| Department: | |
| Hours Required: | 120 |
| Categories: | Major, Undergraduate |
| Delivery: | On-Campus |
The Marine Biology option prepares students for careers in marine science, including those in academia, state or federal management agencies, and private industry. Most students will take required marine science classes at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) located in Ocean Springs, MS.
The Department of Biology provides students a core foundation in the biological sciences, yet flexibility to craft a unique and individualized educational experience. The department boasts low student-to-instructor ratios that foster interactions between instructors and students, opportunities to conduct research with faculty, and a modern and well-equipped Science building.
Learning Goals
- Our graduates effectively communicate scientific knowledge.
- Our graduates have the knowledge to make informed and ethical scientific decisions.
- Our graduates think critically and creatively to analyze and solve scientific problems.
- Our graduates demonstrate the information literacy required for scientific study.
- Our graduates possess the knowledge and skill sets in biology to be successful.
Major in Biology (BS)
Marine Biology Option
120 hours
University Requirement – 2 hours
GSTD 1002 Freshman Seminar
General Education – 24 hours (Mathematics, natural science and physical science courses are included in the major.)
Biology – 36 hours
BIOL 1051 Issues in Conservation Biology
BIOL 1203/1201 Principles of Biology I/Lab
BIOL 1213/1211 Principles of Biology II/Lab
BIOL 3023/3021 Microbiology/Lab
BIOL 3033/3031 Genetics/Lab
BIOL 3183/3181 Botany/Lab
BIOL 3443 Global Environmental Change
BIOL 3763 Evolutionary Biology
BIOL 4013/4011 Ecology/Lab
BIOL 4101 Biology Colloquium
Select 4 hours from the following:
BIOL 3083/3081 Plant Physiology/Lab
BIOL 3703/3701 Vertebrate Physiology/Lab
Marine Biology – 18 hours
BIOL 3503 Marine Biology
BIOL 3843 Oceanography
Select 12 hours from the Marine Science electives:
BIOL 3143/3141 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy/Lab
BIOL 3343/3341 Field Experiences/Lab
BIOL 3393/3391 Ichthyology/Lab
BIOL 3434 Paleobiology
Up to 10 credit hours of upper-level marine-related courses at an affiliate institution that do not repeat courses taken at SAU. SAU has an affiliate agreement with the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Cost Research Laboratory (GCRL) and will also accept courses taken at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL). Descriptions and prerequisites for GCRL classes are listed online at usm.edu/gcrl and disl.org. Students incur the cost of tuition differences between SAU and
Mathematics – 13-14 hours
Option A:
MATH 1023 College Algebra
MATH 1033 Plane Trigonometry
MATH 1525 Calculus I
MATH 3043 Introduction to Applied Probability and Statistics
Option B:
MATH 1045 Pre-Calculus Mathematics
MATH 1525 Calculus I
MATH 3043 Introduction to Applied Probability and Statistics
Physics – 8 hours
PHYS 2003/2001 College Physics I/Lab
PHYS 2103/2101 College Physics II/Lab
or
PHYS 2203/2201 University Physics I/Lab
PHYS 2213/2211 University Physics II/Lab
Electives – 6-7 hours
University electives may be used for the remaining 6-7 hours.
