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The Biology Major’s Handbook

Prepared by the Faculty of Towson University’s

Department of Biological Sciences

address above.

CONTENT

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ........................................................................................ 1

Administration, Staff, and Faculty ................................................................................................................... 5

Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and Bioinformatics (MBBB) ..................................................................... 6

Environmental Science ..................................................................................................................................... 6

Animal Behavior .............................................................................................................................................. 6

Your Towson University Undergraduate Catalog as a “Contract” Between You and TU ................................ 7

Changing Your Catalog of Record.................................................................................................................... 7

Course Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree ................................................................................................ 7

Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Other Prior Study/Experience ................... 8

Transferring in Courses from Other Schools and the Minimum Amount of Coursework One Must Complete

.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Cheating, Plagiarism, and Academic Integrity ................................................................................................. 9

Grade Requirements ....................................................................................................................................... 10

The Pass-D-F Grading Option (formerly known as the “Pass/Fail” option) .................................................. 10

Auditing a Course ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Withdrawing from a Course ........................................................................................................................... 10

Withdrawing and full-time status ................................................................................................................... 10

Withdrawing and financial aid ....................................................................................................................... 11

Withdrawing and on-campus housing ............................................................................................................ 11

Medical and Emergency Withdrawals ............................................................................................................ 11

Repeating a Course at TU or Elsewhere – General Policies .......................................................................... 12

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Repeating Courses and Financial Aid............................................................................................................. 12

Changing Your Address and/or Your Name with the University .................................................................... 13

Foundation, Ancillary, Breadth, and Elective Courses ................................................................................... 13

Concentrations ................................................................................................................................................ 13

How to Declare a Concentration .................................................................................................................... 14

Prerequisite Courses ....................................................................................................................................... 14

Anticipated Two-year Sequence of Biology Courses ..................................................................................... 15

A Special Note on Taking Physics Courses .................................................................................................... 15

Independent Study and BIOL 481-Directed Readings in Biology ................................................................. 15

Departmental Honors...................................................................................................................................... 15

Changing Advisors ......................................................................................................................................... 18

Beta-Beta-Beta Honor Society ....................................................................................................................... 18

The Premedical and Predental Student Organization ..................................................................................... 18

The Women in Science Program and the Women in Science Club ................................................................ 19

MAPS: Minority Association of Premedical Students ................................................................................... 19

TU Dental Society .......................................................................................................................................... 19

ASBMB: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ......................................................... 19

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Employment Opportunities at TU .................................................................................................................. 20

Doing research with a TU faculty member .................................................................................................... 21

Finding opportunities...................................................................................................................................... 22

Obtaining course credit for doing research on-campus .................................................................................. 23

Obtaining course credit for doing research off-campus ................................................................................. 24

Expectations of students doing research......................................................................................................... 24

Expectations that students should have of their research mentors ................................................................. 25

Internships ...................................................................................................................................................... 25

Finding an internship or creating your own internship .................................................................................. 26

Custom internship experiences ....................................................................................................................... 26

A Career in Research ...................................................................................................................................... 28

Medicine and Dentistry .................................................................................................................................. 29

Physician Assistant ......................................................................................................................................... 29

Veterinary Medicine ....................................................................................................................................... 30

Pharmacy ........................................................................................................................................................ 30

Secondary Education ...................................................................................................................................... 30

What is Graduate School? .............................................................................................................................. 30

Why Do People Go to Graduate School? ....................................................................................................... 31

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Further Information On Graduate School ....................................................................................................... 32

chairperson is Dr. Jack Shepard.

The Biology Department Office is located in the Science Complex, Room 4101, and can be reached by phone

at 410-704-3042, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Your call or email will be answered by the senior

administrative assistant, Ms. Sarah Grue, or the administrative assistant, Ms. Brandi Mayo.

The Biology Department has more than 30 full-time faculty members. One can find the names of all full-time

faculty, a list of courses that they teach, and their specific research interests at the departmental website

(address below). In addition to full-time faculty, the department employs skilled part-time or “adjunct” faculty

to assist in teaching courses.

giving “seminars” are applicants for a faculty position in the department. Students are encouraged to attend

seminars. In some Biology courses, students can get “points” or credit if they attend seminars and write brief

reports on what they observed and learned. Check the department webpage for upcoming seminar

announcements.

If you have a concern about a particular Biology course that you are taking, you are encouraged to first

approach the professor of the course and clearly and tactfully relay your concerns. If you are uncomfortable

talking to the professor directly, or if you have talked to the professor and you do not feel that your concerns

are being addressed, you can speak to your academic advisor and/or the assistant chair of the department, Dr.

Towson University values diversity and fosters a climate that is grounded in respect and inclusion, enriches the

educational experience of students, supports positive classroom and workplace environments, promotes

excellence, and cultivates the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community. Should you

feel that you are experiencing a negative environment related to diversity issues or cultural sensitivity, we

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encourage you to contact the Department's Assistant Chair, [Dr. Jack Shepard; [email protected]]. For

more information go to https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/biology/diversity.html

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You may have noticed above that the official name for our college is the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of

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https://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/interdisciplinary/undergrad/interdisciplinary/animalbehavior/ and

visit in person with the director of the Animal Behavior Program, Dr. Mark Bulmer (SC 4150A). Dr.

Students must earn a minimum of 120 credits for a Bachelor’s degree and have a cumulative minimum GPA of

mathematics requirement (Core #3), and science requirements (Cores #7 and #8). The University Core

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A full listing of courses satisfying each category is found by clicking on the category heading(s) of interest at

that website.

Some students will want to take a course or two during the summer at a community college or other institution

near home. Prior to enrolling in the course, it is best to verify that it will transfer to TU and count toward your

degree credits. It is important financially and for progress in your degree to check this first. • Courses taken at

Maryland Community Colleges can be checked on ARTSYS (https://artsys.usmd.edu/).

• Courses taken at other universities and colleges within or outside of Maryland can be checked with the

Transfer Evaluation System

(https://www.towson.edu/admissions/undergrad/transfer/credit/transferevaluation-system.html). For

courses not listed in the system, an Individual Course Petition

(https://www.towson.edu/admissions/undergrad/transfer/credit/course-petitions.html) can be submitted

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If the course(s) you plan to take is a prerequisite course for one that you plan to enroll in for the fall, for

example CHEM131/L in the summer and CHEM132/L in the fall, the enrollment system will not allow

An “overload fee” is charged for each credit above 15 credits. Students who are comfortable with a large

number of credits may take up to 19 credits without special permission if they have at least a 2.0 cumulative

GPA. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.25-3.39 may register for 20 credits. Those with a GPA of 3.5-4.0

may take 21 credits. Graduating seniors in their last semester must get permission from the Registrar’s Office

to take more than 19 credits. Students may take up to 4 credits during the January Minimester. Students may

also take up to 7 credits in any one of the four summer sessions, and a maximum of 13 credits in all four

request an overload.

do this.

Towson University is committed to providing equal access to its programs and services for all students.

Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS), located in the Administration Bldg, Room 232 (410-704-2638)

Visit their webpage for more information. https://www.towson.edu/accessibility-disability-services/

The syllabus for a course will state attendance policies for that course for the remainder of the semester. Note

that each of your professors can and will have a different attendance policy! Also, you should recognize that

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There are two types of “graduation with honors” at TU: graduation with University Honors and graduation

with Departmental Honors. Only students admitted to the Honors College graduate with university honors.

However, any student can graduate with departmental honors if they meet the requirements. Note: Students in

the Honors College can graduate with both university and departmental honors, but they must apply for the

latter and meet the requirements.

To graduate with Departmental Honors in Biology, students must finish with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or

higher and a 3.5 GPA in their coursework required for the major. Students must also complete an independent

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Some students elect to complete the requirements for more than one major. In some cases, students do this to

enhance career opportunities. For example, students who are interested in the biology or conservation of the

rainforest should seriously consider majoring in both Biology and Spanish, as they will be working at least

some of the time in a Spanish-speaking environment. Students interested in medicine or education might be in

the same situation. Students interested in a career in medical illustration or biological photography might

consider majoring in Art as well as Biology. As already mentioned, students interested in animal behavior,

Students wanting to add a second major must formally declare their intentions by submitting a ‘Change of

Major/Minor Form’ online, found at: http://www.towson.edu/registrar/forms.html.

an advisor in that major. Students will want to visit advisors for both majors on a regular basis to ensure that

they are taking the best set of courses and that they are on track to graduate on time.

Minoring allows a student to study a second subject without taking all the coursework for a complete major.

Much like a second major, additional knowledge in another field can enhance career preparation and

opportunities.

The courses required to obtain different minors are listed in the TU catalog. Simply look up the subject area

(e.g., “Geology” or “Sociology”) and find the section for the “minor.” Students wanting to add a minor must

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Statistics show that most Biology majors do not finish their degree four years! The majority of students take 4,

4 1/2, or 5 years or even longer to finish their B.S. degree. Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to not

finishing in exactly four years. Students who take longer to get their Bachelor’s degree sometimes consider

themselves, or are considered by other students, as “deficient” or “incapable” in some way. In addition,

parents can put pressure on their offspring to finish in four years not only because parents, too, may consider

finishing in exactly four years a sign of competence and efficiency, but also because they do not necessarily

want to pay for more than 4 years-worth of courses.

The fact is that there are many very legitimate reasons to take somewhat longer than four years to get a

1. A Biology degree requires a large number of courses, many of which have laboratories. If you started with a

different major and switched to Biology partway through, you may need one or more extra semesters to

double-major or minor.

4. Some students pay for most or all of their educational expenses and even living costs themselves. These

students may be working 20, 30 or more hours a week to cover their many expenses. Students with this kind

of work schedule are strongly advised to take fewer courses per semester so that they have enough time to

devote to each course and still earn decent grades. This strategy will lengthen the time needed to finish, but

it is the most reasonable strategy under the circumstances. Your success at getting a career will depend quite

heavily on the strength of your academic record.

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When you have declared a concentration within the biology major, usually at the end of your first year, you

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Most students stay with their originally assigned advisor. However, students may want to change advisors

if:

• the student’s interests and/or concentration change and a faculty member with more expertise in this new

area of interest is preferred

• students come to know and respect a different faculty member whose advice they would especially value

• personality conflicts between the student and the advisor interfere with appropriate advising

• the advisor is difficult to find and/or doesn’t respond to e-mail or telephone contact in what the student

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Beta-Beta-Beta (TriBeta) is a national honor society for Biology students. TriBeta's three purposes are to

promote scholarship in the biological sciences, to promote the dissemination of biological knowledge, and to

encourage research. https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/biology/studentorgs/honorsociety.html

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The organization is open to all students interested in careers in medicine or dentistry. To become a member,

one can attend a meeting of the organization in person and provide an e-mail address to be notified of future

women scientists. WISP and its members (which include both women and men) have

created a variety of new courses, opportunities, and activities.:

The co-directors of WISP are Dr. Peko Tsuji (ptsu[email protected]) and Dr. Cindy Ghent

([email protected]). See also the WISP website,

https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/stem/womeninscience/ for more information.

The current faculty advisors of the student-run TU WIS Club are Dr. Beth Kautzman

([email protected]) and Dr. Peko Tsuji ([email protected]). See also the TU WIS Club website, for

more information.

https://involved.towson.edu/organization/pre-vet

https://involved.towson.edu/organization/tudental

https://involved.towson.edu/organization/tudental

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University departments. FWS benefits, eligibility requirements and application materials can be found at

https://www.towson.edu/admissions/financialaid/programs/employment/workstudy.html

Handshake is Towson’s online database that is managed by the Career Center; where you can apply for

positions, post your resume and even register for career events. https://www.towson.edu/careercenter/hire/

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undergraduates. Students wanting to participate in research with a TU faculty member should consider the

that much more able to discuss research with the faculty member.

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4. Based on your “interviews” with various faculty, you should be able to decide with whom you would

students at one time. Thus, rejection is not a reflection on your qualifications or abilities. Important note:

• http://www.mayo.edu/mgs/surf.html

• http://www.amgenscholars.com/

• http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/intern.html

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There are usually a number of research assistant positions/opportunities available in the Baltimore/Washington

area at medical schools, including Johns Hopkins University.

• https://www.niddk.nih.gov/research-funding/research-programs/diversity-programs/research-

trainingopportunities-students/short-term-research-experience-underrepresented-persons-step-up

• https://www.kennedykrieger.org/professional-training/professional-training-programs/center-

• https://www.jhsph.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-student-life/diversity-summer-internship-

agencies (e.g., Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland Department of Natural

Resources), and federal agencies (e.g., Aberdeen Proving Grounds, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, National Institutes of Health and many more). Students can check the websites of these

organizations for information on research opportunities or contact them directly by telephone.

The U.S. government funds a large number of undergraduate research positions each year. Particularly

valuable and exciting are the paid summer research opportunities funded by the National Science Foundation

under a program called “Research Experience for Undergraduates” (REU). Most REU programs last 8-10

weeks. Students receive a substantial stipend ($2500-3500) and usually receive free housing, meals and even

travel expenses. REU programs are found at various universities around the country. Each program is required

• http://www.dm.usda.gov/employ/sip

BIOL490 Independent Research (1-3 credits). This course is designed for students who will be assisting a

professor or graduate students in doing research, helping to gather data, and learning various procedures and

• Students can sign up for 1, 2 or 3 credits depending on the extent and scope of the research project.

Typically, 1 course credit is equivalent to 3-4 research hours / week

• This course is graded as Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U)

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• Credits DO NOT count towards requirements for the biology major, but they do count as upper-level

credits.

BIOL491 Elective Independent Research (3 credits)

• BIOL 491 is designed for students who are taking the lead on a particular project, i.e., for situations in

Students can sign up for either BIOL 493 - Internship in Biology or BIOL 490 or 491. Note that if you choose

BIOL 490 or 493, the credits will not count towards the major. They will count as upper-level credits required

for graduation. If you choose Biol 491, those credits will count as elective credits towards the major.

Whatever you choose to do, you must find a TU faculty member who will serve as your on-campus sponsor

and supervisor. The faculty member will need to know specific details about the research project and may

even consult directly with your off-campus supervisor. The faculty member can then help you decide which

TU course to sign up for and, in the case of Biol 490 and 493, how many credits to take (i.e., 1, 2 or 3 credits).

This person will also be responsible for recording your grade in the course. If you choose BIOL 493, you will

required for a certain grade (A, B, etc.). This agreement must be put in writing and signed by both the student

and the faculty member.

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Research students should anticipate that their mentor/supervisor will have certain expectations of them:

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Just as research mentors have expectations of students, students should have expectations of mentors:

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What is an internship and why do one?

Internships are sometimes referred to as "work-learn" experiences because they offer a work experience and a

learning experience simultaneously. Internships are like “apprenticeships” because they typically involve some

version of employment (unpaid) in a particular field, which offers the opportunity to learn about aspects of a

career in that field. Internships also provide students with an occasion to apply the skills and concepts that

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TU faculty have prepared two extensive “guides” to graduate school that tell you more about what graduate

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