Wharton County Junior College
Biological Sciences
Online Articulation
Cooperative program leading to the Associate of Science Degree and the
Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology at Sam Houston State University.
Your college and Sam Houston State University proudly present a cooperative program leading to the Associate of Science degree and Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Bachelor Arts in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, or Bachelor of Science with a Forensics Emphasis at SHSU. Students are encouraged to seek advice from Academic Advisors to ensure maximum transferability of course work between institutions.
Sam Houston State University:
The Department of Biological Sciences is dedicated to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge and scientific discovery in the life sciences through innovative teaching and research. The Department strives to instill the philosophy of lifelong scholarship, producing scientifically literate members of society who have the knowledge to contribute and compete in a rapidly changing world. The Department’s objectives are to train professional biologists and natural scientists, to prepare teachers of biological science, and to provide the background for effective careers in the life sciences, environmental science, medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical technology, and forensic science.
The Department of Biological Sciences at Sam Houston State University has nationally recognized faculty, physical and support facilities, library holdings, modern curriculum, and applied and basic research programs. Students completing the Bachelor of Science degree are prepared for careers in industry, academia, government, forensic science, admission to professional schools, and advanced degree programs. To see the research interests of faculty in Biology visit http://www.shsu.edu/~bio_www/faculty.html. To see profiles of previous students in Biology, visit http://www.shsu.edu/~bio_www/studentprofiles.html. To see funding and other opportunities open to Biology students visit http://www.shsu.edu/~bio_www/opportunities.html.
Participants of 2+2 programs at community colleges are especially welcome and encouraged to complete the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree at Sam Houston State University. Additional information may be found at http://www.shsu.edu/~bio_www.
The following table lists courses required to attain the Bachelor of Science in Biology:
College | SHSU | Credit | Common Course |
CHEM 1411 CHEM 1412 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
MATH 2413 / 2414 | MATH 2413 & 2414 or statistics (MATH3370 or STAT3379 or BIOL4374). | 4/4 | MATH 2413 / 2414 |
CHEM 2423 | CHEM 2323/2123 | 3/1 | CHEM 2323/2123 |
COSC 1301 | CSTE 1330 | 3 | COSC 1301 or 1401 |
BIOL 1411/1413 or BIOL 1406/1407 |
BIOL 1311/1111 BIOL 1313/1113 |
3/1 | BIOL 1311/1111, BIOL 1313/1113 |
Most institutions offer a General Biology I and General Biology II series as freshman course. At SHSU the general biology sequence is broken into three courses, Botany (BIO 161/111), Zoology (BIO 162/112), and Introductory Cell Biology (BIO 244). Incoming transfer students who have taken a General Biology I and II series will obtain credit for Botany and Zoology, and so must begin at SHSU with the Introductory Cell Biology course, which is offered every semester, including summer I.
The following table lists courses required to attain the Bachelor of Arts in Biology:
College | SHSU | Credit | Common Course |
CHEM 1411 CHEM 1412 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
MATH 1316 & MATH 1342 | 4/4 | ||
COSC 1301 | CSTE 1330 | 3 | COSC 1301 or 1401 |
BIOL 1411/1413 or BIOL 1406/1407 |
BIOL 1311/1111 BIOL 1313/1113 |
3/1 | BIOL 1311/1111, BIOL 1313/1113 |
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Biology requires students to meet the foreign language requirements (4 courses in the same language).
Forensic Science and Biology
Transfer students seeking the Bachelor of Science with a Biology major and with a Forensics emphasis should consider a minor in Chemistry and/or Criminal Justice. The required first two years of core courses for the Forensics emphasis in all academic areas (e.g., math, science, English, history, etceteras) are the same as the above listed courses for the major in Biology major. The emphasis in Forensics is accomplished by selecting from appropriate upper division courses (junior and senior level).
For the past several years, there have been scholarships available for both graduate and undergraduate students majoring in Biology, Geography & Geology, Mathematics & Statistics. Roughly 35 scholarships are administered each year through the PEERS Program (Peers Enhancing their Education through Research and Scholarship), federally-funded through the National Science Foundation. Up to $6,000 is available each year to students in these majors that maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and demonstrate financial need.
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SHSU Core Curriculum
Transfer courses specific to the university major you have selected appear in the section above. Transfer students are encouraged to maximize transfer courses required for their major as described above in addition to core courses at the transfer institution. Most university majors were meant to be taken over a 4 year period. Completion of freshman and sophomore level courses in the major with appropriate core courses helps transfer students to graduate in the minimum amount of time at minimum cost. The university core appears below for the convenience of those who have not yet selected a major. If you cannot select a specific major, at least try to select the area (e.g., science, criminal justice, business, education, nursing, etc.) in which you are most likely to eventually graduate and select transfer core courses that will support your selection of academic endeavor.
As a final note, transfer students completing "residence requirements" at state supported Texas colleges are typically eligible to receive the associate degree by a process known as "reverse transfer" after having accumulated 60 (to 62) or more combined college transfer and SHSU hours. Reverse transfer allows students to count SHSU courses to the bachelor degree as well as apply the hours to the associate degree. The residency requirement for most colleges is 15 to 16 hours with a few colleges requiring 24 hours. SHSU enthusiastically supports associate degrees via reverse transfer with all state supported colleges.
The Core Curriculum at Sam Houston State University (to be used by all incoming students as of fall 2014) contains 42 semester credit hours, encompassing nine component areas. Each component area has a minimum credit hour requirement and a selection of specific courses that may be used to satisfy the requirement. The chart below details Sam Houston State University courses and their Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) equivalents for college transfer students which comprise SHSU’s core curriculum.
Many SHSU disciplines including the sciences, business, and education require specific courses from the SHSU core as degree specific graduation requirements. To minimize cost and time to complete degree requirements always select SHSU/transfer core courses specified as degree requirements in your intended major. If you have not decided on a major select core courses supporting you intended area of academic concentration.
In general, Bachelor of Arts degrees have a foreign language requirement. Most Bachelor of Science degrees require additional mathematics and lab science requirements. Refer to the university catalog under which you plan to file for graduation for your specific degree requirements.
**** If you do not see a Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) mapping a specific core course to your transfer institution, please go to https://ww2.shsu.edu/regr27wp/ and select your institution from the dropdown menu. The result will list all currently mapped transfer courses from your institution to SHSU courses.
Component Area I: Communications - 6 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
ENGL 1301Composition I |
ENGL 1301 |
ENGL 1302 Composition II |
ENGL 1302 |
Component Area II: Mathematics - 3 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
MATH 1314 |
MATH 2312 |
MATH 1316 Plain Trigonometry |
MATH 1316 |
MATH 1324 Mathematics for Managerial Decision Making |
MATH 1324 |
MATH 1332 College Mathematics |
MATH 1332 |
MATH 1384 Introduction to the Foundations of Mathematics |
MATH 1350 |
MATH 1410 Elementary Functions |
|
MATH 1420 Calculus |
MATH 2413 |
PHIL 2352 Introduction to Contemporary Logic (Students with a documented learning disability and departmental approval may substitute PHIL 2352 to meet the math requirement) |
Component Area III: Life and Physical Science- 8 Hours Required SHSU requires 4 hour science courses consisting of 3 hours lecture with a 1 hour lab component. Transfer institutions may indicate this combination with a 4 hour course number such as BIOL 1408 or as separate lecture and labs such as BIOL 1308/1108. The two course numbering systems are equivalent. Common 3 hour lecture and separate lab course numbers are shown for equivalent or acceptable transfer credit. If you do not see a Texas Common Course NUmber (TCCN) mapping a specific core course to your transfer institution, please go to https://ww2.shsu.edu/regr27wp/ and select your institution from the dropdown menu. The result will list all currently mapped transfer courses specific to your institution to SHSU courses. |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
BIOL 1401 Environmental Science |
BIOL 2306/2106 or BIOL 2406 |
BIOL 1408 Contemporary Biology |
BIOL 1308/1108 |
BIOL 1411 General Botany |
BIOL 1311/1111 |
BIOL 1413 General Zoology |
BIOL 1313/1113 |
BIOL 1436 Foundations of Science |
|
BIOL 2401 Human Anatomy |
BIOL 2401 |
CHEM 1406 Inorganic and Environmental Chemistry |
CHEM 1406, CHEM 1305/1105, CHEM 1306/1106 |
CHEM 1407 Introductory Organic snd Biochemistry |
CHEM 1407, CHEM 1307/1107 |
CHEM 1411 General Chemistry I |
CHEM 1411, CHEM 1311/1111 |
CHEM 1412 General Chemistry II |
CHEM 1412, CHEM 1312/1112 |
GEOG 1401 Weather and Climate |
GEOG 1301/1101 |
GEOL 1403 Physical Geology |
GEOL 1303/1103 |
GEOL 1404 Historical Geology |
GEOL 1304/1104 |
GEOL 1405 Geological Hazards and Resources |
|
GEOL 1436 Foundations of Science |
|
ISCI 1436 Foundations of Science |
|
PHYS 1403 Stars and Galaxies |
|
PHYS 1404 Solar Systems Astronomy |
Component Area IV: Language, Philosophy, and Culture- 3 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
ARAB 2311 |
ARAB 2311 |
ARAB 2312 |
ARAB 2312 |
ENGL 2332 World Literature I: Before 17th Century |
|
ENGL 2333 World Literature II: 17th Century and Afterwards |
|
FOLG 2311 Intermediate Foreign Language I |
ARAB 2311/2312, FREN 2311/2312, GERM 2311/2312, SGNL 2311/2312, SPAN 2311/2312 |
FOLG 2312 Intermediate Foreign Language II |
ARAB 2312, FREN 2312, GERM 2312, SGNL 2312, SPAN 2312 |
FREN 2311 Intermediate French I |
FREN 2311 |
FREN 2312 Intermediate French II |
FREN 2312 |
GEOG 2355 World Regional Geography: Europe, Asia, and Australia |
GEOG 1303 |
GEOG 2356 World Regional Geography: Latin America, Africa, and South Asia |
GEOG 1303 |
GERM 2311 Intermediate German I |
GERM 2311 |
GERM 2312 Intermediate German II |
GERM 2312 |
HIST 2311 World History from the Dawn of Civilization through the Middle Ages |
HIST 2311 |
HIST 2312 World History from the Renaissance to the Age of Imperialism |
HIST 2312 |
MCOM 1330 Analysis of Electronic Culture |
|
MUSI 1379 Survey of World Music Cultures |
|
PHIL 2306 Contemporary Moral Issues |
PHIL 2306 |
PHIL 2361 Introduction to Philosophy |
PHIL 1301 |
SGNL 2311 Intermediate American Sign Language I |
SGNL 2311 |
SGNL 2312 Intermediate American Sign Language II |
SGNL 2312 |
SOCI 2319 Introduction to Ethnic Studies |
SOCI 2319 |
SPAN 2311 Intermediate Spanish I |
SPAN 2311 |
SPAN 2312 Intermediate Spanish II |
SPAN 2312 |
Component Area V: Creative Arts- 3 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
AGRI 2399 |
ARTS 1301 |
ARTS 1301 |
ARTS 1301 |
ARTS 1302 Exploring Contemporary Art |
|
ARTS 1303 Survey I: Pre-Renaissance Art History |
ARTS 1303 |
FACS 1360 Basic Principles of Design |
|
FAMC 2301 Creative Arts Seminar |
|
MUSI 1301 Introduction to the Study of Music |
MUSI 1301 |
MUSI 1306 Music Appreciation |
MUSI 1306 |
MUSI 2348 Survey of World Music Cultures |
MUSI 1308 |
MUSI 2364 History of Rock, Jazz and Popular Music |
MUSI 1310 |
Component Area VI: U.S. History- 6 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
HIST 1301 American History to 1876 |
HIST 1301 |
HIST 1302 American History from 1876 |
HIST 1302 |
Component Area VII: Political Science/Government- 6 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
POLS 2305 American Government |
|
POLS 2306 Texas Government |
Component Area VIII: Social and Behavioral Sciences- 3 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
AGRI 2360 |
SOCI 1301 |
BESL 2301 Multicultural Influences on Learning |
|
COMS 2386 Interpersonal Communication |
SPCH 1318 |
CRIJ 2361 Introduction to the Criminal Justice System |
|
ECON 2300 Introduction to Economics |
ECON 1301 |
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics |
ECON 2301 |
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics |
ECON 2302 |
GEOG 1321 People, Place and Environment: An Introduction to Geography |
GEOG 1300 |
HLTH 2383 Multicultural Health Issues |
|
PHIL 2303 Critical Thinking |
PHIL 2303 |
PSYC 1301 Introduction to Psychology |
PSYC 2301 |
SOCI 1301 Principles of Sociology |
SOCI 1301 |
SOCI 1306 Social Problems |
SOCI 1306 |
Component Area IX: Component Area Option- 4 Hours Required |
|
SHSU 4 Digit Course Number |
TCCN (if applicable) |
One additional course in component area 4 OR: |
|||
BUAD 2321 Design and Presentation of Business Projects |
|||
COMS 1361 Public Speaking |
|||
COMS 2382 Communication for Business and Professionals |
|||
MCOM 1371 Audio Production and Performance |
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1 Hour Required: |
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ECON 1100 Economics of Social Problems |
|||
KINE 2115 Lifetime Health and Wellness |
PHED 1164 |
||
NGLI 1101 Research in the Digital Age |
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The 4th credit hour of MATH 1410 |
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The 4th credit hour of MATH 1420 |
MATH 2413 |
Most degrees require a minimum of 120 hours with 42 advanced hours (3000-level and 4000-level courses). Some degrees require additional hours. All students are required to complete at least six writing-enhanced courses accumulating a minimum of 18 semester hours towards degree completion. Six of the hours must come from the student’s major field of study. SHSU students who have accumulated more than 60 hours may be blocked from enrolling in upper division courses until they have completed their math, English composition, and 4 to 8 hours of lab science.
In general, the Bachelor of Arts degree requires 8 hours of lab science and the Bachelor of Science degree requires 16 hours of lab science. Many majors require specific math and science courses from the core to apply for graduation. Applicants for the Bachelor of Arts degree should consult their major department web page or catalogue for foreign language requirements. Many colleges including Business and Education have additional prerequisites for registration in upper-level (junior/senior) classes including GPA restrictions and completion of lower-level (freshman/sophomore) course work.
Prior to enrolling in core classes, students are encouraged to review specific degree requirements for their major. Selection of major-specified core courses reduces the total number of hours required for graduation.
In general it is not to the advantage of transfer students to simply take courses that transfer. The most desirable goal is typically to only select courses from the core and major lower-level (first two university years) which not only transfer but satisfy degree requirements for graduation in the major to which you aspire.
Students are encouraged to select the university catalog offering them the most advantages with respect to degree completion. The respective university and/or college catalog selected for graduation determines final degree requirements.
Students are encouraged to select the university catalog offering them the most advantages with respect to degree completion. The respective university and/or college catalog selected for graduation determines final degree requirements.
Sam Houston State University
A Member of The Texas State University System