UB Undergraduate Catalog 2006-2007

Department of Biological Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences
109 Cooke Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1300

Phone: 716.645.2363
Fax: 716.645.2975
Web: www.biology.buffalo.edu

Gerald Koudelka
Chair

Grayson Snyder
Director of Undergraduate Studies

About the Program

The Department of Biological Sciences offers three programs leading to baccalaureate degrees and two that are combined undergraduate/graduate degree programs.

The bachelor of arts degree. Students qualify for the bachelor of arts degree by successfully completing at least 33 credits of coursework within the department plus 38 credits in chemistry, physics and mathematics. The curriculum for the BA program includes required core courses, as well as elective laboratory and lecture courses. It is designed to provide a broad-based education in the biological sciences.

The bachelor of science degree. Students qualify for the bachelor of sciences degree by successfully completing 44 credits of coursework within the department plus 38 credits of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The BS program is designed to provide the opportunity for in-depth study within particular sub-disciplines of the biological sciences; specific curricula have been formulated for study in (a) cell and molecular biology, (b) ecology and evolutionary biology and (c) pre-health studies.

The bachelor of science degree in bioinformatics and computational biology. In this highly interdisciplinary program, students integrate coursework in applied mathematics, computer science, and the biological sciences and learn how to apply mathematics and computing to the study of genes and proteins. This training prepares students for graduate education in a bioinformatics-related field or for entry into the workforce of this emerging discipline.

The university offers this bachelor of science degree in bioinformatics and computational biology with options for a concentration in biology, biophysics, computer science and engineering, and mathematics. Please refer to the bioinformatics and computational biology program for further details.

The combined bachelor of arts/master of science degree. To qualify for the combined degree, students must complete 30 credits of coursework within the department and 38 credits of chemistry, physics, and mathematics in three years of undergraduate study. Then, following admission into the department's graduate program, students must complete an additional 38 credits of graduate coursework over two years. A combined BA/MS degree is awarded after only five years of study. (When the two degrees are completed separately, a BA degree normally takes four years and an MS degree normally takes two years.)

The combined Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. This program combines three years of undergraduate study in biological sciences and four years of graduate work in dentistry, and a combined BS/DDS degree is awarded after seven years. Applicants may be accepted into the program prior to the beginning of the freshman year or while enrolled as a major in the Department of Biological Sciences. Further details concerning this program may be found at the School of Dental Medicine website: www.sdm.buffalo.edu.

In addition to baccalaureate degrees, the Department of Biological Sciences offers a minor in the biological sciences. To qualify, students must complete a short list of required courses and elective courses within the department, achieving a total of 22 credits. A special biotechnology minor is also available for chemical engineering students.

Acceptance Information

Except for the BS degree program in bioinformatics and computational biology, the department accepts students as majors after they have successfully completed all three of the following with a minimum combined GPA of 2.0:
1) A two-semester course in general chemistry (CHE 101-CHE 102, or equivalent),
2) A two-semester course in college calculus (MTH 121-MTH 122, MTH 141-MTH 142, or equivalent)
3) Two college-level biology courses (BIO 200, BIO 201, or equivalent).

These criteria apply to all students, regardless of whether they started college at UB or transferred to UB from another institution. The application form, including a current DARS report, is to be submitted directly to the Department of Biological Sciences.

For the BA/MS combined degree program, undergraduate biology majors (BA or BS) apply at the end of their sophomore year or the beginning of their junior year. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in both science and general education courses and three supportive letters of recommendation from faculty are needed. The combined degree is awarded at the completion of the fifth year of the program. Separate BA and MS degrees are not awarded.

Advisement

Each accepted student is assigned a faculty advisor within the department at the time of acceptance. The advisor should be consulted concerning program requirements and the selection of courses to meet those requirements.

Transfer Policy

Students transferring to UB from other institutions may use course credits achieved elsewhere to meet requirements for baccalaureate degrees offered by the department. Courses from other institutions that have been previously evaluated in comparison to UB courses are listed on UB's course articulation web site, http://www.taurus.buffalo.edu. To fulfill requirements with courses that were completed at other institutions but are not listed on the TAURUS web site, students must obtain approval through a petitioning process overseen by the department’s director of undergraduate studies. Petition forms are available in the Department of Biological Sciences office, located in 109 Cooke Hall (North Campus). In addition to filling out a petition, the student will be asked to provide supporting documents for transfer courses, such as a catalog description and/or syllabus of the course(s) to be transferred to UB.

Transfer students are reminded that at least 16 credit hours of upper-division coursework must be completed within the department with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Honors, Awards, and Scholarships

Students enrolled in the BA or the BS program may participate in the departmental honors program during their senior year. Acceptance into the program may be achieved through invitation by the department, nomination by a sponsoring faculty member, or self-nomination by the student. Nomination forms for the honors program are available in the departmental office, 109 Cooke Hall, North Campus. Honors students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25 in all biological science and basic science (chemistry, physics, math) coursework. Requirements for honors also include 6 credits of honors research (BIO 498) supervised by a member of the faculty and participation in the honors symposium held at the end of the senior year. Three credits of honors research may be used as electives to fulfill requirements for the BA or a BS degree. Honors are noted on transcripts as highest distinction (GPA of 3.75 - 4.0), high distinction (3.5 - 3.74), or distinction (3.2 - 3.49).

The department presents two scholarships to matriculated majors - the Knobloch Award and the McCroskey Award. Award criteria include both academic achievement and financial need.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Practical Experience

A wide range of opportunities are available for students majoring in the biological sciences to gain experience outside of the context of the traditional lecture and laboratory course work that is offered by the department. Among the nationally recognized faculty in the department, many lead externally funded laboratories where students find research positions and thus gain valuable experience under the guidance of their faculty mentors. Students engaged in research may earn credit by enrolling in BIO 498 Undergraduate Research, or in some cases students may be remunerated for their research work if their mentors have grant funds for that purpose.