Undergraduate Programs
Degree Information
To enroll in the required first biology course for the major or minor, students must meet one of the following prerequisites:
- ACT math subscore of 24 (SAT 580)
- ALEKS online math placement test score of PPL 76
- Grade of A or B in Chem 101 at the University of Mississippi
- Grade of A or B in Math 121: Algebra and Math 123: Trig
- Grade of A or B in Math 125: Basic Math for Science and Technology
Students in the B.A. in Biological Science complete 46 credit hours for the major, including 8-9 biology courses, 2 chemistry courses, and 2 math courses. Students also complete a required minor field of study or double major.
- Bisc 160, 161: Bio Sciences I and Lab (4 hours)
- Bisc 162, 163: Bio Sciences II and Lab (4 hours)
- Bisc 322: General Ecology (4 hours)
- Bisc 336: Genetics (4 hours)
- One physiology course (4 hours) chosen from
- Bisc 330: Introductory Physiology
- Bisc 438: Microbial Physiology
- Bisc 516: Plant Physiology
- Biology electives (12 hours)
Additional Requirements
- Chem 105, 115: Gen Chem I and Lab (4 hours)
- Chem 106, 116: Gen Chem II and Lab (4 hours)
- 2 mathematics courses (6 credit hours) from
- Math 115: Elementary Statistics
- Math 121: Algebra or Math 125: Basic Math for Science and Engineering (but not both)
- Math 123: Trigonometry
Students in the B.S. in Biological Science complete 42 hours of biology courses and 6 courses outside the department. Students may choose an optional minor field of study.
- Bisc 160, 161: Bio Sciences I & Lab (4 hours)
- Bisc 162, 163: Bio Sciences II & Lab (4 hours)
- Bisc 498: Major Field Achievement Test
Biology Core:
- Bisc 322: General Ecology (4 hours)
- Bisc 336: Genetics (4 hours)
- One physiology course from
- Bisc 330: Introductory Physiology
- Bisc 438: Microbial Physiology
- Bisc 516: Plant Physiology
- One of the advanced biology courses from
- Bisc 415: Vertebrate Histology
- Bisc 418: Intro to Molecular Systematics
- Bisc 427: Methods in Comparative Neuroscience
- Bisc 440: Cell and Molecular Biology
- Bisc 504: Biometry
- Bisc 512: Animal Behavior
- Bisc 518: Microtechnique
- Bisc 519: Physiology of Aquatic Animals
- Bisc 521: Cell Physiology
- Bisc 530: Adv. Field Study in Ecology
- Bisc 547: Adv. Histology
- Bisc 553: Comparative Animal Physiology
Five or six biology electives (18 credit hours) at the 300-level or higher except Bisc 492
Additional Requirements:
- Chem 105, 115: Gen Chem I and Lab (4 hours)
- Chem 106, 116: Gen Chem II and Lab (4 hours)
- Chem 221, 225: Elem. Organic Chem I & lab (4 hours)
- Chem 222, 226: Elem. Organic Chem II & lab (4 hours)
- Math 261: Calculus I (3 hours)
- Math 262: Calculus II (3 hours)
A minor in biology consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours of biology courses.
- Bisc 160, 161: Bio Sciences I & Lab (4 hours)
- Bisc 162, 163: Bio Sciences II & Lab (4 hours)
- 10 credit hours of biology electives at the 300 level or above
Optional Emphasis Areas
Beyond the required core courses, the emphasis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology requires a minimum of three courses from the following:
- Bisc 300: Research Methods in Biology
- Bisc 301: Evolution
- Bisc 320: Introductory Marine Biology
- Bisc 321: Introductory Aquatic Biology
- Bisc 323: Biology of Invasive Species
- Bisc 345: Symbiosis: From Parasitism to Mutualism
- Bisc 352: Coastal Ecology
- Bisc 413: Conservation Biology
- Bisc 417: Evolution and Medicine
- Bisc 435: Research in Freshwater Biology
- Bisc 443: Ecology of Plant Communities of MS
- Bisc 445: Introduction to Coral-Reef Ecology
- Bisc 448: Tropical Studies in Biology
- Bisc 451: Ecotoxicology
- Bisc 504: Biometry
- Bisc 505: Aquatic Microbiology
- Bisc 510: Theoretical Ecology
- Bisc 513: Limnological Methods
- Bisc 514: Population Genetics
- Bisc 515: Conservation Biology: Viable Populations
- Bisc 524: Aquatic Botany
- Bisc 525: Conservation and Restoration Ecology
- Bisc 528: Conservation Physiology
- Bisc 530: Advanced Field Study in Ecology
- Bisc 534: Freshwater Insects
- Bisc 535: Plant-Insect Interactions
- Bisc 540: Chemical Ecology
- Bisc 550: Biological Oceanography
- Bisc 554: Ecological Physiology
- Bisc 560: Microbial Experimental Evolution
- Bisc 566: Evolutionary Biology
- Bisc 567: Evolutionary Biology Laboratory
- Bisc 568: Infectious Disease Ecology
The Integrative Biology emphasis requires a minimum of three courses from the following.
1 course from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology list
- Bisc 301: Evolution
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 320: Introductory Marine Biology
- Bisc 321: Introductory Aquatic Biology
- Bisc 323: Biology of Invasive Species
- Bisc 345: Symbiosis: From Parasitism to Mutualism
- Bisc 352: Coastal Ecology
- Bisc 413: Conservation Biology
- Bisc 417: Evolution and Medicine
- Bisc 435: Research in Freshwater Biology
- Bisc 443: Ecology of Plant Communities of MS
- Bisc 445: Introduction to Coral-Reef Ecology
- Bisc 448: Tropical Studies in Biology
- Bisc 451: Ecotoxicology
- Bisc 504: Biometry
- Bisc 505: Aquatic Microbiology
- Bisc 510: Theoretical Ecology
- Bisc 513: Limnological Methods
- Bisc 514: Population Genetics
- Bisc 515: Conservation Biology: Viable Populations
- Bisc 524: Aquatic Botany
- Bisc 525: Conservation and Restoration Ecology
- Bisc 528: Conservation Physiology
- Bisc 530: Advanced Field Study in Ecology
- Bisc 534: Freshwater Insects
- Bisc 535: Plant-Insect Interactions
- Bisc 540: Chemical Ecology
- Bisc 550: Biological Oceanography
- Bisc 554: Ecological Physiology
- Bisc 560: Microbial Experimental Evolution
- Bisc 566: Evolutionary Biology
- Bisc 567: Evolutionary Biology Laboratory
- Bisc 568: Infectious Disease Ecology
1 course from the Molecular, Cellular, and Microbiology list
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 306: Virology
- Bisc 333: General Microbiology
- Bisc 370: Introductory Molecular Genetics
- Bisc 372: Introductory Cell Biology
- Bisc 414: Immunology and Serology
- Bisc 418: Introduction to Molecular Systematics
- Bisc 436: Human and Vertebrate Genetics
- Bisc 438: Microbial Physiology
- Bisc 439: Developmental Biology
- Bisc 440: Cell and Molecular Biology
- Bisc 503: Topics in Bioinformatics
- Bisc 507: Cell Biology of Cancer
- Bisc 509: Microbial Genetics
- Bisc 511: Applied Microbiology
- Bisc 520: Medical Microbiology
- Bisc 521: Cell Physiology
- Bisc 522: Microbial Ecology
- Bisc 523: Molecular Microbiol. of Soils & Sediment
- Bisc 541: Cell Biol. of Neurodegenerative Disease
- Bisc 542: Microbial Diversity
- Bisc 548: Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
- Bisc 555: Radiation Biology
- Bisc 560: Microbial Experimental Evolution
1 course from the Organismal Biology list
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 310: Human Anatomy
- Bisc 318: Botany
- Bisc 327: Introductory Neuroscience
- Bisc 329: Biology of Fishes
- Bisc 330: Introductory Physiology
- Bisc 331: Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates
- Bisc 332: Comparative Embryology of Vertebrates
- Bisc 334: Ornithology
- Bisc 335: Human Reproduction
- Bisc 337: Introductory Entomology
- Bisc 338: Invertebrate Zoology
- Bisc 339: Phycology
- Bisc 342: Plant Diversity
- Bisc 349: Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives
- Bisc 350: Mammalogy
- Bisc 352: Coastal Ecology
- Bisc 415: Vertebrate Histology
- Bisc 416: Elementary Parasitology
- Bisc 427: Methods in Comparative Neuroscience
- Bisc 502: Mycology
- Bisc 504: Biometry
- Bisc 512: Animal Behavior
- Bisc 516: Plant Physiology
- Bisc 518: Microtechnique
- Bisc 519: Physiology of Aquatic Animals
- Bisc 528: Conservation Physiology
- Bisc 529: Endocrinology
- Bisc 531: Plant Morphology
- Bisc 532: Plant Taxonomy
- Bisc 533: Advanced Neuroscience
- Bisc 538: Hormones and Behavior
- Bisc 543: Functional Neuroanatomy
- Bisc 546: Herpetology
- Bisc 547: Advanced Histology
- Bisc 551: Protozoology
- Bisc 553: Comparative Animal Physiology
Beyond the required core courses, the emphasis in Molecular, Cellular, and Microbiology requires a minimum of three courses from the following:
- Bisc 300: Research Methods in Biology
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 306: Virology
- Bisc 333: General Microbiology
- Bisc 370: Introductory Molecular Genetics
- Bisc 372: Introductory Cell Biology
- Bisc 414: Immunology and Serology
- Bisc 418: Introduction to Molecular Systematics
- Bisc 436: Human and Vertebrate Genetics
- Bisc 438: Microbial Physiology
- Bisc 439: Developmental Biology
- Bisc 440: Cell and Molecular Biology
- Bisc 503: Topics in Bioinformatics
- Bisc 507: Cell Biology of Cancer
- Bisc 509: Microbial Genetics
- Bisc 511: Applied Microbiology
- Bisc 520: Medical Microbiology
- Bisc 521: Cell Physiology
- Bisc 522: Microbial Ecology
- Bisc 523: Molecular Microbiol. of Soils & Sediment
- Bisc 541: Cell Biol. of Neurodegenerative Disease
- Bisc 542: Microbial Diversity
- Bisc 548: Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
- Bisc 555: Radiation Biology
- Bisc 560: Microbial Experimental Evolution
Beyond the required core courses, the emphasis in Organismal Biology requires a minimum of three courses from the following:
- Bisc 300: Research Methods in Biology
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 310: Human Anatomy
- Bisc 318: Botany
- Bisc 327: Introductory Neuroscience
- Bisc 329: Biology of Fishes
- Bisc 330: Introductory Physiology
- Bisc 331: Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates
- Bisc 332: Comparative Embryology of Vertebrates
- Bisc 334: Ornithology
- Bisc 335: Human Reproduction
- Bisc 337: Introductory Entomology
- Bisc 338: Invertebrate Zoology
- Bisc 339: Phycology
- Bisc 342: Plant Diversity
- Bisc 349: Biology of Sharks and their Relatives
- Bisc 350: Mammalogy
- Bisc 352: Coastal Ecology
- Bisc 415: Vertebrate Histology
- Bisc 416: Elementary Parasitology
- Bisc 427: Methods in Comparative Neuroscience
- Bisc 502: Mycology
- Bisc 504: Biometry
- Bisc 512: Animal Behavior
- Bisc 516: Plant Physiology
- Bisc 518: Microtechnique
- Bisc 519: Physiology of Aquatic Animals
- Bisc 528: Conservation Physiology
- Bisc 529: Endocrinology
- Bisc 531: Plant Morphology
- Bisc 532: Plant Taxonomy
- Bisc 533: Advanced Neuroscience
- Bisc 538: Hormones and Behavior
- Bisc 543: Functional Neuroanatomy
- Bisc 546: Herpetology
- Bisc 547: Advanced Histology
- Bisc 551: Protozoology
- Bisc 553: Comparative Animal Physiology
Beyond the required core courses, the emphasis in Pre-Health Biological Sciences requires a minimum of three courses from the following:
- Bisc 300: Research Methods in Biology
- Bisc 305: Science in Practice
- Bisc 306: Virology
- Bisc 310: Human Anatomy
- Bisc 327: Introductory Neuroscience
- Bisc 330: Introductory Physiology
- Bisc 331: Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates
- Bisc 332: Comparative Embryology of Vertebrates
- Bisc 333: General Microbiology
- Bisc 335: Human Reproduction
- Bisc 372: Introductory Cell Biology
- Bisc 414: Immunology and Serology
- Bisc 415: Vertebrate Histology
- Bisc 417: Evolution and Medicine
- Bisc 436: Human and Vertebrate Genetics
- Bisc 439: Developmental Biology
- Bisc 440: Cell and Molecular Biology
- Bisc 507: Cell Biology of Cancer
- Bisc 520: Medical Microbiology
- Bisc 521: Cell Physiology
- Bisc 529: Endocrinology
- Bisc 533: Advanced Neuroscience
- Bisc 541: Cell Biol. of Neurodegenerative Disease
- Bisc 543: Functional Neuroanatomy