• Communicate scientific concepts, experimental results and analytical arguments clearly and concisely verbally and in writing.
• Apply scientific methods, reasoning and appropriate mathematics to describe, explain and understand biological systems.
• Demonstrate understanding of five core concepts in biology: evolution; pathways and transformations of energy and matter; information flow, exchange, and storage; structure and function; and biological systems.
• Use interdisciplinary approaches (applying chemistry and quantitative skills) to work on biological problems.
• Describe the complex networks of interactions that determine energy flow and the cycling of water, carbon, nitrogen, and minerals within ecosystems.
• Identify and analyze the anatomical and morphological features of plants and plant structures as they enable plant function and reveal plant evolutionary histories. 
• Recognize and describe the features of vascular plant groups using standard botanical terminology. Interpret the evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships of plants by evaluating analytical and experimental tools used to understand organismal diversity. 
• Incorporate information from physiology, genetics, developmental biology, biochemistry and genomics to explain how plants integrate water-relations, mineral and organic nutrition, solute transport, respiration and photosynthesis, hormonal and environmental signals to regulate the processes of growth and reproduction.
• Describe and implement laboratory methods typically used in plant biology.

The required curriculum meets the course requirements of the university and the College of Agricultural Sciences and provides for a broad background in plant science. Completing an option and engaging in an experiential learning activity allows students to fulfill their individual education goals and prepare for career aspirations.

All Botany undergraduate majors are required to do the following:

1. Complete the core course curriculum meeting the requirements of the university, College of Agricultural Sciences, and Botany academic requirements.
2. Select and complete the course curriculum of a 21-credit option to obtain advanced scientific background and skills in a particular area of plant science. Students may select a pre-determined botany option from the catalog or create a customized option with approval of a BOT advisor. Course work delivered in the options provides students with advanced knowledge and skills related to the study of plants and plant-like organisms in natural and managed ecosystems and in the laboratory.
   1. Comprehensive Botany
   2. Customizable Option
   3. Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
   4. Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Botany
   5. Plant Pathology
3. Participate in an experiential learning and subsequent student seminar. Every Botany major is required to have an experiential learning (EL) component in their curriculum that is not part of a scheduled academic course. The EL component can take many forms but must involve a minimum of 60 hours of work and must have a substantial educational objective that is related to the BOT degree. Students should complete an experiential learning activity before the beginning of their fourth year.
   1. Academic credit is not required but may be earned by enrolling in research (BOT 401), curatorial projects (BOT 406), or an internship (BOT 410); non-credit options for research (BOT 003) and internship (BOT 004) are also available.  Paid and voluntary positions are both acceptable. To meet the requirement, the student and the EL supervisor must complete an Experiential Learning Activity form that is approved by a Botany advisor. After completion of the EL project, the student is required to participate in a 1-credit professional skills development course (BOT 411), to reflect on the EL project and to incorporate it into career planning activities.
4. Complete a total of 60 upper-division credits (300-400 level).

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Baccalaureate Core 1
HHS 231	*LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH	2
HHS 241	*LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course)	1
WR 121	*ENGLISH COMPOSITION	4
Approved speech course COMM		3
Additional approved writing WR II		3
Perspectives		12
Cultural Diversity
Literature and the Arts
Social Processes and Institutions
Western Culture
Difference, Power & Discrimination		3
Synthesis		6
Contemporary Global Issues
Science, Technology and Society
Major Requirements 1
Biology
Select one of the following biology series (or their honors version):		12
Series A
BI 221 & BI 222 & BI 223	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS
Series B
BI 204 & BI 205 & BI 206	*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III
Select one of the following:		4
BI 311	GENETICS
PBG 430 & PBG 431	PLANT GENETICS and PLANT GENETICS RECITATION
Chemistry
Select one of the following chemistry series:		15
Series A
CH 121	GENERAL CHEMISTRY
CH 122	*GENERAL CHEMISTRY
CH 123	*GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Series B
CH 231 & CH 261	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231
CH 232 & CH 262	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232
CH 233 & CH 263	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233
CH 331 & CH 332	ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY	8
Biochemistry
BB 314	CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY	4
Select one of the following:		4-7
BB 350	ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY
BB 450 & BB 451	GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY and GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY
Mathematics
Select two courses from the following:		8
MTH 111	*COLLEGE ALGEBRA
MTH 112	*ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS
MTH 231	ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
MTH 241	*CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
MTH 245	*MATHEMATICS FOR MANAGEMENT, LIFE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
MTH 251	*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS
MTH 252	INTEGRAL CALCULUS
Statistics
ST 351	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS	4
Additional Quantitative Skills
Select a minimum of two courses from the following:		7-9
BDS 211	USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE
BDS 310	FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCES
BDS 311	COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA
CS 161	INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I
CS 162	INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II
GEOG 360	GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY
GEOG 361	QUANTITATIVE GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING
PH 201	*GENERAL PHYSICS
PH 202	*GENERAL PHYSICS
ST 352	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS
ST 411	METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS
Others by approval of advisor (or additional courses from Mathematics block)
Writing Intensive Course
Select one course from the following:		3-4
BI 371	^ECOLOGICAL METHODS
BOT 323	^FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE WORLD
MB 311	^MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY LAB: A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE
SUS 325	^AG AND ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICAMENTS: A CASE STUDY APPROACH
SOIL 395	^WORLD SOIL RESOURCES
WR 462	^ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING
Botany Core
BOT 220	*INTRODUCTION TO PLANT BIOLOGY	4
BOT 313	PLANT STRUCTURE	4
BOT 321	PLANT SYSTEMATICS	4
BOT 331	PLANT PHYSIOLOGY	4
BOT 332	LABORATORY TECHNIQUES IN PLANT BIOLOGY	3
BOT 341	PLANT ECOLOGY	4
BOT 407	SEMINAR	1
Select one non-vascular plant course from the following:		4
BOT 416	AQUATIC BOTANY
BOT 417	PHYCOLOGY
BOT 461	MYCOLOGY
BOT 465	LICHENOLOGY
BOT 466	BRYOLOGY
Experiential Learning
Select one of the following or another experience with advisor approval:
BOT 401	RESEARCH
BOT 406	PROJECTS: CURATORIAL ASSISTANT
BOT 410	INTERNSHIP
BOT 003	UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
BOT 004	INTERNSHIP
Complete an experiential learning experience prior to enrolling in:
BOT 411	LEVERAGING YOUR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING	1
Required Option
Complete 21 credits in fulfillment of a transcript-visible option 2		21
Remaining Bacc Core & Free Electives		21-28
Total Credits		180

*

Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

^

Writing Intensive Course (WIC)

1

The Botany major satisfies Bacc Core requirements in life sciences, physical sciences and mathematics. Other Bacc Core requirements must be completed separately within the 180 total

2

Students are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor to help ensure that electives best fit the desired option, career path or interests

Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
FALL		CREDITS
BI 221 or BI 204	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I	4
CH 121 or CH 231 and CH 261	GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231	5
MTH 111 or MTH 112 or MTH 231	*COLLEGE ALGEBRA or *ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS or ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS	4
WR 121	*ENGLISH COMPOSITION	4
	Credits	17
WINTER
BI 222 or BI 205	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II	4
CH 122 or CH 232 and CH 262	*GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232	5
MTH 241 or MTH 245 or MTH 251	*CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE or *MATHEMATICS FOR MANAGEMENT, LIFE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES or *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS	4
Bacc Core: Speech		3
	Credits	16
SPRING
BI 223 or BI 206	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III	4
CH 123 or CH 233 and CH 263	*GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233	5
Additional Quantitative Skills		4
Bacc Core: Perspectives		3
	Credits	16
Second Year
FALL
BOT 220	*INTRODUCTION TO PLANT BIOLOGY	4
CH 331	ORGANIC CHEMISTRY	4
HHS 231	*LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH	2
Bacc Core: WR II		3
	Credits	13
WINTER
BB 314	CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY	4
BOT 313	PLANT STRUCTURE	4
CH 332	ORGANIC CHEMISTRY	4
HHS 241	*LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course)	1
Bacc Core: Perspectives		3
	Credits	16
SPRING
BOT 321	PLANT SYSTEMATICS	4
ST 351	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS	4
Bacc Core: Perspectives		3
Additional Quantitative Skills		4
	Credits	15
Third Year
FALL
BB 450 or BB 350	GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY or ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY	4
Non-Vascular Plant Course		4
Bacc Core: Synthesis		3
Option Course		3
Experiential Learning Activity		0-2
	Credits	14-16
WINTER
BB 451	GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY (or Free Elective)	3
BI 311 or PBG 430 and PBG 431	GENETICS or PLANT GENETICS and PLANT GENETICS RECITATION	4
BOT 323	^FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE WORLD (or other approved WIC course)	3
Option Course		3
Elective		3
	Credits	16
SPRING
BOT 331	PLANT PHYSIOLOGY	4
Bacc Core: Perspectives		3
Option Course		4
Elective		3
	Credits	14
Fourth Year
FALL
BOT 407	SEMINAR	1
Option Course		4
Option Course		3
Elective		4
	Credits	12
WINTER
BOT 332	LABORATORY TECHNIQUES IN PLANT BIOLOGY	3
BOT 411	LEVERAGING YOUR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING	1
Option Course		4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	16
SPRING
BOT 341	PLANT ECOLOGY	4
Bacc Core: Synthesis		3
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	180-182