Field Biology Minor

Coordinator:
Lynn J. Moseley

Department of Biology

A minor in field biology will allow students to select four courses that emphasize studies of animals and plants in their natural environment. The minor aims to increase students’ awareness of the biological diversity of plants and animals in different habitats and to enable students to develop a detailed understanding of specific groups of animals (such as birds or fish) and plants (e.g., deciduous trees).

Courses in the field biology minor involve hands-on work in the field and laboratory, supplemented by reading in the scientific literature and, where appropriate, by computer models or simulations.  By careful selection of courses for the minor, students will be able to study in all the major habitat types found in North Carolina. Through summer programs such as Seminar West, Biology and Geology of East Africa or School for Field Studies courses, students are able to study in some of the most biologically rich field sites in the world. An independent research project could also substitute for one of the four courses in the minor.

The minor in field biology is not available to biology majors.

Minor Requirements

The minor requires a minimum of 16 credit hours (four courses).  Appropriate prerequisites are necessary for upper-level courses.

1.-4.  Four courses from the following: (At least one course must be at the 300- level or above.)

16 credits

         BIOL 112 Integrative Biology: Organisms, Ecology and Evolution

         BIOL 115 General Botany

         BIOL 224 Field Botany

         BIOL 233 North Carolina Freshwater Fishes

         BIOL 235 Vertebrate Field Zoology

         BIOL/GEOL 240 Seminar West

         BIOL 242 Natural Science Seminars

         BIOL 332 Invertebrate Zoology

         BIOL 333 Ichthyology

         BIOL 334 Animal Behavior

         BIOL 336 Ornithology

         BIOL 438 General Ecology

 

Total credit hours required for field biology minor

16 credits