Plant Biology, B.S.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120

Major Hours: 32

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Program Code: B787 P521

  • Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.

  •  A grade of C or better must be earned in each course presented for Major credit and in the required Major Support courses.

Major Requirements

  • Minimum of 32 hours of major work including twenty-four (24) upper-division hours.
  • BIOL 1005PBIO 2404, and MBIO 2815 will not be accepted for major credit.
Required Major Courses
BIOL 1134Introductory Biology: Evolution, Ecology and Diversity4
PBIO 1114General Botany4
PBIO 4114Principles of Plant Physiology4
PBIO 4983Senior Capstone: Plant Biol3
PBIO 3451Methods in Plant Ecology1
PBIO 3453Principles of Plant Ecology3
PBIO 4534Plant Systematics4
Major Electives
Choose Plant Biology electives to complete 32 hours (with 24 Upper-Division) required in the major9
Total Credit Hours32

Major Support Requirements

PHYS 2414General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors4
PHYS 2424General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors4
BIOL 2913Intro to Quantitative Biology3
or BIOL 4913 Quantitative Biology
MATH 1743Calculus I for Business, Life and Social Sciences (or equiv.)3
CHEM 1315General Chemistry (or equiv.)5
CHEM 1415General Chemistry (Continued) (or equiv.)5
CHEM 3053Organic Chemistry I: Biological Emphasis (or equiv.)3
CHEM 3152Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Biological Emphasis (or equiv.)2
Total Credit Hours29

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and Dodge College of Arts & Sciences requirements must be from the approved General Education course list published in the Class Schedule or at http://www.ou.edu/gened/coursesCourses graded P/NP will not apply.

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-13 hours in the same language)
The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework.
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,20-3
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, including one laboratory component)
Biological Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: BIOL, HES, MBIO, or PBIO 13-4
Physical Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: AGSC, ASTR, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, GPHY, METR, or PHYS 13-4
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours)
Artistic Forms
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483/1493)3
World Culture
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours56
1

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: college requirements are not automatically fulfilled by a previous degree.

2

One course at the intermediate level or demonstrated competency at that level

3

6 upper-division hours, 2 courses, at the 3000- 4000-level. Must be outside the major.

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements

Arts and Sciences Hours: At least 80 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BA degree. At least 55 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BS degree.
Pass/No Pass Enrollment: A maximum of 16 semester hours of free elective credit may be attempted under this option.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation, excluding Honors Reading and Honors Research.
P.E. Courses: No physical education activity courses will be counted toward the 120 semester hours of acceptable credit for graduation.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • At least 15 of the final 30 hours applied toward the degree or at least 50 percent of the hours required by the institution in the major field must be satisfactorily completed at the awarding institution.
  • At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
  • OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.

Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum over all 2.00 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU. Some schools and departments of the College have higher minimum grade point averages required for their students.
 

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with Dodge College of Arts and Sciences and/or Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Arts and Sciences, and Plant Biology major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
PBIO 1114 General Botany (Core II) 4
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
MATH 1743 Calculus I for Business, Life and Social Sciences (Core I) 3
Beginning Foreign Language (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
BIOL 1134 Introductory Biology: Evolution, Ecology and Diversity 4
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
Beginning Foreign Language continued (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
CHEM 1315 General Chemistry (Major Support & Core II) 5
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
Intermediate Foreign Language 3
Non-Western Culture (Core IV) 3
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
PBIO 4534 Plant Systematics 4
BIOL 2913
Intro to Quantitative Biology
or Quantitative Biology
3
CHEM 1415 General Chemistry (Continued) (Major Support) 5
P SC 1113 American Federal Government 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
PBIO 3451 Methods in Plant Ecology 1
PBIO 3453 Principles of Plant Ecology 3
PBIO Major Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Understanding Artistic Forms (Core IV) 3
Western Civilization & Culture (Core IV) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
PBIO Major Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
CHEM 3053 Organic Chemistry I: Biological Emphasis (Major Support) 3
Social Science (Core III) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
PBIO 4114 Principles of Plant Physiology 4
CHEM 3152 Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Biological Emphasis (Major Support) 2
PHYS 2414 General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors (Major Support) 4
Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
PBIO 4983 Senior Capstone: Plant Biol 3
PBIO Major Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
PHYS 2424 General Physics for Life Science Oriented Majors 4
Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 1
 Credit Hours14
 Total Credit Hours120