Botany Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
Options available:
- Comprehensive Botany
- Customizable
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
- Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Botany
- Mycology and Plant Pathology
Botany and plant pathology are concerned with the study of plants at all levels of biological organization, from molecular and cellular processes to the global ecosystem. This breadth of field reflects the wide range of issues and problems that confront plant biologists. In addition to addressing fundamental questions in plant biology, plant scientists in the 21st century will be called upon to provide information useful for producing food, fiber, and medicine for an increasing population, and for increasing our understanding of the diversity of plant and ecological systems and their interactions with humans. Students studying botany and plant pathology at OSU receive the basic science background necessary for such contributions, and may choose to focus in a particular area within plant science.
The undergraduate program in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology is designed for students who wish to receive a BS in Botany degree and for students pursuing degrees in other fields that require a knowledge of plant biology. For example, students who have an undergraduate major in biology or environmental sciences may wish to emphasize botany courses in their upper-division course work.
Completion of the undergraduate curriculum in botany can qualify students for graduate work in various areas of plant biology and plant pathology, and for positions in state and federal agencies, and industries concerned with plants and their products.
Prospective botany majors should obtain a strong background in the biological and physical sciences at the high school level. Specifically recommended are a minimum of three years of high school mathematics, including algebra, geometry, and some exposure to trigonometry, one year of chemistry, one year of biology, one year of physics, and courses designed to develop computer and writing skills. Students without an adequate background in mathematics and science may make up these deficiencies early in their college careers.
Completion of one of the following options is required for the BS in Botany:
- Comprehensive Botany (Corvallis campus only)
- Customizable (Ecampus and Corvallis campus)
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation (Corvallis campus only)
- Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Botany (Corvallis campus only)
- Mycology and Plant Pathology (Ecampus and Corvallis campus)
Major Code: 515
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Communicate scientific concepts, experimental results and analytical arguments clearly and concisely verbally and in writing.
- Apply scientific methods, reasoning and appropriate mathematics to describe, explain and understand biological systems.
- Demonstrate understanding of five core concepts in biology: evolution; pathways and transformations of energy and matter; information flow, exchange, and storage; structure and function; and biological systems.
- Use interdisciplinary approaches (applying chemistry and quantitative skills) to work on biological problems.
- Describe the complex networks of interactions that determine energy flow and the cycling of water, carbon, nitrogen, and minerals within ecosystems.
- Identify and analyze the anatomical and morphological features of plants and plant structures as they enable plant function and reveal plant evolutionary histories.
- Recognize and describe the features of vascular plant groups using standard botanical terminology. Interpret the evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships of plants by evaluating analytical and experimental tools used to understand organismal diversity.
- Incorporate information from physiology, genetics, developmental biology, biochemistry and genomics to explain how plants integrate water-relations, mineral and organic nutrition, solute transport, respiration and photosynthesis, hormonal and environmental signals to regulate the processes of growth and reproduction.
- Describe and implement laboratory methods typically used in plant biology.
The required curriculum meets the course requirements of the university and the College of Agricultural Sciences and provides for a broad background in plant science. Completing an option and engaging in an experiential learning activity allows students to fulfill their individual education goals and prepare for career aspirations.
All Botany undergraduate majors are required to do the following:
- Complete the core course curriculum meeting the requirements of the university, College of Agricultural Sciences, and Botany academic requirements.
- Select and complete the course curriculum of a 21-credit option to obtain advanced scientific background and skills in a particular area of plant science. Students may select a pre-determined botany option from the catalog or create a customized option with approval of a BOT advisor. Course work delivered in the options provides students with advanced knowledge and skills related to the study of plants and plant-like organisms in natural and managed ecosystems and in the laboratory.
- Comprehensive Botany
- Customizable Option
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
- Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Botany
- Mycology and Plant Pathology
- Participate in an experiential learning and subsequent student seminar. Every Botany major is required to have an experiential learning (EL) component in their curriculum that is not part of a scheduled academic course. The EL component can take many forms but must involve a minimum of 60 hours of work and must have a substantial educational objective that is related to the BOT degree. Students should complete an experiential learning activity before the beginning of their fourth year.
- Academic credit is not required but may be earned by enrolling in research (BOT 401), curatorial projects (BOT 406), or an internship (BOT 410); non-credit options for research (BOT 003) and internship (BOT 004) are also available. Paid and voluntary positions are both acceptable. To meet the requirement, the student and the EL supervisor must complete an Experiential Learning Activity form that is approved by a Botany advisor. After completion of the EL project, the student is required to participate in a 1-credit professional skills development course (BOT 411), to reflect on the EL project and to incorporate it into career planning activities.
- Complete a total of 60 upper-division credits (300-400 level).
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Baccalaureate Core 1 | ||
HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course) | 1 |
WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
Approved speech course COMM | 3 | |
Additional approved writing WR II | 3 | |
Perspectives | 12 | |
Cultural Diversity | ||
Literature and the Arts | ||
Social Processes and Institutions | ||
Western Culture | ||
Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
Synthesis | 6 | |
Contemporary Global Issues | ||
Science, Technology and Society | ||
Major Requirements 1 | ||
Biology | ||
Select one of the following biology series (or their honors version): | 12 | |
Series A | ||
*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | ||
Series B | ||
*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
GENETICS | ||
PLANT GENETICS and PLANT GENETICS RECITATION | ||
Chemistry | ||
Select one of the following chemistry series: | 15 | |
Series A | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
*GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
*GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
Series B | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | ||
CH 331 & CH 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 8 |
Biochemistry | ||
BB 314 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
Select one of the following: | 4-7 | |
ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY | ||
GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY and GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY | ||
Mathematics | ||
Select two courses from the following: | 8 | |
+*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | ||
+*PRECALCULUS II: TRIGONOMETRY | ||
ELEMENTS OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS | ||
*CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
*MATHEMATICS FOR MANAGEMENT, LIFE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES | ||
*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | ||
INTEGRAL CALCULUS | ||
Statistics | ||
ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
Additional Quantitative Skills | ||
Select a minimum of two courses from the following: | 7-9 | |
USE AND ABUSE OF DATA: CRITICAL THINKING IN SCIENCE | ||
FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA SCIENCES | ||
COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES FOR BIOLOGICAL DATA | ||
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | ||
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | ||
GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | ||
QUANTITATIVE GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING | ||
*GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
*GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | ||
METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS | ||
Others by approval of advisor (or additional courses from Mathematics block) | ||
Writing Intensive Course | ||
Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
^ECOLOGICAL METHODS | ||
^FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE WORLD | ||
^MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY LAB: A WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE | ||
^AG AND ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICAMENTS: A CASE STUDY APPROACH | ||
^WORLD SOIL RESOURCES | ||
^ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING | ||
Botany Core | ||
BOT 220 | +*INTRODUCTION TO PLANT BIOLOGY | 4 |
BOT 313 | PLANT STRUCTURE | 4 |
BOT 321 | PLANT SYSTEMATICS | 4 |
BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
BOT 332 | LABORATORY TECHNIQUES IN PLANT BIOLOGY | 3 |
BOT 341 | PLANT ECOLOGY | 4 |
BOT 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
Select one non-vascular plant course from the following: | 4 | |
AQUATIC BOTANY | ||
PHYCOLOGY | ||
MYCOLOGY | ||
LICHENOLOGY | ||
BRYOLOGY | ||
Experiential Learning | ||
Select one of the following or another experience with advisor approval: | ||
RESEARCH | ||
PROJECTS: CURATORIAL ASSISTANT | ||
INTERNSHIP | ||
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH | ||
INTERNSHIP | ||
Complete an experiential learning experience prior to enrolling in: | ||
BOT 411 | LEVERAGING YOUR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING | 1 |
Required Option | ||
Complete 21 credits in fulfillment of a transcript-visible option 2 | 21 | |
Remaining Bacc Core & Free Electives | 21-28 | |
Total Credits | 180 |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- 1
The Botany major satisfies Bacc Core requirements in life sciences, physical sciences and mathematics. Other Bacc Core requirements must be completed separately within the 180 total
- 2
Students are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor to help ensure that electives best fit the desired option, career path or interests
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BI 221 or BI 204 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 4 |
CH 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
Math Course | 4 | |
Credits | 17 | |
Winter | ||
BI 222 or BI 205 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 4 |
CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
Math Course | 4 | |
Bacc Core: Speech | 3 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BI 223 or BI 206 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 4 |
CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
Additional Quantitative Skills | 4 | |
Bacc Core: Perspectives | 3 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall | ||
BOT 220 | +*INTRODUCTION TO PLANT BIOLOGY | 4 |
CH 331 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
Bacc Core: WR II | 3 | |
Credits | 13 | |
Winter | ||
BB 314 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
BOT 313 | PLANT STRUCTURE | 4 |
CH 332 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course) | 1 |
Bacc Core: Perspectives | 3 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BOT 321 | PLANT SYSTEMATICS | 4 |
ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
Bacc Core: Perspectives | 3 | |
Additional Quantitative Skills | 4 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall | ||
BB 450 or BB 350 | GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY or ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY | 4 |
Non-Vascular Plant Course | 4 | |
Bacc Core: Synthesis | 3 | |
Option Course | 3 | |
Experiential Learning Activity | 0-2 | |
Credits | 14-16 | |
Winter | ||
BB 451 | GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY (or Free Elective) | 3 |
BI 311 | GENETICS or PLANT GENETICS and PLANT GENETICS RECITATION | 4 |
Approved WIC Course | 3-4 | |
Option Course | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 16-17 | |
Spring | ||
BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
Bacc Core: Perspectives | 3 | |
Option Course | 4 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 14 | |
Fourth Year | ||
Fall | ||
BOT 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
Option Course | 4 | |
Option Course | 3 | |
Elective | 4 | |
Credits | 12 | |
Winter | ||
BOT 332 | LABORATORY TECHNIQUES IN PLANT BIOLOGY | 3 |
BOT 411 | LEVERAGING YOUR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING | 1 |
Option Course | 4 | |
Elective | 4 | |
Elective | 4 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BOT 341 | PLANT ECOLOGY | 4 |
Bacc Core: Synthesis | 3 | |
Elective | 4 | |
Elective | 4 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Total Credits | 180-183 |