Degree Requirements

Majors and Concentrations

Bachelor’s degree requirements in biology are modified as necessary. Current requirements are available in the UBP office and online. Major programs are offered in biochemistry, biology, human biology, and microbiology. Students may choose to concentrate in a range of specialties in the biological sciences, such as botany, cellular biology, developmental biology, environmental biology, ecology, entomology, genetics, marine biology, molecular biology, neurobiology, paleontology, physiology, systematics, or zoology (invertebrate or vertebrate).

Requirements for the B.S. Degree in Microbiology

General College Requirements

General Education offers opportunities for the development of core skills and critical inquiry, an understanding of the human condition, the natural world, and society, and the exploration of one's own and diverse cultures, all leading to greater civic engagement.

Written Communication - Core Skills and Critical Inquiry. 

• Composition. Satisfied by ENGL 101, ACT English score of 27 or above or SAT English score of 600 or above, AP English Literature and Composition score of 3 or above, or equivalent transfer course. Requirement must be completed within the first academic year at KU..
• Critical Reading and Writing. Satisfied by ENGL 102, or ENGL 105 (Honors), AP English Literature & Composition score of 4 or above, or an equivalent transfer course. Requirement must be completed within the first academic year at KU.
• Sophomore Reading and Writing. Satisfied by ENGL 203, or ENGL 205 (Honors), ENGL 209, ENGL 210, ENGL 211, AP English Literature & Composition score of 5 or above, or an equivalent transfer course.

Argument & Reason - Core Skills and Critical Inquiry. Satisfied by completing COMS 130, COMS 131 (Honors), COMS 230, PHIL 148, PHIL 149, PHIL 310, or one year of high school Speech or Debate with B level performance or above. Entering freshmen should consider 100 level options.

Western Civilization - Exploration of One's Own and Diverse Cultures. Satisfied by HWC 204, or HWC 114 (Honors), and HWC 205, or HWC 115 (Honors). Advising Alert: Requires sophomore-level standing. Courses at other universities may have the same title but may not meet this requirement.

Principal Course and/or Second Language Requirements. Satisfied by 5 courses with a minimum of 1 course in social sciences (i.e., SC/SF/SI) and a minimum of 1 course in the humanities (i.e., HL/HR/HT). (No more than 1 course may be taken in each topical subgroup from the principal course list.) Three additional courses selected from the social sciences (i.e., SC/SF/SI) or humanities (i.e., HL/HR/HT) principal course list and/or second language courses.

Microbiology Course Requirements

General Science Requirements. Majors must complete 49-51 hours of the following general science requirements that serve as foundational courses for this major.

• Molecular & Cellular Biology. Satisfied by BIOL 150 or BIOL 151.
• Principles of Genetics. Satisfied by BIOL 350 or BIOL 360.
• Chemistry I. Satisfied by CHEM 130 (formerly CHEM 184) or CHEM 190 (formerly CHEM 185).
• Chemistry II. Satisfied by CHEM 135 (formerly CHEM 188) or CHEM 195 (formerly CHEM 189).
• Organic Chemistry I. Satisfied by CHEM 330 (formerly CHEM 624) or CHEM 380 (formerly CHEM 628).
• Organic Chemistry I Laboratory. Satisfied by CHEM 331 (formerly CHEM 625).
• Organic Chemistry II. Satisfied by by CHEM 335 (formerly CHEM 626) or CHEM 385 (formerly CHEM 630).
• Organic Chemistry II Laboratory. Satisfied by CHEM 336 (formerly CHEM 627).
• Physics. Satisfied by PHSX 114 & PHSX 115 or by PHSX 211 & PHSX 216 and PHSX 212 & PHSX 236.
• Calculus. Satisfied by MATH 115 & MATH 116 or MATH 121.
• Statistics. Satisfied by BIOL 570 or MATH 365 or PSYC 210.
• Biochemistry I. Satisfied by BIOL 636.
• Biochemistry II. Satisfied by BIOL 638.

Microbiology Course Requirements. Satisfied by completing 29 hours from the following courses:

• Fundamentals of Microbiology. Satisfied by BIOL 400 or BIOL 401.
• Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory. Satisfied by BIOL 402.
• Cell Structure & Function. Satisfied by BIOL 416 or BIOL 536.
• Immunology. Satisfied by BIOL 503.
• Immunology Laboratory. Satisfied by BIOL 504.
• Pathogenic Microbiology. Satisfied by BIOL 506.
• Pathogenic Microbiology Laboratory. Satisfied by BIOL 507.
• General Virology. Satisfied by BIOL 512.
• Virology Laboratory. Satisfied by BIOL 513.
• Microbial Genetics. Satisfied by BIOL 518.
• Microbial Genetics Laboratory. Satisfied by BIOL 519.
• Senior Seminar - Current Progress in Microbiology. Satisfied by BIOL 599. Must be taken in senior year.

Microbiology Required Electives. Satisfied by completing 6 hours of BIOL courses numbered 400 or higher, which must be selected in consultation with a microbiology advisor.

Major Hours & Major GPA

While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:

Major Hours
Satisfied by 35 hours of major courses.

Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major. 

Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 35 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.

Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.