students with a strong background to prepare them for future careers or graduate study in biology. Consider some key features distinguishing these programs:
Advanced facilities, including research laboratories, an animal room, a computer laboratory, electron microscopes, and a greenhouse
The only university in Michigan and one of two in the Midwest that operates an island research station – the CMU Biological Research Station on Beaver Island located in northern Lake Michigan
Fieldwork opportunities at Neithercut Woodland, located just miles north of CMU’s campus
CMU is the only university in the nation with a bachelor’s degree option in microscopy

Core Courses II
4
CHM 211 Quantitative Analysis
3
CHM 345 Organic Chemistry I
3
CHM 346 Organic Chemistry II
2
CHM 349 Introduction to Organic Chemistry Lab
3
CHM 521 Fundamentals of Biochemistry
3
CHM 522 Intermediate Biochemistry
1
CHM 527 Biochemistry Laboratory
2
CHM 528 Bioanalytical Techniques Laboratory
(5-8 hours)
Core Courses I
(8 hours)
Option A
4
CHM 131 Introduction to Chemistry I
4
CHM 132 Introduction to Chemistry II
(5 hours)
Option B
5
CHM 161 Principles of Chemistry
(3-4 hours)
Core Courses III
3
BIO 325 Biotechnology
4
BIO 524 Molecular Biology
(3-6 hours)
Core Courses IV
(3 hours)
Option A
3
CHM 355 Biophysical Chemistry
(6 hours)
Option B
3
CHM 351 Physical Chemistry I
3
CHM 352 Physical Chemistry II
(3 hours)
Core Courses V
3-4
BIO 403 Undergraduate Research
1-3
CHM 491 Independent Study
(15 hours)
Required Courses I
4
BIO 110 Concepts of Biology
3
BIO 208 Microbiology
4
MTH 132 Calculus I
4
MTH 133 Calculus II
(3-4 hours)
Required Courses II
3
BIO 324 Cell Biology
4
BIO 326 Genetics
(10 hours)
Required Courses III
(10 hours)
Option A
4
PHY 130 College Physics I
4
PHY 131 College Physics II
1
PHY 170 College Physics Laboratory I
1
PHY 171 College Physics Laboratory II
(10 hours)
Option B
4
PHY 145 University Physics I
4
PHY 146 University Physics II
1
PHY 175 University Physics Laboratory I
1