BA in Biology—Biodiversity, Conservation & Global Change Biology Specialization

Biodiversity is the foundation of Earth’s life-support systems and its conservation is prerequisite to human existence. However, the future of our planet is threatened by global change, a suite of anthropogenic impacts encompassing climate change, pollution, and ocean acidification that are causing unprecedented biodiversity losses and potentially irreversible declines in the health of ecological and environmental systems. The major in Biology with Specialization in Biodiversity, Conservation & Global Change Biology (BCG) provides a foundational understanding of the evolutionary and ecological forces driving biodiversity, expertise in the natural history of one or more major taxonomic groups, and scientifically-based approaches to investigate and remediate the biological impacts of global change. Electives may be selected from a wide range of courses in ecology, evolution, marine biology, animal behavior, genomics, computational/quantitative biology, and population genetics, as well as organismal classes on plants, microbes, insects, marine invertebrates, vertebrates, birds, fishes, and primates. The BCG specialization prepares students for graduate school. For example, students can pursue the dual BA/MS in Biology and may apply for the Boston University Biogeoscience and URBAN Graduate Programs, as well as careers as researchers, educators, policymakers, and analysts in academia, government, nonprofit organizations, or the private sector.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental principles spanning the breadth of biology, with in-depth understanding of the ecological and evolutionary factors that contribute to biodiversity, including the diversity, ecology, and evolution of at least one major organismal lineage, and the measures needed to sustain ecosystem health and conserve biodiversity in light of global change.
• Demonstrate expertise in applying the scientific method, critically evaluate and synthesize scientific literature, analyze data, and use statistical modeling and skills required for effective communication in biology.
• Attain the technical and/or analytical skills required for employment or postgraduate education in biology or biology-related careers, including professional careers in research and science education.

Requirements

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in the Biodiversity, Conservation & Global Change Biology Specialization will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in nearly all the BU Hub requirements in the Scientific and Social Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning, and Communication Capacities, as well as most of the requirements in the Intellectual Toolkit Capacity. In addition, some BU Hub requirements may be earned in the Diversity, Civic Engagement, and Global Citizenship Capacity as well as the Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation Capacity through specific foundation, breadth, and elective courses. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or through an approved cocurricular experience.

The Specialization in Biodiversity, Conservation & Global Change Biology requires a total of 17 to 20 courses. These include 12 biology courses (introductory, foundation, breadth, and elective courses), along with 5–8 courses in chemistry, mathematics/computer science, and physics. In addition:

• at least three biology courses above the 100+ level must have a laboratory component
• at least three biology courses must be at the 300+ level
• at least five biology courses beyond introductory-level courses must be taken in the BU Biology Department (or be cross-listed with BI courses in CAS)

Some BCG course requirements can overlap, e.g., BI 315 simultaneously counts as a breadth requirement, as a lab course, and as a 300+–level course. Nonetheless, BI 315 is only counted as a single course toward fulfillment of the major.

A grade of C or higher is required for major units in all courses (except corequisite chemistry courses). A grade of C– or higher is required for major units in corequisite chemistry courses.

Course titles and full descriptions are located in the Courses portion of this Bulletin. Unless otherwise noted, all courses are 4 unit hours.

Introductory Biology (2 courses)

• CAS BI 107 (or CGS NS 201)
• CAS BI 108 (or BI 116)

Foundation Courses (3 courses)

• CAS BI 303* or CAS BI 306*
• CAS BI 309
• CAS BI 448

*Course will count toward the three-lab requirement.

Breadth Requirement (2 courses)

Choose one course from each of the following areas of biology:

Cell and Molecular Biology (CM)

• CAS BI 203 (or BI 213) or
• CAS BI 206 (recommended) (or BI 216)

Physiology and Neurobiology (PN)

• CAS BI 310* or CAS BI 315* or
• CAS BI 325 (or NE 203*)

*Course will count toward the three-lab requirement.

BCG Electives (5 courses)

Choose five courses from the following list. It is recommended that the electives taken include the following:

• 1 taxonomically focused course^TAX
• 1 quantitative or computationally intensive course^QU
• 1 experiential research-based course^EXP

A maximum of two nondepartmental courses can be used as BCG electives. All Biology courses in the Marine Semester qualify as BCG electives, for which many are taxonomically, quantitative, or experiential research-based courses. For more information on the Marine Semester and a list of courses, see below.

• CAS BI 225
• CAS BI 260
• CAS BI 407*
• CAS BI/EE 307 (CAS GE 101 is a prerequisite)
• CAS BI 411
• CAS BI 416
• CAS BI/EE 423
• CAS BI/EE 443
• CAS BI 503
• CAS BI 504
• CAS BI 505
• CAS BI 506
• CAS BI 507
• CAS BI 508
• CAS BI 509
• CAS BI 510
• CAS BI 513*
• CAS BI 515
• CAS BI/EE 530
• CAS BI/NE 542
• CAS EE 310
• CAS EE 365
• CAS EE 504
• CAS BI 302^TAX
• CAS BI 305*^TAX
• CAS BI 310*^TAX
• CAS BI 311*^TAX
• CAS BI/AN 333^TAX
• CAS BI 408^TAX
• CAS BI 413^TAX
• CAS BI 414^TAX
• CAS BI 500^TAX
• CAS AN 331^TAX
• CAS AN 335^TAX
• CAS AN 336^TAX
• CAS AN 339^TAX
• CAS AN 552^TAX
• CAS AN 598^TAX
• CAS EE 525^TAX
• CAS BI/EE 475^EXP (CAS GE 101 is a prerequisite)
• CAS BI 550*^{EXP QU}
• CAS BI 586^{EXP QU}
• CAS BI/AN 588^QU
• CAS BI 519*^QU
• CAS EE 375^QU
• CAS EE 302^QU

*Course will count toward the three-lab requirement.

Note: Other courses, including those in some study abroad programs, may fulfill electives by petition, but students still need to adhere to the requirement for five BU Biology courses.

Related Requirements (5–8 courses)

Chemistry (2–4 courses)

Choose one of the following tracks (in consultation with your major advisor):

Standard Chemistry Track (2 courses; not acceptable for prehealth careers)

• CAS CH 171 and
• CAS CH 172 or CH 174

Chemistry Intensive Track (4 courses; required for prehealth careers)

• CAS CH 101 and CH 102 (or CH 116 (5 units)) or
• CAS CH 109 and CH 111 or
• CAS CH 111 and CH 112 and
• CAS CH 203 (or CH 211) and
• CAS CH 204 (or CH 214)

Note: It is recommended that general chemistry (i.e., CH 171, CH 101/102, CH 109/110 or CH 109/112) be taken concurrently with BI 107 and BI 108 during the first year. A second term of organic chemistry (CH 204 or 214) is a requirement for prehealth students, but not required for the BCG major. Students intending to apply to medical school are also advised to take biochemistry (CAS BB 421/422 or CAS CH 373), which both have two terms of organic chemistry as a prerequisite.

Mathematics/Computer Science (2 courses)

Choose a total of two courses from the lists below. At least one course must be calculus or statistics:

Calculus Courses

• CAS MA 121
• CAS MA 122
• CAS MA 123
• CAS MA 124
• CAS MA 127
• CAS MA 129
• CAS MA 196

Note: Students may receive units for not more than one of the following courses: MA 121, MA123. Likewise, students may receive units for not more than one of the following courses: MA 122, MA 124, MA 127, or MA 129.

Statistics Courses

• CAS MA 115
• CAS MA 116
• CAS MA 213
• CAS MA 214
• CDS DS 100

Note: MA 113 will not satisfy major requirements. Students cannot take more than one of the following for units: CAS MA 113, 115, or 213; similarly, students cannot take more than one of the following for units: CAS MA 116 or 214.

Computer Science Courses

• CAS CS 105
• CAS CS 108
• CAS CS 111
• CDS DS 110

Physics (1–2 courses)

Standard Track (recommended^)

Choose one of the following sequences:

• CAS PY 105 & 106 (most Biology majors complete this track which is a requirement for medical and other professional schools) or
• CAS PY 211 & 106 or
• CAS PY 211 & 212 or
• CAS PY 241 & 242
• CAS PY 251 & 252

Alternative Track (not acceptable for most prehealth careers)

• CAS PY 104

^ Note: CAS PY 104 may be used to satisfy the physics requirement for this major only by permission of the Biology department.

It is recommended that the standard track physics be taken as early as possible. Most Biology majors complete this standard track: CAS PY 105/106, which is a requirement for medical and other professional schools. Students intending to apply to medical school are also advised to take biochemistry (CAS BB 421/422 or CH 373) in their junior or senior year.

Marine Semester (MS)

The Marine Semester provides hands-on laboratory and field experience both on campus in our Marine Research Teaching Lab and off campus at field sites in New England and Belize. The program is offered in the fall term. Students must meet the prerequisites for the program and apply through the BU Marine Program (BUMP) website. Students then select one course during each of four “blocks.” Each block comprises 18–20 class days. All Marine Semester BI-coded courses count as BCG electives, which are noted as taxonomically ^TAX, quantitative ^QU, or experiential research-based ^EXP courses.  One of each is recommended.

• CAS BI 511^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 523*^EXP
• CAS BI 531*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 539*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 541*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 546*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 548*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 558*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 569*^{EXP TAX}
• CAS BI 578*^{EXP QU}
• CAS BI 591*^{EXP QU}
• CAS BI/EE 593*^{EXP QU}
• CAS EE 542^EXP
• CAS EE 543^EXP
• CAS EE 557^EXP
• CAS EE 558^EXP
• CAS EE 562^{EXP TAX}
• CAS MR 500^EXP
• CAS MR 521^{EXP QU}
• CAS MR 533^EXP

*Course will count toward the three-lab requirement.

Please visit the BUMP website for prerequisites, additional information, and to apply to the Marine Semester. For an updated list of Marine Science courses, see the Marine Science Bulletin page.

Global Programs

The Australia Sydney Program offers courses in ecology, conservation, and wildlife management, and the Quito Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) Exchange Program includes fieldwork on the Galapagos. Information is available through BU Global Programs. Course taken in these programs can count as BCG electives by petition, although no more than two electives may be satisfied by non-BI courses.

Research Opportunities

While research is not required by the BCG specialization, undergrads are encouraged to participate in research with Biology faculty or outside labs through volunteering, paid positions, or research-for-units.

Students may receive funding through Work-Study or through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Academic units for research is earned through the Undergraduate Research in Biology program. To participate in Undergraduate Research, students work with Biology faculty mentors to develop a proposal, submit an online application and receive approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Standing (and any prerequisites)	Units earned	Course
First Year and No Prior Terms of Research	2 units	CAS BI 140
First Year and BI 140	2 units	CAS BI 141
Sophomore and No Prior Terms of Research	2 units	CAS BI 240
Sophomore and BI 140, BI 141, or BI 240	2 units	CAS BI 241
No Prior Terms of Junior Research	2 units	CAS BI 340
	4 units	CAS BI 350
One Prior Term of Junior Research	2 units	CAS BI 341
	4 units	CAS BI 351
Junior and (BI 341 or BI 351)	4 units	CAS BI 352
No Prior Terms of Senior Research	4 units	CAS BI 450
Senior and One Prior Term of Research	4 units	CAS BI 451
Senior and (BI 341 or BI 351 or BI 451)	4 units	CAS BI 452
Senior and (BI 352 or BI 452)	4 units	CAS BI 453

Notes: Students should discuss what constitutes a “prior term of research” with an Undergraduate Program Specialist in Biology when first applying for Undergraduate Research in Biology. Up to 8 units at the >300 level can be used to fulfill major electives (these terms do not need to be taken consecutively). Four of these units can be used toward the three-lab requirement. Both 2- and 4-unit research count toward graduation units.

Seniors may pursue Honors Research in Biology; see the Honors in the Major section below.

Please visit the Biology Department website for additional information regarding applying for Undergraduate Research in Biology.

Honors in the Major

Honors Research in Biology requires senior standing and an overall GPA of 3.5. Students complete the equivalent of two terms of substantial research experience. The first term is typically CAS BI 401. Although, another substantive research experience (e.g., summer research at BU or elsewhere) may replace for CAS BI 401 with the approval of the Research and Honors Committee. All Honors students enroll in CAS BI 402 during their terminal term of their senior year, where the focus is on data analysis and authoring your Honors Thesis. In addition, Honors students must complete a 2-unit Honors in Biology Seminar, either in the fall (CAS BI 497) or spring (CAS BI 498). Finally, Honors students must defend their written thesis and have it approved by a committee of three faculty members, one of which is the primary research mentor.

Additional Information

Please see the Department of Biology portion of this Bulletin for information on the following topics:

• Advanced Units (AP & IB Exams)
• Department Residency Requirement
• Intercollege Cross-Registration
• Premedical Students
• Study Abroad Programs