Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology
(120 units)
Marine biology is the study of the biology and ecology of organisms found in the ocean. This degree provides a base to pursue graduate school, along with a variety of careers in environmental consulting, government, teaching, and public aquaria. This major degree program requires approximately 79 units in the major, of which 35-36 are in lower division and 44-49 are in upper division. All students must achieve at least a 2.0 grade-point average in each of the following: 1. the entire college record, 2. all units attempted at CSULB, and 3. all courses in the major. In addition students must receive a "C" or better in all upper division major courses.
Admission Under Impaction
Refer to the following website for additional impaction criteria: http://www.csulb.edu/depts/enrollment/admissions/impacted_major.html.
Requirements
Lower Division:
Take all of the following courses:
- BIOL 153 Introduction to Marine Biology (3)
Prerequisites/Corequisites: Courses that fulfill the A.1 and B.2 GE requirements.
- BIOL 211 Introduction to Evolution and Diversity (4)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: CHEM 111A with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 212 Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology (4)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, CHEM 111A with grades of "C" or better.
Prequisite/Corequisite: CHEM 111B.
- BIOL 213 Intro to Ecology and Physiology (4)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, 212, CHEM 111B, each with a grade of "C" or better
NOTE: BIOL 111, BIOL 111L, BIOL 212, BIOL 212L, BIOL 213, BIOL 213L are required if courses were taken prior to catalog year 2010-11.
- BIOL 260 Biostatistics (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211 or BIOL 207 or MICR 200; MATH 111 or MATH 113 or MATH 119A or MATH 122 all with a grade of "C" or better.
- CHEM 111A General Chemistry (5)
Prerequisites: A passing score on the Chemistry Placement Examination.
Corequisite: MATH 109 or higher.
- CHEM 111B General Chemistry (5)
Prerequisites: CHEM 111A and MATH 113 or MATH 115 or MATH 119A or MATH 122 all with a grade of "C" or better.
Take one of the following courses:
- PHYS 100A General Physics (4)
Prerequisite: MATH 109 or MATH 113 or MATH 119A or MATH 122.
- PHYS 151 Mechanics and Heat (4)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 122.
Take one of the following courses:
- MATH 119A Survey of Calculus I (3)
Prerequisite: Appropriate MDPT placement or a grade of "C" or better in MATH 113.
- MATH 122 Calculus I (4)
Prerequisite: Appropriate MDPT placement or a grade of "C" or better in MATH 111 and MATH 113.
These courses do not meet any specific or elective requirements for this major: BIOL 100, BIOL 101, BIOL 200, BIOL 200L, BIOL 201, BIOL 205, BIOL 205L, BIOL 207, and BIOL 208.
Take either:
- CHEM 227 Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 111A with a grade of "C" or better; CHEM 111B is recommended.
or all four of the following courses lower-division courses:
- CHEM 220A Organic Chemistry I (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 111B with a grade of "C" or better. Corequisites: CHEM 224 is required for students repeating course. CHEM 223A must be taken concurrently if required by a degree plan.
- CHEM 220B Organic Chemistry II (3)
Prerequisite: CHEM 220A with a grade of "C" or better. Corequisite: CHEM 223B or CHEM 320L except for students who previously earned a "C" or better in CHEM 223B or CHEM 320L.
- CHEM 223A Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
Corequisite: CHEM 220A, except for students who have previously earned a "C" or better in CHEM 220A.
- CHEM 223B Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1)
Prerequisites: CHEM 220A and CHEM 223A, both with a grade of "C" or better. Corequisite: CHEM 220B, except for students who have previously earned a "C" or better in CHEM 220B.
Upper Division:
Take all of the following courses:
- BIOL 312 Evolutionary Biology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 260 all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 313 Invertebrate Zoology (4)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213 all with a grade of "C" or better, and consent of instructor.
- BIOL 340 Molecular Cell Biology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 345 Comparative Animal Physiology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213 all with grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 345L Lab in Comparative Animal Physiology (1)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: BIOL 345 with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 350 General Ecology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 260; MATH 119A or MATH 122 all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 353 Marine Biology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 153, BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 260 all with grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 370 General Genetics (4)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212 and either BIOL 260 or CHEM 251 all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 419 Ichthyology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 260 and at least 6 additional units of upper division biological science, all with a grade of " C" or better. Recommended: BIOL 350, BIOL 353, and BIOL 370.
- BIOL 425 Phycology (4)
Prerequisite: BIOL 353 with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 480 Seminars (1)
Prerequisites: Consent of Department of Biological Sciences. (Undergraduates and classified post-baccalaureates enroll in BIOL 480; graduates enroll in BIOL 580). Undergraduates must have filed for graduation and be in their last semester. Graduates must have been admitted to the department as a graduate student. Classified post-baccalaureates must have been admitted to a second baccalaureate or a certificate.
Take a minimum of three courses from the following:
- BIOL 411 Marine Mammalogy (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 345, BIOL 350, and BIOL 353, all with grade of "C" or better, and consent of instructor.
- BIOL 415 Marine Microbiology (3
Prerequisite: BIOL 353 or BIOL 355 or MICR 355 with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 420 Fisheries Ecology and Conservation (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, BIOL 350, 353, and 419, all with grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 449 Fish Physiology and Endocrinology (3)
Prerequisite: BIOL 345 with grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 451 Wetlands and Mangrove Ecology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, BIOL 350 both with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 454A Research in Tropical Marine Ecology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 350, BIOL 353, and one 400-level marine biology major course, all with grade of "C" or better, and consent of instructor.
- BIOL 455 Ecology of Marine Communities (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, BIOL 350, BIOL 353 all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 457 Field Methods in Ecology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, BIOL 350 both all with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 463 Computer Modeling in Biology (4)
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, BIOL 350 both with a grade of "C" or better.
- BIOL 464 Aquatic Toxicology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 340; CHEM 220A or CHEM 227, all with a grade of "C" or better.
- GEOG 481 Geographic Information Science for Natural Sciences (4)
Prerequisites: Junior/Senior/Graduate standing; GEOG 140 or BIOL 153 or GEOL 102.
- GEOL 465 Physical and Chemical Oceanography (3)
Prerequisites: CHEM 111B; PHYS 100A or PHYS 151, and upper division standing in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or Engineering.
and
- GEOL 466 Oceanography Laboratory and Ocean Studies (1)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: GEOL 465.
- PHYS 100B General Physics (4)
Prerequisite: PHYS 100A.
or
- PHYS 152 Electricity and Magnetism (4)
Prerequisite: PHYS 151; Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 123.
- MATH 119B Survey of Calculus II (3)
Prerequisite: A grade of "C" or better in MATH 119A or MATH 122.
or
- MATH 123 Calculus II (4)
Prerequisite: A grade of "C" or better in MATH 122.
and, with prior consent of marine biology advisor for both:
- BIOL 490 Selected Topics in Biology (1-3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213 all with a grade of "C" or better, and consent of instructor.
and 3 units of:
- BIOL 496 Undergraduate Directed Research (1-3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 211, 212; one of BIOL 213, BIOL 311 or MICR 211, BIOL 296 or MICR 296; consent of instructor; and consent of appropriate undergraduate advisor.
These courses do not meet any specific or elective requirements for this major: BIOL 300, BIOL 301, BIOL 304, BIOL 305; and NSCI 492.
To meet prerequisite standards for courses in this program's requirements, a "C" or better is necessary in the following: BIOL 153, BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213, BIOL 260, BIOL 345, BIOL 353, CHEM 111A, CHEM 111B, CHEM 220A, CHEM 223A, MATH 119A/MATH 122.
Few, if any, health-related professional schools (e.g. veterinary medicine) will accept CHEM 227. Some graduate programs with masters or doctorates in biology and/or marine biology may also not accept CHEM 227. Students interested in these programs might consider taking PHYS 100B or PHYS 152; MATH 119B or MATH 122; CHEM 220A,B and CHEM 223A,B. CHEM 227 is not acceptable as a prerequisite for CHEM 441A. CHEM 227 is acceptable toward the Minor in Chemistry.