PLANT BIOLOGY—B.S.
The Department of Plant Biology provides four curricular options to meet the needs of students whose interests are in rapidly expanding areas within the life sciences. Students may choose the general program option which allows the opportunity to develop strength in one area or discipline. Others may choose to design a broader, but interdisciplinary program in one of the following three optional concentrations: environmental science and ecology, molecular biosciences/biotechnology, and urban horticulture.
Each concentration promotes interaction between diverse groups and captures the growing interdisciplinary nature of scientific investigations. When one of these options is chosen, the title will appear on transcripts and other university documents.
The four curricular options prepare students for careers in technical, industrial, and educational fields as well as professional degree programs in medicine or research and postgraduate education in the life sciences.
General Program
The B.S. degree in Plant Biology consists of 54 semester hours. The required major courses are as follows:
| BIO 181 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| BIO 182 | General Biology S2 (4) |
| BIO 320 | Fundamentals of Ecology (3) |
| or PLB 350 Applied Genetics (4) | |
| BIO 353 | Cell Biology (3) |
| PLB 306 | Plant Anatomy (4) |
| PLB 308 | Plant Physiology (4) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3) |
| or PLB 499 Independent Study (3) | |
| Total: 25 |
Additional biological or physical science elective courses, totaling 11 to 16 semester hours, are also required.
Required supplemental courses in chemistry are as follows:
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry S1/S2 (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis S1/S2 (5) |
| Choose between the two combinations of organic chemistry courses below (4 or 8) | |
| CHM 231 Elementary Organic Chemistry S1/S2 (3)* | |
| CHM 235 Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory S1/S2 (1)* | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| CHM 331, 332 General Organic Chemistry (6) | |
| CHM 335, 336 General Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2) | |
| Total: 13 or 17 | |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure S1 or S2 credit. |
Courses meeting the university numeracy requirement are as follows:
| MAT 210 | Brief Calculus N1 (3) |
| Choose one of the three courses below: | |
| BIO 415 Biometry N2 (4) | |
| PLB 430 Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science (3) | |
| PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology N3 (3) | |
Special Concentration Programs
Three special concentration programs are optional. Students who wish to pursue the general program in Plant Biology are not obligated to choose one of these specific programs. Each special concentration program is expected to be interdisciplinary and contain course work outside both the department and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Each concentration includes hands-on technical training.
Environmental Science and Ecology. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology concentrating in environmental science and ecology consists of 60 semester hours. The required major courses are as follows:
| BIO 320 | Fundamentals of Ecology (3) |
| Choose between the two combinations of geology courses below (4) | |
| GLG 101 Introduction to Geology I S1/S2 (3)1 | |
| GLG 103 Introduction to Geology Laboratory S1/S2 (1)1 | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| GLG 110 Environmental Geology S2 (3)2 | |
| GLG 111 Environmental Geology Laboratory S2 (1)2 | |
| GLG 362 | Geomorphology (3) |
| or GLG 470 Hydrogeology (3) | |
| PLB 310 | The Flora of Arizona (4) |
| PLB 322 | Environmental Science (Major) (3) |
| PLB 420 | Plant Ecology: Organisms and Populations (3) |
| or PLB 421 Plant Ecology: Communities and Ecosystems (3) | |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3) |
| or PLB 499 Independent Study (3) | |
| Total: 23 | |
| 1 | Both GLG 101 and 103 must be taken to secure S1 or S2 credit. |
| 2 | Both GLG 110 and 111 must be taken to secure S2 credit. |
Additional biological or physical science elective courses, totaling 16 hours, are also required.
Required supplemental courses in biology and chemistry are as follows:
| BIO 181 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| BIO 182 | General Biology S2 (4) |
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry S1/S2 (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis S1/S2 (5) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry S1/S2* (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory S1/S2* (1) |
| Total: 21 |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure S1 or S2 credit. |
Courses meeting the university numeracy requirement are as follows:
| MAT 210 | Brief Calculus N1 (3) |
| Choose one of the two courses below (3) | |
| PLB 430 Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science (3) | |
| PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology N3 (3) | |
Molecular Biosciences/Biotechnology. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology concentrating in molecular biosciences/biotechnology consists of 60 semester hours. The required major courses are as follows:
| BIO 353 | Cell Biology (3) |
| PLB 340 | Plant Cell Physiology (4) |
| PLB 350 | Applied Genetics (4) |
| PLB 444 | Plant Growth and Development (3) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3) |
| or PLB 499 Independent Study (3) | |
| Total: 17 |
Additional biological or physical science elective courses, totaling 11–14 hours, are also required.
Required supplemental courses in biology, chemistry, and physics are as follows:
| BIO 181 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| BIO 182 | General Biology S2 (4) |
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry S1/S2 (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis S1/S2 (5) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry S1/S21 (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory S1/S21 (1) |
| Choose between any two combinations of courses below (4 or 8) | |
| CHM 361 Principles of Biochemistry (3) | |
| CHM 367 Elementary Biochemistry Laboratory (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| CHM 461 General Biochemistry (3) | |
| CHM 462 General Biochemistry (3) | |
| CHM 467 General Biochemistry Laboratory L2 (2)2 | |
| PHY 121 | University Physics I: Mechanics (3) |
| PHY 122 | University Physics Laboratory I (1) |
| Total: 29 or 33 | |
| 1 | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure S1 or S2 credit. |
| 2 | Both CHM 464 and 467 must be taken to secure L2 credit. |
Courses meeting the university numeracy requirement are as follows:
| MAT 210 | Brief Calculus for Life Sciences N1 (3) |
| Choose one of the two courses below (3–4) | |
| BIO 406 Computer Applications in Biology N3 (3) | |
| BIO 415 Biometry N2 (4) | |
Urban Horticulture. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology concentrating in urban horticulture consists of 54 semester hours. The required major courses are as follows:
| PLB 260 | Plants in Cities: Introduction to Urban Horticulture S2 (4) |
| PLB 362 | Landscape Plants I (3) |
| PLB 364 | Urban Forestry (3) |
| PLB 370 | Landscape Practices (3) |
| PLB 414 | Plant Pathology L2 (3) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3) |
| PLB 498 | Special Topics in Urban Horticulture (1) |
| Choose one of the three courses below (3–4) | |
| BIO 320 Fundamentals of Ecology (3) | |
| PLB 306 Plant Anatomy (4) | |
| PLB 308 Plant Physiology (4) | |
| Choose one of the three courses below (3) | |
| PLB 366 Interiorscape (3) | |
| PLB 372 Turf Management (3) | |
| PLB 472 Greenhouse/Nursery Management (3) | |
| Total: 26–27 | |
Additional elective courses from other disciplines, totaling seven to eight hours, are also required.
Required supplemental courses in biology, chemistry, and soils are as follows:
| BIO 181 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| BIO 182 | General Biology S2 (4) |
| CHM 101 | Introductory Chemistry (4) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry S1/S2* (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory S1/S2* (1) |
| Choose between the two combinations of courses below (4) | |
| ERS 130 Soils and Environmental Quality (4) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| ERS 225 Soils (3) | |
| ERS 226 Soils Laboratory (1) | |
| Total: 20 | |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure S1 or S2 credit. |
Courses meeting the university numeracy requirement are as follows:
| MAT 210 | Brief Calculus N1 (3) |
| Choose one of the three courses below (3–4) | |
| BIO 415 Biometry N2 (4) | |
| PLB 430 Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science (3) | |
| PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology N3 (3) | |
PLANT BIOLOGY MINOR
The minor consists of a minimum of 24 semester hours. Required courses are as follows:
| BIO 181 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| BIO 182 | General Biology S1/S2 (4) |
| Choose one of the three courses below (4) | |
| PLB 306 Plant Anatomy (4) | |
| PLB 308 Plant Physiology (4) | |
| PLB 310 Flora of Arizona (4) | |
The remaining 12 hours are selected by the student through consultation with an academic advisor. Eight of these 12 hours must be in upper-division courses in the life sciences or other advisor-approved areas.
The minor can be designed after one of the four curricular options offered by the department. Courses not available for credit for majors in the life sciences cannot be used for the minor. Courses in the minor may not be used to count toward a major in the life sciences.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
The faculty in the Department of Plant Biology offer programs leading to the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. The faculty also participate in programs leading to the Master of Natural Science degree when one of the concentrations is plant biology. Select faculty collaborate with the faculty in the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Microbiology in offering programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Other select faculty collaborate in the interdisciplinary concentration in ecology.
Omnibus Courses: See omnibus courses that may be offered.
1998–99 General Catalog Table of Contents
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