Navigating the Biology Degree at UCF: Tracks, Requirements, and Opportunities

The UCF Department of Biology offers a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Biology. The Bachelor of Science in Biology degree program at UCF allows you to choose coursework in general biology or select a track in one of five areas. Through electives selected with the help of your faculty advisor, you’ll have the opportunity to work in subspecialties, including molecular biology, conservation biology and marine biology.

Core Curriculum and Foundational Knowledge

The core curriculum provides a background in chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences, as well as broad preparation in the biological sciences. Program coursework helps you develop critical thinking skills and exposes you to a wide variety of scientific knowledge from various biology subdisciplines. You’ll learn skills related to the conduct of science, including hypothesis testing, experimental design, accessing and understanding scientific literature, analyzing data, as well as laboratory and field skills specific to certain scientific areas.

Gain insight on the cellular and chemical basis of life, genetics and the theory of evolution. Expand on what you learned in General Biology 1. You’ll explore organismal anatomy and physiology as it relates to biodiversity, ecology and evolution.

Upon reaching junior standing (60 hours), Biology majors are expected to have completed the following courses and associated laboratories. These classes are prerequisites for advanced science classes and students entering the major without these classes will be unable to register for most of the advanced courses.

A "C" (2.0) or better is required in all BSC or PCB prefix courses meeting Biology Core Requirements. All prerequisites of courses taught within the College of Sciences will be enforced.

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Degree Requirements

Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog. Co-op credit cannot be used in this major. Major Requires 13 credits of the Biology Core and 22 credits of the Biology Track for a total of 35 upper-level credits. All tracks within the Biology Major must complete two (2) upper-level labs. All tracks within the Biology Major must complete at least one (1) Plant Class and one (1) Animal Class. To fulfill the department Residency requirement, students must complete a total of 23 hours of upper-level courses taught by the Biology department. Students seeking a double major must satisfy the requirements for both majors and must take no fewer than 40 semester hours of upper division restricted elective course work appropriate to the combined areas of specialization in the two majors. Courses designated in Common Program Prerequisites are usually completed in the first 60 hours. No more than 4 semester hours of Independent Study, Directed Research, Thesis, and Internship credit, may be applied toward major requirements.

Biology Tracks

The Bachelor of Science in Biology offers several specialized tracks, allowing students to focus their studies:

General Biology Track

The General Biology Track is the most general of the Biology Tracks and only has the core Biology courses as required courses. The remaining 22 hours are chosen from any of the upper division restricted electives, with a requirement that students take at least two lab courses and one class that focuses on plants and a second class that focuses on animals. This track is appropriate for all professions that require a major in biology and will prepare students for post-graduate education in professional or graduate school. Moreover, the classroom and laboratory courses will prepare students directly for the workforce in jobs associated with government field offices or industry as a laboratory technician. If you are unsure what you want to do with your major and/or want to choose from the variety of upper division electives that are part of the Biology curriculum, then staying in the General Biology Track may be appropriate for you.

Ecology, Evolutionary and Conservation Biology (EECB) Track

The Ecology, Evolutionary and Conservation Biology (EECB) track is designed for students to learn about biological systems ranging from the smaller scale processes that occur within cells up to, and including, larger scale processes that result in the diversity and dynamics of ecological communities. This track emphasizes courses in genetics, taxonomic diversity, structural biology, ecology, evolution, and physiology. Courses such as Conservation Biology, Population Genetics, Biogeography, and Evolutionary Biology introduce students to a solid understanding of the natural world. Other courses such as Disease Ecology & Eco-immunology, specialized lab courses and experiential learning opportunities broaden the experience that students receive. This track allows for significant opportunities for independent research working with professors and their graduate students in both laboratory and field settings. The EECB track prepares students for graduate study at any major university or immediate employment with local, state and federal agencies, with the private sector (e.g., environmental assessment firms), and/or privately-funded environmental and conservation organizations.

Marine and Aquatic Biology Track

The Marine and Aquatic Biology Track provides students with the opportunity to focus on the study of living organisms in freshwater, coastal, and oceanic environments. This track is designed to give students a strong foundation in basic biological principles with a special focus on organisms that live in aquatic environments. Students who successfully complete the Marine and Aquatic Biology Track will be well-versed in the issues of marine and/or aquatic ecosystems with an emphasis on conservation, restoration, and biological diversity. The track also allows opportunities for study abroad and independent research working with professors and their graduate students in both laboratory and field settings. Rigorous coursework and research experiences gained through this track will provide students with a competitive advantage in their graduate school applications.

Plant Science Track

The Plant Science Track is designed to give students a diverse understanding of the plant world and their impact on human lives and environment. Plant Kingdom, Plant Anatomy, Plant Physiology and Plant Taxonomy courses will position students to find jobs in biotechnology labs, state parks and as field technicians as well as teaching in high schools or obtaining internships in other botanical institutions. Culinary Botany focuses on health and nutrition derived from plants and Medical Botany prepares students towards a career in naturopathy, allopathy and Pharmacy programs.

Pre-Health Professional Biology Track

The Pre-Health Professional Biology Track is designed for students seeking entrance into professional health programs including medicine (MD or DO), veterinary medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. Students in this track will also be well prepared if they decide to apply to graduate school. In addition to core Biology courses in Genetics and Molecular & Cellular Biology, this track emphasizes courses in development, physiology, and anatomy. Moreover, electives like Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Evolution & Medicine as well as lab courses in Anatomy, Genetics and Genomics will give students the background needed to excel in professional school entrance exams (e.g. the MCAT) as well as courses offered in those professional schools.

Course Examples

The Biology program offers a wide array of courses, including:

Cellular and chemical basis of life, genetics, and the theory of evolution. Emphasis on problem solving, analysis, synthesis of information, and applying data effectively.
Organismal anatomy and physiology as it relates to biodiversity, ecology and evolution. Emphasis on problem solving, analysis, synthesis of information, and applying data effectively.
Introduction to core botanical concepts: plant biodiversity, structure and function, growth and development, photosynthesis and water relations and ecology.
Cultural food traditions and the connections between plants, people and health; examines the preparation methods that enhance the nutritional values. Historical and modern uses of plants economically important in various cultures.
A study of development, structure and function of the principal organs and tissue of vascular plants. Introduction to techniques used in the preparation of microscope slides/specimens of vascular plants, including infecting organisms.
A survey of the plant kingdom utilizing comparative morphology, structure and functions to demonstrate relationships among extant and extinct forms.
Core concepts in plant physiology, with specific focus on photosynthesis, respiration, water relations, mineral nutrition, growth and allocation, hormones, secondary metabolites, reproduction, and stress physiology.
Course core concepts in plant genomics, including the structuring of plant genomes and the major ways in which they differ from animal and microbe genomes.
Systematic classification and identification of vascular plants, with emphasis on the flora of peninsular Florida.
The medicinal properties of plants and their role in both traditional and modern medicine; history of herbal medicine and alternative medicinal practices around the world.
Science, history and principles of conservation biology.
Provides students with a foundation in the field of marine biology using a global perspective.
An introduction to research methods in biology, with specific focus on critical thinking, scientific skepticism, experimental design, and working with data relevant to biological questions. Students will learn the philosophy of the scientific method, how biological research is commonly conducted, and develop a skillset of data analysis techniques in relation to biological experiments and hypotheses.
An advanced treatment of current issues in marine biology, emphasizing biodiversity and marine conservation through research, service-learning and field experiences.
General principles of invasion ecology. The study of addition of species into ecosystems as it provides insights into basic ecological and evolutionary questions.
Hands-on approach to understanding how genomic databases are generated in the lab, and how they are analyzed computationally using bioinformatics pipelines. Basic concepts in biological software applications and will cover multiple computer languages and biological topics.
Study of geographic variation in nature, ranging from past to present and from genes to ecosystems.
A service-learning course utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to developing models and implementing programs designed to result in environmental sustainability.
Practical experience and training disseminating biological research to a variety of audiences. Build skills in written, verbal, and visual representation of scientific or biological information.
Preparation of undergraduate students to more effectively learn biological concepts by facilitating learning in a variety of university biology labs.
Examine human impacts in marine ecosystems and how humans can become better stewards of these habitats.
Comprehensive overview of honey bee biology and practical introduction to the art and science and beekeeping.
Biology of insects: identification, taxonomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology.
Environmental science and environmental systems in the context of real places, real people, real problems and real data.
Biological, physical and chemical oceanography.
Conservation, propagation and exhibition of wild animals in captivity.
Structure and function of eukaryotic cells including bioenergetics, protein structure and function, chromosome structure, DNA repair and recombination, membrane structure and transport, intracellular vesicle trafficking, cell signaling, apoptosis and cell cycle control and organization and functions of the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix.
Elements of ecosystems, biogeochemical cycling, environmental factor interactions, population dynamics, and community development.
Field and laboratory investigations of natural ecosystems, with emphasis on current methodology in ecology.
Basic principles of heredity as applied to prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Introduction to laboratory techniques of genetics.
Applied study of biodiversity, ecology and conservation through field trips, field research and/or lectures.
Geography, ecology, and environmental problems encountered in various tropical ecosystems with particular emphasis towards terrestrial systems in tropical rainforests.
Intensive, one week field course at an institute of marine science. Diving/snorkeling will be used extensively to study organisms on pristine coral reefs.
An introduction to aquatic ecology of Florida with emphasis on ponds, lakes, streams and rivers.
Examination of wetland ecosystems, laws and policy, current research, global biogeochemical cycles, and relevant field and laboratory techniques.
General ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conservation issues of Florida.
Examination of how hosts, parasites and environment interact to shape organisms, populations and communities.
Sensory ecology is the study of how an why animals acquire, process and use information from their environment, and how sensory systems influence evolutionary processes.
Advanced topics in Genetics, including extra-nuclear inheritance, epigenesis, gene and chromosome mutation, genetics of development and behavior, and advanced genetic analytical techniques.
Understanding how genomic methods are applied to problems in wildlife biology, with an emphasis on vertebrate animal species in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including plants, microbes, and all forms of natural populations.
Demographic and genetic structure of populations and their relationship to speciation, adaptation, and macroevolutionary processes in plants and animals.
Field of population genetics and the study of various forces that result in evolutionary changes through time.
Functions of body processes occurring in animals, with emphasis on vertebrate physiology.
Ecosystems of Florida will be discussed to include geography, geology, climate, energetics, nutrient cycling, community structure and conservation.
Survey of experimental methods used in the study of marine communities in central and southern Florida, combining field manipulation and readings from primary literature.
A survey of how simulation models are applied to ecological questions of both a theoretical and managerial nature.
Evolution of life history traits (e.g., propagule size/number, age/size at maturity, survivorship and senescence) examined using a quantitative genetic framework.
This course provides an introduction to fish biology and covers (in varying amounts of detail) the following topics: diversity, systematics, functional anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution and conservation.
The vertebrate animals, relationships of organs and systems, and their phylogenetic significance.
Comprehensive course in bird biology covering global diversity, evolution and systematics, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology.
Vertebrate evolution and ecology, based on the paleontological and ecological literature. The laboratory places heavy emphasis on classification/identification and field work.
Introduction to the biology of the amphibians and reptiles, their classification, evolution, and life histories.
Diversity and biology of mammals from an evolutionary perspective.
Study of the current ideas in animal behavior, including the mechanism of behavior and evolutionary explanations.
Concepts of developmental processes. Emphasis on mechanisms underlying vertebrate development.
A comparison of vertebrate anatomy at the tissue level and its evolutionary and phylogenetic significance.
An advanced course where students will be observing, documenting, and analyzing animal behavior in a zoological setting.

Learning Environment and Resources

The UCF Department of Biology offers mainly Face-to-face learning. Face-to-face learning is an instructional method where course content and learning material are taught in person to a group of students. This allows for a live interaction between a learner and an instructor. It is the most traditional type of learning instruction. Learners benefit from a greater level of interaction with their fellow students as well. In face-to-face learning, students are held accountable for their progress at the class’s specific meeting date and time.

The University of Central Florida offers numerous opportunities for undergraduates to pursue research in various disciplines under the direction of a faculty member. This intensive research opportunity enhances the academic experience and challenges students to strengthen their critical, analytical, and writing skills. To acquire integrative experiences from internships, interviews, research experiences, ePortfolios to help build career readiness or to apply for higher studies.

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UCF students are assigned an Academic Success Coach to help them with their biology major. The College of Sciences has walk-in hours, available both in person and via zoom.

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