Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their physical and biological environment. Evolution considers how populations change over time to generate the rich diversity of life on earth and is the unifying theory of biology. The ecology and evolutionary specialization is designed for students broadly interested in basic and applied biology, natural resource management, agriculture, ecological restoration, conservation biology, disease dynamics, animal behavior, and biological research. Students following this specialization will gain experience in natural history, field research, and experimental design. Potential careers may be found in federal, state, and tribal agencies, or private environmental consulting firms, research laboratories, and natural history museums. Students interested in graduate study should work closely with their advisor to tailor this specialization to their particular field of interest.
Students consult with the appropriate biology advisor for approval of their BS program and electives, which must be submitted for approval to the Biological Sciences Department at least one academic year preceding graduation. All students in the BS Biology major must complete all BS core requirements, plus additional specific requirements. Additionally, students will need to choose a specified number of courses from different groupings of upper division courses. A maximum of 15 credits in BIOL 295, BIOL 490, BIOL 495, and BIOL 496 may be included in the major. CHEM 181 has a prerequisite of high school chemistry and qualification for MATH 153. BIOL 181 has a pre or co-requisite of CHEM 181.