Biology B.S. - Genetics and Evolution
The Genetics and Evolution concentration is for students interested in genetics and evolutionary biology, including molecular genetics, population genetics, ecological genetics, and genomics. This concentration is a graduate preperatory program and is for students interested in academia or research jobs in private or government laboratories. It is also an excellent concentration for students interested in a professional health program such as medical school or a genetic counseling graduate program.
General Degree Requirements
To earn a baccalaureate degree, all students must complete successfully, in addition to any other requirements, the University of Montana General Education Requirements. Please refer to the General Education Requirements page for more information.
Additional requirements for graduation can be found on the Degree/Certificate Requirements for Graduation page.
Unless otherwise noted in individual program requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all work attempted at the University of Montana-Missoula is required for graduation. Please see the Academic Policies and Procedures page for information on how your GPA is calculated.
Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a major, minor, or certificate program must be completed with a grade of C- or better unless a higher grade is noted in the program requirements.
Bachelor of Science - Biology; Genetics and Evolution Concentration
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology/Microbiology Lower-Division Core | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOB 160 | Principles of Living Systems | 3 |
| BIOB 161N | Principles of Living Systems Lab | 1 |
| BIOB 170N | Principles of Biological Diversity | 3 |
| BIOB 171N | Principles of Biological Diversity Lab | 2 |
| BIOB 260 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOB 272 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
| Upper-Division Core Courses Required by the Genetics & Evolution Concentration | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOB 375 | General Genetics | 3 |
| BIOB 486 | Genomics | 3 |
| BIOE 370 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOE 371 | General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271) | 2 |
| Additional Upper-Division Courses Required for the Genetics & Evolution Concentration | ||
| Biochemistry 2 | ||
| Complete one of the following courses: | 4-6 | |
| Biochemistry | ||
| Advanced Biochemistry I and Advanced Biochemistry II | ||
| Genetics/Evolution Depth Courses | ||
| Complete three of the following courses: | 9-10 | |
| Conservation Genetics | ||
| Phylogenics and Evolution | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Behavior & Evolution | ||
| Plant Evolution | ||
| Genes and Development Lab | ||
| Microbial Genetics | ||
| Microbial Diversity Ecology & Evolution | ||
| Host-Microbe Interactions | ||
| Computational Biology | ||
| Physiology Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following courses (labs must be taken if available): | 3-4 | |
| Advanced Cellular & Molecular Biology | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Microbial Physiology and Microbial Physiology Lab | ||
| Plant Physiology and Plant Physiology Lab | ||
| Mathematics - Calculus 3 | ||
| Complete one of the following courses: | 4 | |
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Mathematics - Statistics | ||
| Complete either one semester or a full year of statistics from the following: | 4-8 | |
One Semester: | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
Full Year: | ||
| Statistical Methods I and Statistical Methods II | ||
| Computer Data Analysis I and Computer Data Analysis II | ||
| Chemistry 4 | ||
| Complete one of the following sequences of general and organic chemistry: | 10-20 | |
Introductory Chemistry (10 credits): | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry and Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab | ||
Advanced Chemistry (20 credits): | ||
| College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Lab | ||
| College Chemistry II and College Chemistry II Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab | ||
| Physics | ||
| Complete one of the following Physics sequences: | 10 | |
Algebra- and Trigonometry-based Physics: | ||
| College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | ||
| College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory | ||
Calculus-based Physics: | ||
| Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus I and Physics Laboratory I with Calculus | ||
| Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus II and Physics Laboratory II with Calculus | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines Requirement | ||
| To complete the Writing in the Disciplines Requirement, Biology students take 2 or 3 partial writing courses (either three 1/3 writing courses or one 1/3 writing course and one 2/3 writing course) or one complete writing course. | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 75-93 | |
- 1
The lower-division core should be completed before attempting most upper-division major courses. AP Biology credit with a score of 3 may be substituted for either BIOB 160/BIOB 161N or BIOB 170N/BIOB 171N.
- 2
If introductory chemistry is completed, then BCH 380 must be taken. Either BCH 380 or BCH 480-BCH 482 may be taken if the advanced chemistry sequence is completed.
- 3
Student should choose M 171 if they plan to take additional calculus courses or if they plan to double major or minor in a field that requires more calculus (e.g. astronomy, math, physics, biochemistry, computer science).
- 4
Students who begin in the advanced chemistry sequence may substitute those courses for introductory sequence courses at the discretion of the major advisor. Students should choose the advanced sequence for graduate preparation.
Writing in the Disciplines Distributed Model Courses for Biological Sciences
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1/3 Writing in the Disciplines Courses | ||
| BCH 482 | Advanced Biochemistry II | 3 |
| BIOB 410 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOB 425 | Advanced Cellular & Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOB 483 | Phylogenics and Evolution | 3 |
| BIOE 371 | General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271) | 2 |
| BIOE 403 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOE 428 | Freshwater Ecology | 5 |
| BIOH 447 | Genes and Development Lab | 3 |
| BIOM 327 | Vector-Borne Diseases: Public Health Perspectives | 3 |
| BIOM 435 | Virology | 3 |
| BIOO 470 | Ornithology | 4 |
| BIOO 475 | Mammalogy | 4 |
| WILD 470 | Conservation of Wildlife Populations | 4 |
| 2/3 Writing in the Disciplines Courses | ||
| BCH 486 | Biochemistry Research Lab | 3 |
| BCH 499 | Senior Thesis/Capstone | 3-6 |
| BIOB 411 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOB 499 | Undergraduate Thesis | 3-6 |
| BIOE 448 | Terrestrial Plant Ecology | 4 |
| BIOE 485 | Plant Evolution | 3 |
| BIOM 499 | Undergraduate Thesis | 3-6 |
| Full Writing in the Disciplines Courses | ||
| BIOH 462 | Principles of Medical Physiology | 3 |
| BIOM 420 | Host-Microbe Interactions | 3 |
Advanced Chemistry
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Hours | |
| BIOB 160 & BIOB 161N |
Principles of Living Systems and Principles of Living Systems Lab |
4 |
| CHMY 141N & CHMY 142N or CHMY 121N |
College Chemistry I or Introduction to General Chemistry |
5 |
| BIOB 194 | Your Future in Biology | 1 |
| M 171 or M 162 |
Calculus I or Applied Calculus |
4 |
| Elective | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOB 170N & BIOB 171N |
Principles of Biological Diversity and Principles of Biological Diversity Lab |
5 |
| CHMY 143N & CHMY 144N or CHMY 123/124 |
College Chemistry II or Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry |
5 |
| WRIT 101 | College Writing I | 4 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Autumn | ||
| BIOB 260 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| CHMY 221 & CHMY 222 |
Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab |
5 |
| STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| Intermediate Writing Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOB 272 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
| CHMY 223 & CHMY 224 |
Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab |
5 |
| General Education Requirement | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| BIOE 370 & BIOE 371 |
General Ecology and General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271) |
5 |
| BIOB 480 |
Conservation Genetics (Depth Elective) or Phylogenetics and Evolution or Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy or Behavior & Evolution or Plant Evolution or Genes and Development Lab or Microbial Genetics or Microbial Diversity Ecology & Evolution or Host-Microbe Interactions or Computational Biology |
3 |
| PHSX 205N & PHSX 206N |
College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory |
5 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOB 375 | General Genetics | 3 |
| BIOB 486 | Genomics | 3 |
| PHSX 207N & PHSX 208N |
College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory |
5 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Senior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| BCH 480 or BCH 380 |
Advanced Biochemistry I or Biochemistry |
3 |
| BIOB 480 |
Conservation Genetics (Depth Elective (take 2)) or Phylogenetics and Evolution or Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy or Behavior & Evolution or Plant Evolution or Genes and Development Lab or Microbial Genetics or Microbial Diversity Ecology & Evolution or Host-Microbe Interactions or Computational Biology |
6 |
| Upper Division Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BCH 482 | Advanced Biochemistry II (or Upper Division Elective 2 cr. + Advanced Writing) | 3 |
| BIOB 425 |
Advanced Cellular & Molecular Biology (Physiology Elective) or Comparative Animal Physiology or Microbial Physiology and Microbial Physiology Lab or Plant Physiology and Plant Physiology Lab |
3 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Upper Division Elective | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |
Last updated Autumn 2025