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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.


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