Genetics (BS)
The Genetics program offers undergraduate majors classroom training in fundamentals of genetics and other sciences, as well as opportunities for meaningful research experience. The degree in genetics is the only genetics major offered in the UNC system.
The genetics major complements other degree programs in the biological and life sciences at N.C. State, as it prepares students for further graduate study, professional schools (such as medical, dental, veterinary, genetic counseling) or careers in industries whose products are based on biological and agricultural research, including biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Building on the strength of NC State as a leader in science and technology, students in the program can easily earn a concurrent minor in any of the other life sciences curricula, as well as other programs such as statistics or biotechnology.
Responsible conduct as a scientist and citizen are emphasized in the genetics coursework, and students will also have opportunities for public service and engagement through participation in the genetics outreach program. Students will be challenged to master their coursework while practicing hands-on problem-solving in both the classroom and active research settings. Genetics students also will be required to read the primary literature and present papers and their research findings, thus gaining valuable experience in scientific communication.
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| 尝厂颁听103 | Exploring Opportunities in the Life Sciences | 1 | |
| Advanced Writing/Communication | |||
| 贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Science and Research 1 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following Communications courses: 1 | 3 | ||
| Public Speaking | |||
| Interpersonal Communication | |||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | |||
| Mathematical Sciences & Physics | |||
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1 | 3 | |
| 辞谤听惭础听141 | Calculus I | ||
| 惭础听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B 1 | 3 | |
| 辞谤听惭础听241 | Calculus II | ||
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 | |
| 辞谤听厂罢听371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory | ||
| 笔驰听211 | College Physics I 1,3 | 4 | |
| 笔驰听212 | College Physics II 1,3 | 4 | |
| Chemistry | |||
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 | |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 | |
| 颁贬听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 1 | 3 | |
| 颁贬听202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 | |
| 颁贬听221 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 | |
| 颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 | 1 | |
| 颁贬听223 | Organic Chemistry II 1 | 3 | |
| 颁贬听224 | Organic Chemistry II Lab 1 | 1 | |
| Required Life Sciences | |||
| 尝厂颁听101 | Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 1 | 2 | |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 | 4 | |
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 1 | 4 | |
| 骋狈听311 | Principles of Genetics 1 | 4 | |
| 骋狈听312 | Elementary Genetics Laboratory 1 | 1 | |
| 骋狈听421 | Molecular Genetics 1 | 3 | |
| 骋狈听423 | Population, Quantitative and Evolutionary Genetics 1 | 3 | |
| 骋狈听425 | Advanced Genetics Laboratory 1 | 2 | |
| 叠颁贬听451 | Principles of Biochemistry 1 | 4 | |
| Select one of the following Cell Biology/Physiology courses: 1 | 3 | ||
| Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (A): Nervous, Skeletal, Muscular, & Digestive Systems | |||
| Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (B): Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Respiratory & Renal Systems | |||
| Cell Biology | |||
| Plant Physiology | |||
| Research/Teaching Requirement | |||
| 骋狈听496 | Genetics Research Experience (S allowed) | 3 | |
| 辞谤听骋狈听497 | Genetics Teaching Experience | ||
| Genetics Electives | |||
| Select two of the following: 1 | 6 | ||
| Introductory Bioinformatics | |||
| Genes and Development | |||
| Human and Biomedical Genetics | |||
| Genome Science | |||
| Epigenetics, Development, and Disease | |||
| Human and Biomedical Genetics | |||
| GEP Courses | |||
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 6 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Elective | 3 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Restricted Electives | |||
| Restricted Electives 1 | 8 | ||
| Free Electives | |||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 2 | 9 | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 2
Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement.
- 3
PY 205 and PY 208 may be substituted for PY 211 and PY 212. PY 205 and PY 208 are calculus-based and may require the MA 141 and MA 241 series of Mathematics. PY 201 and PY 202 also may be substituted for PY 211 and PY 212. PY 201 and PY 202 are calculus-based, require the MA 141 and MA 241 series.
Restricted Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 础狈罢听370 | Introduction to Forensic Anthropology | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听270 | Introduction to Evolution | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听432 | Evolutionary Medicine | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听434 | Hormones and Behavior | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听440 | The Human Animal: An Evolutionary Perspective | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听444 | The Biology of Love and Sex | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听488 | Neurobiology | 3 | |
| 叠滨翱听588 | Neurobiology | 3 | |
| 叠滨罢听410 | Manipulation of Recombinant DNA | 4 | |
| 贰狈罢听425 | General Entomology | 3 | |
| 骋狈听450 | Conservation Genetics | 3 | |
| 惭础听331 | Differential Equations for the Life Sciences | 3 | |
| 惭础听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 | |
| 惭叠听351 | General Microbiology | 3 | |
| 惭叠听352 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 1 | |
| 惭叠听441 | Immunology | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听220 | Marine Biology | 3 | |
| 笔叠听400 | Plant Diversity and Evolution | 4 | |
| 笔厂驰听430 | Biological Psychology | 3 | |
| 罢翱齿听401 | Principles of Toxicology | 4 | |
| 罢翱齿听501 | Principles of Toxicology | 4 | |
| 窜翱听350 | Animal Phylogeny and Diversity | 4 | |
| 窜翱听402 | Invertebrate Biology | 4 | |
| 窜翱听410 | Introduction to Animal Behavior | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 尝厂颁听101 | Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 1 | 2 |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 | 4 |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1 | 3 |
| 尝厂颁听103 | Exploring Opportunities in the Life Sciences 1 | 1 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 1 | 4 |
| 颁贬听221 | Organic Chemistry I 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 | 1 |
| 惭础听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B 1 | 3 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 颁贬听223 | Organic Chemistry II 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听224 | Organic Chemistry II Lab 1 | 1 |
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 |
| Restricted Elective 1 | 4 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 骋狈听311 | Principles of Genetics 1 | 4 |
| 骋狈听312 | Elementary Genetics Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| 颁贬听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| Restricted Elective 1 | 4 | |
| Communications Requirement 1 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 骋狈听421 | Molecular Genetics 1 | 3 |
| 叠颁贬听451 | Principles of Biochemistry 1 | 4 |
| 笔驰听211 | College Physics I 1 | 4 |
| 贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Science and Research 1 | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 17 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 骋狈听425 | Advanced Genetics Laboratory 1 | 2 |
| 骋狈听423 | Population, Quantitative and Evolutionary Genetics 1 | 3 |
| 笔驰听212 | College Physics II 1 | 4 |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Genetics Research/Teaching Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3-4 | |
| Cell Biology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 4-5 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Genetics Electives 1 | 6 | |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| 听 | Hours | 13 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
Career Opportunities
Many students majoring in the Department of Biological Sciences take advantage of scholarship and honors programs available at NC State, including the 福利逼站 Honors Program and the 福利逼站 Scholars Program.听 In addition, we offer a discipline-based Undergraduate Honors Program in Biological Sciences (DBS Honors Program).听 The DBS Honors Program requires students to design a challenging program of advanced study, including eight credits of honors coursework in biology and at least two semesters of research or teaching scholarship.听 Participants write an honors thesis and are required to present their scholarly work at a local, regional, or national meeting.听 Invitations to join the DBS Honors Program are sent in the first three weeks of the Fall and Spring semesters.听听Students in any major in the Department of Biological Sciences who have earned an overall GPA of 3.60 after completing 30-65 credit hours at NC State will receive an invitation to join the DBS Honors Program; transfer students in any of our majors who have earned an overall GPA of 3.60 in 15 credit hours at NC State also will receive an invitation.听听
Students who graduate from the Department of Biological Sciences are well prepared for employment in various government agencies and private industries. Graduates may continue their education with studies leading to advanced degrees in many areas of the biological sciences, including cell biology, ecology, microbiology, genetics, zoology, neurobiology, and biomedical disciplines. Many choose to seek advanced degrees in medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, and other health-related fields. Students who plan to seek certification for pre-college teaching may want to pursue a second major in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education.
Career Titles
- Agricultural Sciences Professor
- Biochemist
- Biologist
- Biology Professor
- Botanist
- Cardiologist (MD)
- Environmental Research Analyst
- Family Practitioner (MD)
- Food & Drug Inspector
- Forensic Science Technicians
- General Internists (MD)
- Genetic Counselors
- Geneticist
- Greenhouse and Nursery Manager
- Marine and Aquatic Biologist
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Microbiologist
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Pathologist (MD)
- Pharmacologist
- Public Health Service Officer
- Sales Representative (Chemicals & Drugs)
- Zoologist
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