Ecology Option
This option is available within the Biology major at the following location:
- Corvallis
The Biology major Ecology option is designed to provide students with a strong background in the theory and applications of ecology and environmental studies. It couples the core biological sciences background from the Biology major with required ecology, conservation, field methods, and environmental policy course work. A variety or upper-division ecology and organismal biology electives can be chosen based on individual interests. Undergraduate research and internship experience are strongly recommended for option students, and three credits can be applied to the Electives. The Ecology option provides excellent preparation for graduate programs in ecology.
Option Code: 715
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Explain and apply the fundamental concepts of the biological sciences, including biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and genetics; physiology and organismal biology; and ecology and evolution.
- Identify and access information (from primary literature and other relevant works) for a particular topic and evaluate the scientific content and context of these sources.
- Generate relevant and testable scientific questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and identify measurable predictions based on observations or previous research.
- Design and implement observational or experimental investigations to collect relevant data, and employ appropriate analytical methods to analyze that data.
- Interpret data and/or observations to support or refute hypotheses, draw conclusions, put findings in the context of current scientific knowledge and literature, and/or suggest future avenues of research.
- Use effective formal and informal communication (i.e., written, oral, graphical, multimedia) to convey scientific information in ways that are appropriate for scientific and non-scientific audiences for a particular topic and evaluating the scientific content and context of these sources.
- Integrate and analyze information within and across spatial and temporal scales as well as levels of biological organization.
- Identify, reflect upon, and evaluate assumptions, biases, and alternative hypotheses or interpretations for their own scientific claims or those of others.
- Justify the importance of science and science literacy for individuals and society.
- Integrate biology with other disciplines to make evidence-based decisions on socio-scientific issues.
- Explain how biases and societal factors affect the processes of science (and vice versa), access to participation in science, and the differential outcomes and impacts (both positive and negative) of science on individuals.
- Explain and justify the ethical standards of their discipline, evaluate the ethics of published science, and articulate their personal code of ethics.
- Use effective and appropriate forms of collaboration.
- Produce a self-assessment of interpersonal and academic behaviors needed to achieve their individual career goals.
The Ecology option requires 15 or fewer additional credits beyond the basic Biology major, and most students can complete the additional option coursework in four years. Courses used to satisfy the Ecology option requirements also satisfy the Organismal and Physiology, Ecology and Evolution, Writing Intensive Course, and Experiential Learning or Integrative Biology Elective requirements for the Biology major. The option will also fulfill the Core Education Social Science and Beyond OSU II requirements.
Students may not declare more than one option in the Biology major. Option requirements can be shared with other programs unless those programs have restrictions on sharing.
For further information, see MyDegrees or the Integrative Biology website.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Organismal Biology | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| PLANT SYSTEMATICS | ||
| AQUATIC BOTANY | ||
| WILDLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION | ||
| Animal Organismal Biology | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4-5 | |
| INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY and INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY and VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| MARINE AND ESTUARINE INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY | ||
| AQUATIC ENTOMOLOGY | ||
| Ecological Methods/Writing Intensive Course (WIC) | ||
| BI 371 | +^ECOLOGICAL METHODS | 4 |
| or BI 373 | +^FIELD METHODS IN MARINE ECOLOGY | |
| Behavior and Physiological Ecology | ||
| Z 350 | ANIMAL BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| Z 423 | ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY | 3 |
| or BOT 488 | ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY OF PLANTS | |
| Population Ecology | ||
| BI 483 | POPULATION BIOLOGY | 3 |
| Community and Ecosystem Ecology | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-5 | |
| MARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| BIOGEOGRAPHY | ||
| TROPICAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| FOREST ECOLOGY | ||
| APPLIED COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY | ||
| FRESHWATER ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | ||
| WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN ECOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | ||
| ESTUARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| BIOLOGY OF SOIL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| AEC 122 | +*INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3-4 |
| or AEC 250 | +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | |
| or SOC 280 | +INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY | |
| Experiential Learning or Ecology Elective Courses | ||
| Select one of the following tracks: | 3-4 | |
| Track I Experiential Learning Credits | ||
| Select any combination of three credits from the following: | ||
| TEACHING PRACTICUM (by approval) | ||
| RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP (by approval) | ||
| PROJECTS: CURATORIAL ASSISTANT (by approval) | ||
| ADVANCED TEACHING PRACTICUM (by approval) | ||
| INTERNSHIP (by approval or approved OSU international internships) | ||
| Track II Ecology Elective | ||
| PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS (if not used above) | ||
| SYMBIOSES AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| FIELD METHODS IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION (if not used above) | ||
| PALEOBIOLOGY | ||
| BIOGEOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| MONSTER BIOLOGY | ||
| DISEASE ECOLOGY | ||
| ADVANCED PLANT ECOLOGY | ||
| FUNGAL ECOLOGY | ||
| WILDLAND FIRE ECOLOGY | ||
| ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| INTRODUCTORY POPULATION DYNAMICS | ||
| HERPETOFAUNA CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| AVIAN CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| MAMMAL CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| ECOSYSTEM SERVICES | ||
| MICROBE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS | ||
| Total Credits | 30-35 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
Option Code: 715