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Biological Sciences (BS): Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology Concentration

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The B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Physiology and NeurobiologyÌý(IPN)Ìýprovides a comprehensive grounding in basic principles of physiology and neuroscience, as well as in-depth exposure to the application of those principles in understanding whole-animal function, links between physiology and behavior, and the ways in which animals cope with challenges presented by their environments.

IPN students graduate with the skills to work in various industries and government agencies. Graduates may also choose to continue their education by pursuing advanced degrees in many areas of the life sciences, including neuroscience, endocrinology, cell biology, and physiology. The IPN concentration also prepares students to pursue degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other health-related areas.

Plan Requirements

Exploring the Life Sciences
³¢³§°äÌý103Exploring Opportunities in the Life Sciences1
Writing
Advanced Writing Requirement Elective 13
Cannot be double-counted for a GEP requirement.
Biological Sciences
³¢³§°äÌý101Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 12
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 14
µþ±õ°¿Ìý183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 14
µþ±õ°¿Ìý414Cell Biology 13
´Ç°ùÌýµþ±õ°¿Ìý416 Cancer Cell Biology
µþ±õ°¿Ìý424Endocrinology 13
µþ±õ°¿Ìý488Neurobiology 13
µþ°ä±áÌý351General Biochemistry 13-4
´Ç°ùÌýµþ°ä±áÌý451 Principles of Biochemistry
³Ò±·Ìý311Principles of Genetics 14
³Ò±·Ìý312Elementary Genetics Laboratory 11
Select one of the following Physiology courses: 14
Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (A): Nervous, Skeletal, Muscular, & Digestive Systems
Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (B): Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Respiratory & Renal Systems
Animal Anatomy and Physiology
Physical & Mathematical Sciences
²Ñ´¡Ìý131Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A3
´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý141 Calculus I
²Ñ´¡Ìý231Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B3
´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý241 Calculus II
°ä±áÌý101Chemistry - A Molecular Science3
°ä±áÌý102General Chemistry Laboratory1
°ä±áÌý201Chemistry - A Quantitative Science3
°ä±áÌý202Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory1
°ä±áÌý221Organic Chemistry I3
°ä±áÌý222Organic Chemistry I Lab1
°ä±áÌý223Organic Chemistry II3
°ä±áÌý224Organic Chemistry II Lab1
Select one of the following:4
College Physics I
Physics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory
Select one of the following:4
College Physics II
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory
³§°ÕÌý311Introduction to Statistics3
Major Electives
IPN Electives 19
Supraorganismal Elective 13
Additional Science & Math Electives6
GEP Courses
·¡±·³ÒÌý101Academic Writing and Research 14
GEP Humanities6
GEP Social Sciences6
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives3
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Free Electives
Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 210
These electives cannot be remedial nor can they be taken at an elementary level after you have taken comparable coursework at a more advanced level. ³§°ÕÌý311 is recommended as a Free Elective. Students interested in graduate school or professional school should check the courses required for admission to the programs to which they plan to apply
Total Hours120

Advanced Writing Requirement Electives

µþ±õ°¿Ìý267Research in the Life Sciences I: Research Skills
°ä°¿²ÑÌý211Argumentation and Advocacy3
·¡±·³ÒÌý214Introduction to Editing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý232Literature and Medicine3
·¡±·³ÒÌý287Explorations in Creative Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý288Fiction Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý289Poetry Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý292Writing About Film3
·¡±·³ÒÌý316Introduction to News and Article Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý323Writing in the Rhetorical Tradition3
·¡±·³ÒÌý331Communication for Engineering and Technology3
·¡±·³ÒÌý332Communication for Business and Management3
·¡±·³ÒÌý333Communication for Science and Research3
·¡±·³ÒÌý381Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop3
·¡±·³ÒÌý388Intermediate Fiction Writing Workshop3
·¡±·³ÒÌý389Intermediate Poetry Writing Workshop3
·¡±·³ÒÌý416Advanced News and Article Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý417Editorial and Opinion Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý422Writing Theory and the Writing Process3
·¡±·³ÒÌý425Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý426Analyzing Style3

IPN Electives

Students can use up to 3 hours of BIO 492 or BIO 493 or ´¡³¢³§Ìý499 toward IPN Electives.
´¡·¡°äÌý515Fish Physiology3
´¡±·³§Ìý220Reproductive Physiology
´¡±·³§Ìý221Reproductive Physiology Lab
´¡±·³§Ìý415Comparative Nutrition
´¡±·³§Ìý452Comparative Reproductive Physiology and Biotechnology
´¡±·³§Ìý515Comparative Nutrition
´¡±·³§Ìý552Comparative Reproductive Physiology and Biotechnology
µþ±õ°¿Ìý361Developmental Biology3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý418Cell Biology Research Lab2
µþ±õ°¿Ìý432Evolutionary Medicine3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý434Hormones and Behavior3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý444The Biology of Love and Sex3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý483Capstone Course in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý518Experience and the Brain3
µþ±õ°ÕÌý464Protein Purification
µþ±õ°ÕÌý466Animal Cell Culture Techniques
µþ±õ°ÕÌý471RNA Interference and Model Organisms
µþ±õ°ÕÌý564Protein Purification
µþ±õ°ÕÌý566Animal Cell Culture Techniques
µþ±õ°ÕÌý571RNA Interference and Model Organisms
·¡±·°ÕÌý503Insect Morphology and Physiology3
¹ó°ÂÌý515Fish Physiology3
³Ò±·Ìý434Genes and Development
³Ò±·Ìý441Human and Biomedical Genetics
³Ò±·Ìý453Personal Genomics
³Ò±·Ìý456Epigenetics, Development, and Disease3
³Ò±·Ìý541Human and Biomedical Genetics
²ÑµþÌý441Immunology3
±·°Õ¸éÌý415Comparative Nutrition
±·°Õ¸éÌý419Human Nutrition and Chronic Disease3
±·°Õ¸éÌý515Comparative Nutrition
±Ê±á³ÛÌý452Comparative Reproductive Physiology and Biotechnology
±Ê±á³ÛÌý503General Physiology I3
±Ê±á³ÛÌý504General Physiology II3
±Ê±á³ÛÌý524Comparative Endocrinology3
±Ê±á³ÛÌý552Comparative Reproductive Physiology and Biotechnology
±Ê°¿Ìý415Comparative Nutrition
±Ê°¿Ìý466Animal Cell Culture Techniques
±Ê°¿Ìý515Comparative Nutrition
±Ê°¿Ìý524Comparative Endocrinology3
±Ê³§³ÛÌý502Physiological Psychology3
°Õ°¿³ÝÌý401Principles of Toxicology
°Õ°¿³ÝÌý501Principles of Toxicology
´Ü°¿Ìý513Comparative Physiology3
´Ü°¿Ìý5243
Research/Professional Exp.
´¡³¢³§Ìý499Honors Research or Teaching II1-4
µþ³§°äÌý492Professional Experience1-3
µþ³§°äÌý493Research Experience1-3

Supraorganismal Electives

´¡·¡°äÌý360Ecology4
´¡·¡°äÌý419Freshwater Ecology4
´¡·¡°äÌý441Biology of Fishes3
´¡·¡°äÌý442Biology of Fishes Laboratory1
´¡·¡°äÌý460Field Ecology and Methods4
´¡·¡°äÌý501Avian Ecology4
´¡·¡°äÌý519Freshwater Ecology4
µþ±õ°¿Ìý270Introduction to Evolution3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý330Evolutionary Biology3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý432Evolutionary Medicine
µþ±õ°¿Ìý440The Human Animal: An Evolutionary Perspective3
·¡±·°ÕÌý425General Entomology3
¹ó°¿¸éÌý565Plant Community Ecology4
¹ó°ÂÌý353Wildlife Management3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý220Marine Biology3
±·¸éÌý406Conservation of Biological Diversity3
±ÊµþÌý360Ecology4
±ÊµþÌý400Plant Diversity and Evolution4
±ÊµþÌý403Systematic Botany4
±ÊµþÌý503Systematic Botany4
±Ê±ÊÌý222Kingdom of Fungi3
´Ü°¿Ìý317Primate Ecology and Evolution3
´Ü°¿Ìý333Captive Animal Biology3
´Ü°¿Ìý350Animal Phylogeny and Diversity4
´Ü°¿Ìý402Invertebrate Biology4
´Ü°¿Ìý410Introduction to Animal Behavior3
´Ü°¿Ìý542Herpetology3

Additional Science and Math ElectivesÌý

AEC/GN 450Conservation Genetics
BEC/BIT 463Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms
µþ±õ°¿Ìý230The Science of Studying Dinosaurs
µþ±õ°¿Ìý240Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (A): Nervous, Skeletal, Muscular, & Digestive Systems
µþ±õ°¿Ìý245Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (B): Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Respiratory & Renal Systems
µþ±õ°¿Ìý310Quantitative Approaches to Biological Problems
µþ±õ°¿Ìý416Cancer Cell Biology
µþ±õ°¿Ìý418Cell Biology Research Lab
µþ±õ°¿Ìý432Evolutionary Medicine
µþ±õ°ÕÌý477Metagenomics
³Ò±·Ìý428Introduction to Machine Learning in Biology
³Ò±·Ìý453Personal Genomics
²Ñ´¡Ìý331Differential Equations for the Life Sciences
²ÑµþÌý470Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases
±ÊµþÌý205Our Green World
´Ü°¿Ìý334Captive Animal Biology Field Laboratory
´Ü°¿Ìý486Capstone Course in Zoology

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
³¢³§°äÌý101 Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 2
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 4
°ä±áÌý101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 3
°ä±áÌý102 General Chemistry Laboratory 1 1
²Ñ´¡Ìý131 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1 3
³¢³§°äÌý103 Exploring Opportunities in the Life Sciences 1
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
µþ±õ°¿Ìý183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 1 4
°ä±áÌý221 Organic Chemistry I 1 3
°ä±áÌý222 Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 1
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research 4
²Ñ´¡Ìý231 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B 1 3
ÌýHours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
´Ü°¿Ìý250 Animal Anatomy and Physiology Ìý
°ä±áÌý223 Organic Chemistry II 1 3
°ä±áÌý224 Organic Chemistry II Lab 1 1
³§°ÕÌý311 Introduction to Statistics 1 3
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
ÌýHours11
Spring Semester
³Ò±·Ìý311 Principles of Genetics 1 4
³Ò±·Ìý312 Elementary Genetics Laboratory 1 1
Free Elective 3
°ä±áÌý201 Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 1 3
°ä±áÌý202 Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1 1
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives 3
ÌýHours15
Third Year
Fall Semester
±Ê³ÛÌý211 College Physics I 1 4
µþ°ä±áÌý351
General Biochemistry 1
or Principles of Biochemistry
3-4
µþ±õ°¿Ìý488 Neurobiology 1 3
µþ±õ°¿Ìý424 Endocrinology 1 3
GEP Humanities 3
ÌýHours16-17
Spring Semester
±Ê³ÛÌý212 College Physics II 1 4
Cell Biology Requirement 3
Advanced Writing Elective 3
GEP Social Sciences 3
ÌýHours13
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
IPN Elective 3
IPN Elective 3
Science and Math Elective 3
GEP Humanities 3
Free Elective 2-3
ÌýHours14-15
Spring Semester
Supraorganismal Elective 3
IPN Elective 3
Science and Math Elective 3
GEP Social Sciences 3
Free Elective 3
ÌýHours15
ÌýTotal Hours114-116

Career Opportunities

IPN concentration students graduate with the skills to work in various industries and government agencies. Graduates may also choose to continue their education by pursuing advanced degrees in many areas of the life sciences, including neuroscience, endocrinology, cell biology, and physiology. The IPN concentration also prepares students to pursue degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other health-related areas.