Biology (Biology of Global Health), B.S.
Human health is intricately linked to economic development, ecological sustainability, and social inequalities. For these reasons, the Biology of Global Health program is designed for students interested in engaging human and environmental health issues on a global scale from developing to industrialized nations. It is appropriate for students who are considering diverse careers in biology from medicine to environmental conservation and who are interested in finding solutions to the biological and ecological challenges influencing human health. Graduates of the program will be equipped with fundamental scientific skills and knowledge, drawn from the breadth of biological disciplines, that will allow them to become leaders in healthcare fields at local, national, and international levels.
Admission to the Program
Students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Biology of Global Health must apply for admission to this program in writing to the Director of the Biology of Global Health program. To be eligible to apply, a student must have satisfied each of the requirements to advance in the major and select a concentration. Further, the student must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours in residence at Baylor to declare the concentration in Biology of Global Health. The application process is initiated annually at the completion of the spring semester; students are notified of their admission prior to the beginning of the subsequent fall semester. Admission is competitive and achievement of minimum standards does not guarantee acceptance to the major.
Admission to the Biology of Global Health program requires, at a minimum:
- An overall GPA of 3.5 on a four-point scale.
- A written application demonstrating a commitment to understanding the biology of global health.
- Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional mentors.
The Chair of the Department of Biology will appoint an admission committee to assist the program director in reviewing the applications. This committee, based on the material supplied to them, their professional judgment, and the number of positions available for entering students shall determine the suitability of the program for the applicant and notify him/her of one of the outcomes stated below.
- Admitted.
- Not Admitted.
The decision of the committee will be made on the basis of a simple majority after a review of the student’s application.
Maintaining Status as a Biology of Global Health Student
Biology of Global Health students must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA through their junior-level courses (including BIO 2306 Genetics - BIO 2106 Genetics Laboratory) and earn no grade lower than a C in any Biology course. Any student whose performance falls below the 3.0 minimum for two consecutive semesters or who earns less than a C grade in a biology course will be dismissed from the program.
Requirements for a Major in Biology (Biology of Global Health)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thirty-four semester hours including the following: 1 | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| BIO 1305 & BIO 1105 | Modern Concepts of Bioscience and Modern Concepts of Bioscience Laboratory | 4 |
| or BIO 1405 | Investigations of Modern Biology Concepts I | |
| BIO 1306 & BIO 1106 | Modern Concepts of Bioscience, continued and Modern Concepts of Bioscience Laboratory | 4 |
| or BIO 1406 | Investigations of Modern Biology Concepts II | |
| BIO 2201 | Biology of Global Health | 2 |
| BIO 2306 & BIO 2106 | Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 3303 & BIO 3103 | Ecology and Ecology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 4001 | Achievement Test | 0 |
| BIO 4302 & BIO 4102 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Lab | 4 |
| Select three hours from each distribution list: | 9 | |
| Cell & Molecular Biology Distribution List | ||
| Molecular Cell Biology | ||
| Genomics and Bioinformatics | ||
| Molecular Genetics and Genomics and Molecular Genetics and Genomics Laboratory | ||
| Genes and Development and Genes and Development Laboratory | ||
| Ecology & Evolution Distribution List | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Health | ||
| Climate Change Biology | ||
| Foundations of Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Topics in Evolution | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Limnology | ||
| Aquatic Biology | ||
| Host & Disease Distribution List | ||
| Human Physiology and Human Physiology Lab | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Medical Entomology | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Pathogenic Microbiology | ||
| Neglected Tropical Diseases | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Physiology | ||
| Three semester hours of 3000-4000 level BIO courses | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 34 | |
| Required Courses in Other Fields 2 | ||
| CHE 1301 & CHE 1101 | Basic Principles of Modern Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | 4 |
| CHE 1302 & CHE 1102 | Basic Principles of Modern Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 |
| CHE 3331 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHE 3332 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHE 3238 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| MTH 1321 | Calculus I | 3 |
| STA 2381 | Introductory Statistical Methods | 3 |
| Select one of the following sequences: | 8 | |
| General Physics for Natural and Behavioral Sciences I and General Physics for Natural and Behavioral Sciences II | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics II | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics for Natural and Behavioral Sciences II | ||
| Select at least one of the following: | 3 | |
| Epidemiology | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Evolutionary Medicine | ||
| One Health: Connecting Global Health and Conservation Medicine | ||
| Epidemiology/Vital Statistics | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Total Hours | 67 | |
- 1
-
A grade of “C” or better in BIO courses used in the major and a GPA of 2.0 or higher on all BIO courses.
- 2
-
A grade of “C” or better in all courses required in other fields.