Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BGES)

Undergraduate Programs in Biology

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Description of Program: The Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BGES) offers a comprehensive program providing the education and training necessary for careers in modern biological science, including the background for admission to graduate schools and to professional schools (medicine, dentistry, veterinary science). The biology major provides a solid foundation in fundamental areas of biology while permitting sufficient choice in course selection that majors may explore and develop areas of interest within the field.

Advising for biology majors: Biology and Medical Technology majors must discuss their program of study with the undergraduate advisor for biology prior to registration each semester. Contact the BGES office at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu to schedule an advising appointment.

Transfer students intending to major in biology: Transfer students intending to major in biology must meet, prior to registering for courses, with the undergraduate advisor for biology for evaluation of their transferred science courses. Contact the BGES office at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu to schedule an advising appointment.

Admission to the major: Grade of C or better in BIO 200 and good academic standing in the College of Science.

Suggested Freshman Program
To minimize the time needed to complete the major field requirements, academically proficient students are advised to complete the Introductory Biology (BIO 200/201 and 202/203) and the General Chemistry (CHM 261/266 and 262/267) sequences in their first year.

Required Grade-Point Average
To qualify for graduation, all biology majors must have a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.00 across all biology courses used to fulfill the major field requirements. This is in addition to the university requirement of a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.00. Check the University Regulations section of the CSU Undergraduate Bulletin to determine how a GPA is calculated.

Additional information: The Doretta Thielker Award is presented annually to outstanding graduating biology major(s).

Student Organizations:
The Biology Student Association (currently not active)
The Ecology and Conservation Biology Association
Information about the special organizations for pre-medical students http://www.csuohio.edu/amsa and pre-dental students http://www.csuohio.edu/csupds/resources.html are available from the links given. Return to beginning

Minimum hours required for the major: 72

Return to beginning

Honors Program

Biology majors with junior or senior standing, who have a cumulative grade point average of a least 3.00 overall and at least 3.20 in courses required for the biology major, are encouraged to apply for admission to the honors program. The honors degree requires a minimum of 8 credit hours of honors research and seminar, and a successful oral defense of the written thesis. Honors Program course credits count as Biology Elective credits.

Honors students will undertake 3 or 4 credits of research (BIO 490) in a supervising faculty member's laboratory on a project approved by the faculty member and by the Honors Program Committee. A written report on the research project must be defended before a three-person faculty review committee (BIO 491). Honors Seminar (BIO 492) must be taken twice, and an oral report on the project must be given as a research seminar when the student takes BIO 492 for the second time. Honors students do not take BIO 495. All honors students must sustain the grade-point averages required for admission, as well as the approval of the faculty member supervising the student's research.

Upon successful completion of the honors program, the student will receive a certificate from the Department, and a recommendation to the University for graduation with honors in Biology. For further information, contact the BGES office at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu.
Return to beginning

B.S.-M.S. (Non-Thesis) Five-Year Program

Admission to the program

Students are eligible to apply for the accelerated program after they have completed sixty credit hours (at least 30 credits hours at CSU), which is typically at the end of the sophomore year. They must have a GPA of at least 3.00, both overall and in the sciences. They must apply before the end of the junior year. The application procedure follows the normal graduate admission requirements: a complete application requires the graduate application form, transcripts, at least two letters of recommendation (preferably from departmental faculty), and an essay statement of career goals. Students in their junior year must take the GRE general test. If application material is judged to be satisfactory, the department will make a decision and issue a letter recommending admission to the 4+1 B.S./M.S. program; formal admission to graduate status will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of all B.S. requirements. Students in this program, like other non-thesis M.S. students, will not be eligible for Graduate Assistantships/Teaching Assistantships

Academic requirements

Once admitted to the joint B.S.-M.S. program, a student may complete up to 12 credits of graduate course work, while still an undergraduate; these credits will count towards undergraduate requirements, and—as long as the grades are B or better—against graduate program requirements. Maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or better is required to continue in the program, as is completion of the double-counted courses with B or better grades. Students remain undergraduates until they meet the requirements for the B.S.—including all General Education, university, college, and major field requirements, at which point they will receive the B.S. degree and assume graduate status. Students in the non-thesis M.S. program are generally not eligible for consideration for graduate assistantships.

The M.S. degree is awarded after students have completed 32 credits of graduate course work and all requirements of the conventional non-thesis M.S. program, including attaining a minimum GPA of 3.2 in the graduate course work.

Students who have been admitted to the 5-year program but fail to meet subsequent 5-year program requirements before completing the B.S. revert to conventional student status and must meet all B.S. requirements. Because the BS in Biology requires electives, the double-counted classes taken at the graduate level can be applied towards their BS degree. Such students may re-apply to the conventional MS program. If admitted, these students are subject to conventional MS program policies and requirements. Subject to graduate college requirements and approval of the BGES graduate committee, graduate courses completed with B or better grades while in the 5-year program may be counted towards M.S. requirements.

Students who have been admitted to the 5-year program and complete the B.S. but for any reason do not complete the M.S. within a year of the B.S. revert to conventional graduate status and must meet all M.S. requirements. Subject to graduate college requirements and approval of the BGES graduate committee, graduate courses completed with B or better grades while in the 5-year program may be counted towards M.S. requirements.

Required Undergraduate Courses

• See the B.S. in Biology Requirements, except that one BIO 688 substitutes for BIO 492/495

• BIO 500 Graduate Orientation
• BIO 504 Graduate Biochemistry
• BIO 684 Research Seminar
• BIO 688 M.S. Seminar (3x)
• BIO 690 M.S. Exit project
• (College statistics)
• Electives, to make a total of 32 credits, including the required coursework.

For further information, contact the BGES office at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu.
Return to beginning

Teacher Licensure (in Biology)

For information concerning the education courses required for licensure in biology or in integrated science, contact the College of Education and Human Services. Students seeking secondary teaching licensure in biology, but not majoring in biology, should also consult with the College of Education and Human Services. Students seeking secondary education licensure with a major in biology must now take one of the two dual licensure programs through CSUTeach; life science licensure is also available in combination with a physics major. See the College of Education and CSUTeach for details and course plans

CSUTeach options including licensure (life science) and a B.S. in biology

• CSUTeach AYA Life Science and Earth Science
• CSUTeach AYA Life Science and Chemistry

Return to beginning

Medical Technology Program

The Department of BGES offers a program in medical technology which leads to a B.S. degree with a major in Biology. Students interested in the Medical Technology Program should contact the undergraduate advisor for Biology at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu. Students enrolling in the Medical Technology Program have two options available to them.

Option I (3 + 1).

Option I consists of three years of full-time study at Cleveland State University followed by one year of clinical laboratory training in an affiliated school of medical technology, for which 32 semester credits are earned toward the B.S. Degree. The letter grades earned during the internship appear on the student's records, but are not included in the computation of the grade-point average. Students enrolling in Option I must complete the following courses:

Return to beginning

Option II (4 + 1).

Option II consists of the successful completion of the B. S. degree with a major in Medical Technology prior to enrolling in an approved school of medical technology. This option is recommended for students who desire flexibility in training program choice, and increased options for career choice and career development in the future. Students enrolling in Option II must complete the following courses.

Regardless of the route and option selected, students subsequently must be accepted into a school of medical technology approved by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association in collaboration with the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences as part of the requirement for taking the certifying examination in medical technology. In the Cleveland area there is one approved and active hospital school of medical technology affiliated with Cleveland State University. However, students completing the 4 + 1 option may attend any approved school of medical technology in the United States. Following satisfactory completion of their clinical training program, students are eligible to take the national certifying examination of the Registry of Medical Technologists (American Society of Clinical Pathologists) or of the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.
Return to beginning

Pre-Professional Studies

The curriculum for the Biology Major provides students with the knowledge to pass the aptitude tests required for admission by most professional schools. A suggested program of study for pre-professional students (pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-veterinary) might consist of the following courses.

The Biology pre-professional advisor coordinates for all students a seminar program at which representatives from professional schools (medical, dental, and veterinary) discuss their program's admission requirements and procedures. Contact the department's pre-professional Advisor at (216) 687-2440 or bges@csuohio.edu for the seminar schedule and for preprofessional advising.

A Post-Baccalaureate Program is available to individuals with a bachelor's degree who lack the minimal science requirements for professional schools or who need additional or refresher courses. This is a flexible program designed to provide candidates with the knowledge to pass the aptitude tests required for admission by most professional schools.

3 + 4 Articulation Agreement with the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine

Cleveland State University and the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine have an articulation agreement so that, after three years of intensive study at CSU, Biology majors who are admitted to OCPM and successfully complete the first year at OCPM can transfer credits to CSU and earn their B.S. in Biology while working toward their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. Contact the Biology advisor (phone 216-687-2440 or email bges@csuohio.edu) for details about this program.

Return to beginning

Biology Minor:

Minimum hours required for the minor: 16

A minor program of study in biology consists of 16 credit hours. BIO 200/201 and 202/203 are required courses. The remaining 8 credits must be 200-, 300-, or 400-level biology courses. BIO 400 does not qualify for the minor program.

A grade of C or better is required for all courses applied to the minor in biology.

Proposed changes:

A minor program of study in Biology consists of 16 credit hours. BIO 200, 201, 202, and 203 are required courses. The remaining eight credits must be from the following list of biology courses at the 200-, 300- or 400-level.

• BIO courses numbered 266-269
• BIO courses numbered 300-311
• BIO courses numbered 410-496

One of the following courses, or linked pair of courses where a laboratory is included, may be substituted for a BIO prefixed course: EVS 300/301, EVS 302/303, EVS 450, EVS 454/455, EVS 470/471, or EVS 472/473.

A grade of C or better is required for all courses applied to the minor in biology.

Check with the biology adviser (216-687-2440) for other courses that may be used as biology electives.

Return to beginning

Biology BS+MS: Combined 4+1 Program

Admission to the program:
Students are eligible to apply for the accelerated program after they have completed sixty credit hours (at least 30 credits hours at CSU), which is typically at the end of the sophomore year. They must have a GPA of at least 3.00, both overall and in the sciences. They must apply before the end of the junior year. The application procedure follows the normal graduate admission requirements: a complete application requires the graduate application form, transcripts, at least two letters of recommendation (preferably from departmental faculty), and an essay statement of career goals. Students in their junior year must take the GRE general test. If application material is judged to be satisfactory, the department will make a decision and issue a letter recommending admission to the 4+1 B.S./M.S. program; formal admission to graduate status will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of all B.S. requirements. Students in this program, like other non-thesis M.S. students, will not be eligible for Graduate Assistantships/Teaching Assistantships.

Academic requirements
Once admitted to the joint B.S.-M.S. program, a student may complete up to 12 credits of graduate course work, while still an undergraduate; these credits will count towards undergraduate requirements, and—as long as the grades are B or better—against graduate program requirements. Maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or better is required to continue in the program, as is completion of the double-counted courses with B or better grades. Students remain undergraduates until they meet the requirements for the B.S.—including all General Education, university, college, and major field requirements, at which point they will receive the B.S. degree and assume graduate status. Students in the non-thesis M.S. program are generally not eligible for consideration for graduate assistantships.

The M.S. degree is awarded after students have completed 32 credits of graduate course work and all requirements of the conventional non-thesis M.S. program, including attaining a minimum GPA of 3.2 in the graduate course work.

Students who have been admitted to the 5-year program but fail to meet subsequent 5-year program requirements before completing the B.S. revert to conventional student status and must meet all B.S. requirements.  Because the BS in Biology requires electives, the double-counted classes taken at the graduate level can be applied towards their BS degree. Such students may re-apply to the conventional MS program.  If admitted, these students are subject to conventional MS program policies and requirements. Subject to graduate college requirements and approval of the BGES graduate committee, graduate courses completed with B or better grades while in the 5-year program may be counted towards M.S. requirements.

Students who have been admitted to the 5-year program and complete the B.S. but for any reason do not complete the M.S. within a year of the B.S. revert to conventional graduate status and must meet all M.S. requirements. Subject to graduate college requirements and approval of the BGES graduate committee, graduate courses completed with B or better grades while in the 5-year program may be counted towards M.S. requirements.

Required Undergraduate Courses
See the B.S. in Biology Requirements, except that one BIO 688 substitutes for BIO 492/495

Required Graduate Courses

BIO 500 Graduate Orientation
BIO 504 Graduate Biochemistry
BIO 684 Research Seminar
BIO 688 M.S. Seminar (3x)
BIO 690 M.S. Exit project
(College statistics)
Electives, to make a total of 32 credits, including the required coursework.

Return to beginning

Copyright © 2001 - 2011
Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences
College of Science, Cleveland State University
All rights reserved.

Update: 13 March, 2011