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Department of Biological Sciences

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Undergraduate ProgramGraduate ProgramCourse DescriptionsFaculty

 

About the Program

This department supervises the following degree programs:

        • Bachelor of Science in Biology
        • Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology
        • Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
        • Bachelor of Science in Zoology
        • Master of Science in Biology
        • Master of Science in Biological Informatics
        • Master of Science in Microbiology
        • Master of Science in Zoology
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Biology
        • Doctor of Philosophy in ZoologyBack to Top


Undergraduate Program

Students majoring in biology for the B.S. degree must complete a minimum of 39 semester hours, including the following:

        • BIOL 1403, 1404, 3309, 3320, 3120, 3416, and 4305.
        • Additional hours at the junior or senior level to bring the total course hours from biological sciences to a minimum of 39, and may include either PHIL 3322 or 3325.

Students majoring in biology for the B.S. degree may gain a specialization in ecology and environmental biology by completing a minimum of 39 semester hours from this department, including the following:

        • BIOL 1403, 1404, 3416, 3309, and 4305.
        • Group I—At least one course from BOT 3401, MBIO 3401, ZOOL 4409, or BIOL 3320 and 3120.
        • Group II—At least one course from BOT 3404; ZOOL 3406, 4407.
        • Three courses from Group III (BIOL 3307, 4301, 4310; MBIO 4401; ZOOL 4321) and Group IV (BIOL 4330; BOT 3404; ZOOL 3403, 3406, 4410, 4406, 4408, 4312, 4407), including at least one course from each of the offerings in Group III and Group IV.
        • One additional course from any of Groups I-IV, or may substitute either PHIL 3322 or 3325.

Students majoring in cell and molecular biology for the B.S. degree must complete a minimum of 39 hours from this department, including the following:

        • BIOL 1403, 1404, 2120, 3302, 3320, 3120 (or 3310), 3416, 4320; MBIO 3401.
        • Three of the following courses, at least one of which must include a laboratory: BIOL 4300 (counts as a laboratory course); BOT 3401, 3409; MBIO 4303, 4310, 4402, 4404, 4406, ZOOL 3401, 4304, 4409.
        • Additional junior or senior level courses in the department to bring the total course hours from biological sciences to a minimum of 39 (may include the courses above), or may use either PHIL 3322 or 3325.
        • Strongly recommends BIOL 3310 or 4300.
        • Requires a chemistry minor, including either CHEM 3310 or both CHEM 3311 and 3312.

Students majoring in microbiology for the B.S. degree must complete a minimum of 39 hours of core courses as well as additional biological sciences courses. Requirements include the following:

        • BIOL 1403, 1404, 4305; BIOL 3416 or MBIO 4406; BIOL 4101 and MBIO 3401.
        • At least five of the following courses: BIOL 3320; MBIO 4303, 4310, 4401, 4402, 4404, and 4406.
        • Additional 3000-4000 level courses in biology and microbiology to bring the total course hours from biological sciences to a minimum of 39.
        • CHEM 1307, 1308, 1107, 1108, 3305, 3306, 3105, 3106, and either 3310 or both 3311 and 3312.
        • Recommended electives: BIOL 3416, 4300, 4301, ZOOL 3303; MBIO 440; and FDSC 3301. May also use either PHIL 3322 or 3325. May also use either PHIL 3322 or 3325.
        • Requires a chemistry minor, including either CHEM 3310 or both CHEM 3311 and 3312.

Students majoring in zoology for the B.S. degree must complete a minimum of 39 hours of the following biological science courses:

        • BIOL 1403, 1404, 3120, 3309, 3320, 3416, 4305.
        • Any four junior or senior level ZOOL courses (BIOL 3302 may count for one of the four).
        • Additional biological science courses at the junior or senior level to bring the total course hours to a minimum of 39. May also use either PHIL 3322 or 3325.

The department encourages undergraduate students to work with professors in research laboratories and projects to obtain first-hand information about research in the life sciences. Opportunities are Boy in biology labavailable in many fields, including systematics and evolutionary biology, ecology and environmental biology, cell and molecular biology, and several areas of biotechnology. These research programs have been well received in the past and have proved beneficial to both students and faculty. Students who have been involved in the research projects have received competitive grants; presented papers at scientific meetings; authored papers published in scientific journals; and progressed to become successful medical doctors, college professors, etc. Students should contact faculty members with whom they will conduct research prior to advisement. Information describing research interests of the faculty are available from advisors or on the departmental Web site at www.biol.ttu.edu. No more than 6 hours of undergraduate research credit may be counted toward any major in the department.

Students majoring in biology or zoology may minor in any other field (major and minor may not be in the same field). Other recommended minors, subject to approval by the department, are in such areas as chemistry, geosciences, physics, mathematics, entomology, animal science, plant and soil science, and range and wildlife management. A chemistry minor is required of cell and molecular biology and microbiology majors.

Two semesters of organic chemistry are required of all majors within this department. Students are urged to take organic chemistry during their second year of study, and those whose area of interest requires a strong background in chemistry should complete a chemistry minor..

Biology, zoology, and ecology and environmental biology majors must take either MATH 1351 (calculus) or MATH 2300 (statistics). Cell and molecular biology majors must take one semester of calculus (MATH 1351). Microbiology majors must take either MATH 1351, 2300; or AAEC 3401.

Students majoring in biology, cell and molecular biology, microbiology, or zoology must complete PHYS 1403 and 1404 or PHYS 1408 and 2401. Students majoring in biology with a specialization in ecology and environmental biology may substitute another environmental science for the second physics class with advisor’s permission.

Substitutions may be permitted for the majors and adjuncts with departmental authorization.

All majors must include 3 hours of multicultural coursework to fulfill their Core Curriculum requirement. Six hours of coursework taken in this department for use toward the major must be writing intensive (BIOL 1403, 1404, 3307, 3416, 4101, 4303, 4305, 4320; BOT 3401, 3404, 3409, 3416; MBIO 4303, 4307, 4402, 4404; ZOOL 4409, 4410, 4321).

Courses with a grade of D cannot be counted toward fulfillment of requirements for a major or minor (including adjunct requirements and minors from other departments) in any program in this department.

Departmental Residency Requirement. At least 10 hours of upper-division biological sciences courses for all majors in this department and at least 6 hours of upper-division biological
sciences courses for biology minors must be taken at Texas Tech.

Minors. Students from other departments may minor in biology, cell and molecular biology, microbiology, or zoology. Students wishing to minor in one of these fields must complete 18 hours in biological sciences (includes courses with BIOL, BOT, MBIO, and ZOOL prefixes). BIOL 1403 and 1404 must account for 8 of these hours; another 6 hours must come from junior and senior level courses. Coursework for the zoology minor must include one upper-division ZOOL class; for cell and molecular biology minor, BIOL 3320; for microbiology minor, MBIO 3401. Only 1 hour of research credit (BIOL 4100) may be used to fulfill the minor requirement. The minor advisor in biological sciences should be consulted no later than the beginning of the junior year.

Teacher Education. Students who complete a major in biology and satisfy other requirements for the B.S. degree, including 18 hours of professional educational courses, will be qualified to teach high school biology in the public schools of Texas. The following courses meet both the major and the certification requirements in life science:

        • BIOL 1403 and 1404, 3320, 3120, 3416; MBIO 3401; BOT 3403, 3404 or 3401; ZOOL 2403 or 3405; ZOOL 3406 or 4407.
        • At least one of BIOL 3309, 3307, 4305; or ZOOL 4312.
        • PHYS 1403 and 1404 or 1408 and 2401; CHEM 1307, 1107, 1308, 1108, and one semester of organic chemistry, which may be satisfied with CHEM 3305 and 3105.

Students may also satisfy the requirements for the teaching of high school biology under the multidisciplinary science major, with an emphasis in biology. This major is administered by the College of Education.

Either BIOL 1401 and 1402 or BIOL 1403 and 1404 will satisfy the laboratory science requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences. BIOL 1403 and 1404 (or courses with Texas Common Course Numbers BIOL 1406 and 1407) are required for all majors and minors in the department. Students can test out of BIOL 1403 and 1404 by taking the AP biology test in high school and achieving a score of five (5). Alternatively, students can test out of BIOL 1403 and/or 1404 by passing departmentally administered tests (see course coordinator). Students can test out of BIOL 1401 and 1402 by taking the AP biology test in high school and achieving a score of at least three (3). Alternatively, students can test out of BIOL 1401 and 1402 by taking the CLEP-S test administered by Academic Testing Services, but advanced placement scores for BIOL 1401 and 1402 will not be accepted as credit toward major requirements in the department.Back to Top

 

Graduate Program

The master’s and doctoral programs include specializations in the areas of animal physiology, ecology, evolution and systematic biology, microbiology, plant physiology, plant biotechnology, and quantitative biology.

Once admitted to a master’s or doctoral degree program, the student may be required by his or her advisory committee to take a preliminary, diagnostic examination that includes subject matter usually required of undergraduates. If the preliminary examination reveals serious weaknesses in the student’s subject-matter background, the student may be required to take remedial courses designated by the advisory committee.

Doctoral students must have five members on their advisory committee. Otherwise, the basic degree requirements of the Graduate School determine the policy of the department.

The Department of Biological Sciences has no general requirement of a foreign language. However, it may be necessary for a student to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language in certain programs, if such is necessary for research purposes. The student’s advisory committee will make recommendations concerning language options, statistics, and basic work in other sciences.

The 36-hour nonthesis option may be elected by students working toward the M.S. degrees in biology, microbiology, biological informatics, and zoology. However, those students who expect to work beyond the M.S. degree, and toward the Ph.D. degree are strongly encouraged to choose the 30-hour thesis option.

All graduate students majoring in this department are required to take BIOL 6202 during their first fall semester after acceptance in the graduate degree program. During their first year, teaching assistants are required to take a special topics course (BIOL 6301) that emphasizes development of teaching skills.Back to Top

 

Course Descriptions

 

Faculty

Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.

John C. Zak, Ph.D., Chairperson

Horn Professor: Baker
Professors: Bilimoria, Bradley, Carr, Chesser, Densmore, Heintz, Holaday, Patino, Phillips, M. San Francisco, Smith, Strauss, Tissue, Wilde, Zak, H. Zhang
Associate Professors: Cannon, Collie, Deslippe, Diamond-Tissue, Dini, Gollahon, Held, Jeter, McGinley, McIntyre, Reilly, Rice, Rock, Rosenheimer, Salazar-Bravo, Schmidt
Assistant Professors: Bernal (visiting), Kingston, Rodgers, Schwilk, Xie, K. Zhang
Instructors: Belinsky, Carty, Hamilton, Pan
Adjunct Faculty: Acosta-Martinez, Arsuffi, Fokar, Lyte, Owen, Parajulee, Payton, Rodriguez , S. San Francisco, TripathyBack to Top

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