With a strong foundation in biology, you can discover breakthrough treatments for rare diseases in developing countries, help children as a pediatrician in your hometown or research endangered birds in the Amazon.
Program Overview
Study biological organization from molecules to ecosystems.
Understanding life forms—from molecules and cells, to organisms and ecosystems—has never been more critical or more sought after and biology is at the center of it all. In the Biology program at Western Colorado University, you can work closely with your advisers to choose a variety of courses to create a self-designed major in areas such as botany, zoology, molecular ecology and integrative biology. This allows you to integrate the study of structure and function at all levels of biological organization from molecules to ecosystems.
To get hands-on experience, you can collaborate with researchers at the world-renowned Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory and conduct original research at the Thornton Biology Research Program. Our state-of-the-art lab facilities, immersive learning opportunities and customized curricula enables you to get a head start on your career in public health, veterinary medicine, wildlife preservation and pharmaceuticals.
Hands-on learning
Students gather samples from the river while participating in an outdoor lab in Professor Kevin Alexander’s environmental biology class.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
The General Biology Emphasis requires a minimum of 51 credits including the 26-credit Biology Nucleus, 14 additional credits in Biology, and 11 credits of supporting courses:
All Biology majors require the 26-credit Biology Nucleus.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biology Nucleus | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 310 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Biology courses | ||
| One of the following: | 2 | |
BIOL 302 | Ecology Laboratory and Recitation | |
BIOL 313 | Cell and Genetics Laboratory | |
| Ten credits of the following: | 10 | |
300- and 400-level Biology courses | ||
CHEM 471 | Biochemistry I | |
SCI 499 | Internship in Science | |
| At lease two credits of Capstone Experience Courses: | 2-5 | |
BIOL 495 | Senior Seminar | |
BIOL 496 | Senior Thesis | |
| Total Credits | 14-17 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 credits of supporting courses | ||
| CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 234 | Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| One of the following: | 3-4 | |
MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | |
MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | |
| Total Credits | 11-12 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following courses in the Biology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BIOL 495SENIOR SEMINAR, BIOL 496 Senior Thesis , or EDUC 409 SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) and General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) |
4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 113 & CHEM 114 |
General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II |
4 |
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| MATH 141 | Precalculus (GT-MA1) | 4 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 310 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| CHEM 231 or CHEM 331 |
Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry I |
3 |
| CHEM 234 or CHEM 334 |
Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory or Organic Chemistry Laboratory I |
1 |
| MATH 151 or MATH 213 |
Calculus I (GT-MA1) or Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) |
4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 302 or BIOL 313 |
Ecology Laboratory and Recitation or Cell and Genetics Laboratory |
2 |
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| Arts & Humanities GE | 3 | |
| Social Science GE | 3 | |
| Social Science GE | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Arts & Humanities GE | 6 | |
| Social Science GE | 3 | |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Biology Elective | 4 | |
| Biology Elective | 4 | |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 9 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 495 or BIOL 496 |
Senior Seminar or Senior Thesis |
1 |
| Biology Elective | 3 | |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 9 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| Biology Elective | 3 | |
| Gen Ed | General Education | 12 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
| Fall (even years) | Spring (odd years) |
| BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 302 Ecology Lab and Recitation BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 342 Microbiology (with Lab) BIOL 353 Rocky Mountain Flora BIOL 372 Human Anatomy & Physiology I - (with Lab) BIOL 430 Wildlife Ecology & Management (with Lab) BIOL 431 Wildlife Techniques Workshop BIOL 476 Aquatic Ecology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar | BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 300 Basic Nutrition BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 313 Cell and Genetics Lab BIOL 320 Ornithology (with Recitation and Lab) BIOL 352 Botany (with Lab) BIOL 373 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with Lab) BIOL 420 Molecular Biology (with Lab) BIOL 440 Conservation Biology BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
| Fall (odd years) | Spring (even years) |
| BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 302 Ecology Lab and Recitation BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 327 Field Entomology BIOL 342 Microbiology (with Lab) BIOL 362 Evolutionary Biology Theory & Application BIOL 372 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (with Lab) BIOL 444 Colorado Ecoregions BIOL 481 Forest Ecology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar | BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 300 Basic Nutrition BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 313 Cell and Genetics Lab BIOL 322 Mammalogy (with Lab) BIOL 352 Botany (with Lab) BIOL 373 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with Lab) BIOL 420 Molecular Biology (with Lab) BIOL 474 Comparative Animal Physiology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
| Some Biology courses are offered sporadically or only in the Summer. Course examples include: BIOL 120 - Studies in Biology BIOL 353 - Rocky Mountain Flora BIOL 355 - Spring Biology of the Rocky Mountains BIOL 435 - Animal Behavior BIOL 454 - Developmental Biology (with Lab) BIOL 477 - Plant Ecology with Lab | |
Spotlight
Ryan Barnhouse
Student
“Being an orientation leader and having that leadership position helped me branch out to try these other things. It gave me the confidence to express myself as a leader and learn what kind of leader I am. And then be able to use that leadership in other aspects.”
Alexia Abric
Student
"As an Honors Program student, Mountain Sports athlete and an active member of the Academic Leadership Program, Alexia is versatile in terms of academics as well as athletics."
Patrick Tan
Student
“Western has started this transition to a school where we use our past and our privilege and connect it to what we are learning now to allow ourselves to better understand our world and ourselves.”
Jonathan Coop, Ph.D.
Faculty
“We can produce high-quality research and publish papers in scientific journals with our students. We’re out on the cutting edge of our field learning the things we don’t know yet."
Jake Jones
Alumni
“My own mission around the work I do is – ‘What’s the point of doing what I’m doing today?’”
Careers
Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsWestern’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsAlumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
Get Involved
Make your education a life changing experience.
A college education is so much more than just taking classes. At Western, you can expand your community, gain job experience as an intern, and conduct field research in the Rocky Mountains.
- Pre-Health Club: Brings together students with a common interest in health fields to network and to provide career preparation, advice and peer support.
- Research Assistantships: Many professors conduct externally-funded research and are always looking for student help.
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory: Western biologists and students collaborate with the world-renowned research station seven miles north of Crested Butte.
- Thornton Biology Research Program: Students can receive funding and work with faculty on original research.
- Tri Beta and The Wildlife Society: Student-run club that helps provide internships such as lynx tracking and watching wildlife.
Focused on Results
Wildlife Biology undergrad students and Ecology graduate students look out at big horn sheep during a wildlife techniques class studying the management of big horn sheep populations.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Natural & Environmental Sciences (NES) Department
Department Chairperson
Anne W. Ryter, Ph.D.Professor of Chemistry; Chair of Natural & Environmental Sciences Dept.
Administrative Assistant
Lori ClementNES Administrative Assistant
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Hurst Hall 128
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231
