Catalogue 2007-08

• USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
• Biological Sciences
  • Undergraduate Degrees
  • Graduate Degrees
  • Courses of Instruction

Undergraduate Degrees

Advisement

Advisement in the Department of Biological Sciences is required each semester. First semester freshman and transfer advisement takes place during orientation. Advisement in all remaining semesters takes place during the pre-registration period. The undergraduate coordinator forwards advisement appointment information each semester to all students in biological sciences and biochemistry.

Pre-Medical and Other Pre-Professional Preparation

The department offers specially planned courses within the biological sciences to prepare students for admission to professional schools (medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, pharmacy, optometry, public health), paramedical sciences (medical technology, physician's assistant, clinical and public health microbiology, clinical biochemistry), naturalist and environmental positions in the public and private sectors, jobs in industry (biotechnology), and graduate study (basic biological and biomedical fields). With the proper selection of courses under the guidance of the Department of Biological Sciences and the USC Rossier School of Education, the B.S. degree satisfies the California requirements for secondary school teaching in the life sciences.

Undergraduate Programs in Biological Sciences

The programs outlined below are available only to students who entered USC in fall 2002 or later.

Those students majoring in biological sciences or majoring/minoring in other programs requiring the biological sciences core who entered USC prior to fall 2002 will complete the degree requirements in the catalogue year of their admission. Students in biological sciences admitted prior to fall 2002 who wish to pursue the new program requirements instead of the requirements in the catalogue year of their admission must meet with a biological sciences department academic advisor to receive preapproval to update their catalogue year. If necessary, a student may petition for new core courses to satisfy former core course requirements. Such petitions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences

The general education, writing, language and diversity requirements for a College of Letters, Arts and Sciences degree are applicable.

Major core courses, Lower division		Units
BISC 120L	General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution, or
BISC 121L	Advanced General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution	4
BISC 220L	General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology, or
BISC 221L	Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology	4

Major core courses, Upper division		Units
BISC 320L	Molecular Biology	4
BISC 325	Genetics	4
BISC 330L	Biochemistry	4

Collateral sciences core courses, Lower division		Units
CHEM 105aLbL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aLbL	Advanced General Chemistry	4-4
MATH 125	Calculus I	4
MATH 208x	Elementary Probability and Statistics	4
PHYS 135abL	Physics for the Life Sciences (4-4), or
PHYS 151L	Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics, and	4
PHYS 152L	Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism	4

Collateral sciences core courses, Upper division		Units
CHEM 322abL	Organic Chemistry, or
CHEM 325abL	Organic Chemistry	4-4

Upper Division Major Requirements

Twenty units of upper-division BISC course work available for major credit are required. At least two courses in the upper-division electives must carry a lab ("L") or be 490. No more than 4 units of BISC 490x may be used to fulfill the upper-division elective requirement. In addition, no more than two seminars (BISC 460 to BISC 462), totaling 4 units, may be applied to the upper-division elective requirement.

Total required units: 128
Free elective units: 12-16

Scholarship in Major Subject

The department requires that students receive a grade no lower than C- in their five core courses. They must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the upper-division biology and chemistry courses required for the major, as well as an overall 2.0 GPA. All major core courses must be taken on a letter grade basis.

Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences

The general education, writing, language and diversity requirements for a College of Letters, Arts and Sciences degree are applicable.

Major core courses, Lower division		Units
BISC 120L	General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution, or
BISC 121L	Advanced General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution	4
BISC 220L	General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology, or
BISC 221L	Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology	4

Major core courses, Upper division		Units
BISC 320L	Molecular Biology	4
BISC 325	Genetics	4
BISC 330L	Biochemistry	4

Collateral sciences core courses, Lower division		Units
CHEM 105aLbL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aLbL	Advanced General Chemistry	4-4
MATH 125	Calculus I	4
PHYS 135abL	Physics for the Life Sciences (4-4), or
PHYS 151L	Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics, and	4
PHYS 152L	Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism	4

Collateral sciences core courses, Upper division		Units
CHEM 322abL	Organic Chemistry, or
CHEM 325abL	Organic Chemistry	4-4

Upper Division Major Courses

Eight units of upper-division BISC course work available for major credit are required. No more than 4 units of BISC 490x may be used to fulfill the upper-division elective requirement. In addition, no more than two seminars (BISC 460 to BISC 462), totaling 4 units, may be applied to the upper-division elective requirement.

It is expected that students will take 100-level BISC core courses during the first year, two 300-level BISC core courses during the second year, and the remaining core courses and the 300- or 400-level BISC major elective courses during the third and fourth years.

Total required units: 128
Free elective units: 24

Scholarship in Major Subject

The department requires that students receive a grade no lower than C- in their five core courses. They must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the upper-division biology and chemistry courses required for the major, as well as an overall 2.0 GPA. All major core courses must be taken on a letter grade basis.

Honors Program in Biological Sciences

The department offers an honors program to outstanding students already pursuing studies for the B.A. or B.S. degree in Biological Sciences. This program offers students an opportunity to participate in undergraduate research, experience in writing an honors thesis summarizing the completed research, and experience in an honors seminar. Honors students are required to take two semesters of BISC 493x Honors Seminar (1 unit/semester) and one semester of BISC 494x Honors Thesis (2 units) in addition to fulfilling all requirements of the B.A. or B.S. degree. Honors students must also choose BISC 490x as one of their upper division electives. This program leads to the designation on the transcript of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with Honors.

Honors Admission Requirements

Students may apply to the department for admission to the honors program after having completed at least one year of work at USC with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all science and math courses required for the major.

Upper Division Major Elective Courses

BISC 490x and a minimum of three, four-unit upper-division BISC elective courses are required; two courses may be 300-level core courses not taken in satisfaction of the core requirement.

Honors Scholarship Requirements

For continuation in the honors programs, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the sciences and mathematics courses required for the major.

Honors Program in Biochemistry

A B.S. degree with honors in biochemistry is available for eligible students. In meeting program requirements students must submit an application and satisfy the objectives of one of the program options noted below.

Option One: Biochemistry Honors with Chemistry Research

Students seeking admission into option one must have at least junior standing (64 units) with an overall USC GPA of 3.5 or better in at least 32 units at USC, and have a 3.5 or better in at least 16 units in biological sciences and chemistry. Students in this option must complete 8 units of research (CHEM 490) under the supervision of chemistry faculty with the results of research being described in an undergraduate thesis reviewed and approved by a faculty committee. To graduate with honors under this option students must earn a GPA of 3.5 in all biological sciences and chemistry courses required for the major.

Option Two: Biochemistry Honors with Biology Research

Students seeking admission into option two must have at least sophomore standing (32 units) with an overall USC GPA of 3.5 or better both cumulatively and in 16 units in biological sciences and chemistry. Students in this option must complete 4 units of research (BISC 490) under faculty in biological sciences or under faculty in any other department approved by biological sciences. In addition, students must complete two semesters of Honors Seminar (BISC 493), 1 unit each, and one semester of Honors Thesis (BISC 494), 2 units. To graduate with honors under this option students must earn a GPA of 3.5 in all sciences and mathematics courses required for the major.

Upon graduation, transcripts of students following either option will be noted, "Bachelor of Science with Departmental Honors."

Minor in Biotechnology

The College of Letters, Arts and Sciences departments of biological sciences and chemistry and the Marshall School of Business jointly offer the cross-departmental minor in biotechnology. This minor brings essential knowledge in the basic sciences together with the corporate skills needed in a rapidly growing industry. The minor is especially well suited for the business, biological sciences, chemistry or engineering student seeking a career in business and/or the biomedical/biotechnical sciences.

This minor requires a varying number of units beyond major requirements, depending upon the student's major program of study: biological sciences (B.A. or B.S.), 18 additional units; business (B.S.), 28 additional units; chemistry (B.S.), 26 additional units; chemistry (B.A.), 30 additional units.

Students in other majors may be required to complete up to 46 units for the minor, depending on whether their major includes any of the minor requirements or their prerequisites.

Please see a biological sciences or business advisor for specific program requirements.

Required Courses		Units
Biological Sciences
BISC 220L	General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology, or
BISC 221L	Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology	4
BISC 320L	Molecular Biology	4
BISC 330L	Biochemistry	4
BISC 406L	Biotechnology	4
Recommended: BISC 300L, BISC 403, BISC 450L
Chemistry
CHEM 105aLbL	General Chemistry	4-4
CHEM 322aL	Organic Chemistry	4
Recommended: CHEM 322bL, CHE 489
Business
ACCT 410x	Accounting for Non-Business Majors, or	4
BUAD 250ab*	Core Concepts of Accounting Information	(4-4)
BUAD 215x	Foundations of Business Finance, or
BUAD 306*	Business Finance	4
BUAD 403	Legal Environment of Business	4

Choose one from:
BUAD 304	Organizational Behavior	4
BUAD 307	Marketing Fundamentals	4
Recommended: MATH 118x or MATH 125 and MATH 208x or MATH 218

Minor in Craniofacial and Dental Technology

The School of Dentistry, the Viterbi School of Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Department of Biological Sciences jointly offer the minor in craniofacial and dental technology. See the School of Dentistry for a complete listing of requirements.

Minor in Natural Science

The minor in natural science will first provide students with a foundation in the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and biology. Each student will then build on this by selecting a variety of electives to meet individual scientific interests and academic goals. Eighteen units toward the natural science minor must be completed at USC. This minor is not available to majors in the natural sciences or engineering.

Required Courses (22 Units)		Units
Any five courses from among:
BISC 120L	General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution, or
BISC 121L	Advanced General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution	4
BISC 220L	General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology, or
BISC 221L	Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology	4
CHEM 105aL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aL	Advanced General Chemistry	4
CHEM 105bL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115bL	Advanced General Chemistry	4
PHYS 135aL	Physics for the Life Sciences	4
PHYS 135bL	Physics for the Life Sciences	4
And a capstone course:
BISC 321x	Science, Technology and Society	2

Elective Course Requirement (8 units)

Any two courses chosen from among those offered for major credit by the departments of chemistry, physics, biological sciences, earth sciences and kinesiology.

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