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.
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.
Students pursuing advanced degrees in medical, or allied health programs (i.e., premedical, predental, pre-BSNursing, prephysical therapy, prepharmacy, etc.) and contemplating transfer to Sam Houston State University are encouraged to contact the Sam Houston State University Director of Medical and Allied Health Programs (MedicalPrograms@shsu.edu) early in their academic careers to assure consistency with prerequisite and/or recommended curricula.
The following table lists courses required to attain the Bachelor of Science in Biology:
| College | SHSU | Credit | Common Course |
| CHEM 1411 CHEM 1412 |
CHM 138/118 CHM 139/119 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
| MATH 2413 / 2414 | MTH 142 / 143 | 4/4 | MATH 2413 / 2414 |
| CHEM 2423 CHEM 2425 |
CHM 238/218 CHM 239/219 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 2323/2123 CHEM 2325/2125 |
| COSC 1301 | CS 143 | 3 | COSC 1301 or 1401 |
| BIOL 1411/1413 or BIOL 1406/1407 |
BIO 161/111 BIO 162/112 |
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 thre 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 |
CHM 138/118 CHM 139/119 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
| MATH 2413 / 2414 | MTH 142 / 143 | 4/4 | MATH 2413 / 2414 |
| COSC 1301 | CS 143 | 3 | COSC 1301 or 1401 |
| BIOL 1411/1413 or BIOL 1406/1407 |
BIO 161/111 BIO 162/112 |
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.
The following table lists courses required to attain the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science:
| College | SHSU | Credit | Common Course |
| CHEM 1411 CHEM 1412 |
CHM 138/118 CHM 139/119 |
3/1 3/1 |
CHEM 1311/1111 CHEM 1312/1112 |
| MATH 2413 / 2414 | MTH 142 / 143 | 4/4 | MATH 2413 / 2414 |
| BIOL 2306/2106 or 2406 | ESC (BIO) 137/117 | 3/1 or 4 | BIOL 2306/2106 or 2406 |
| COSC 1301 | CS 143 | 3 | COSC 1301 or 1401 |
| BIOL 1411/1413 or BIOL 1406/1407 |
BIO 161/111 BIO 162/112 |
3/1 | BIOL 1311/1111, BIOL 1313/1113 |
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).
The Core Curriculum at Sam Houston State University contains 42 semester credit hours, encompassing six component areas. Each component area has a minimum credit hour requirement and a set of specific courses that may be used to satisfy the requirement. The chart below details the Sam Houston State University courses and their Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) equivalents that comprise SHSU's core curriculum. Course requirements to meet the university foreign language component of the Bachelor of Arts degree have been included for convenience.
Many departments require specific courses from core component areas to meet degree requirements. Selecting departmentally specifed core courses to complete university core requirements reduces the total number of hours required to graduate.
Component Area 1 Communication |
||
| Common Course # | SHSU Course | Credit |
ENGL 1301 |
English 164 | 3 |
ENGL 1302 |
English 165 | 3 |
Component Area 3 Natural Science |
||
| Common Course # | SHSU Course | Credit |
Select two courses with Labs |
8 |
|
BIOL 1308 & 1108 | Biology 134 & 114 | |
| BIOL 2306 & 2106 or 2406 | Biology 137 & 117 |
|
BIOL 1311 & 1111 | Biology 161 & 111 |
|
BIOL 1313 & 1113 | Biology 162 & 112 |
|
BIOL 2401 | Biology 245 |
|
CHEM 1305 & 1105 | Chemistry 135 & 115 | |
CHEM 1307 & 1107 | Chemistry 136 & 116 |
|
CHEM 1311 & 1111 | Chemistry 138 & 118 |
|
| CHEM 1312 & 1112 | Chemistry 139 & 119 | |
| GEOL 1305 & 1105 | Geology 132 & 112 |
|
GEOL 1303 & 1103 | Geology 133 & 113 |
|
| GEOL 1304 & 1104 | Geology 134 & 114 |
|
GEOG 1301 | Geography 131 & Lab 111 (lab required @ SHSU) |
|
PHYS 1311 & 1111 | Physics 133 & 113 | |
PHYS 1312 & 1112 | Physics 134 & 114 -subject to THECB approval | |
PHYS 1305 & 1105 | Physics 135 & 115 | |
PHYS 1307 & 1107 | Physics 136 & 116 |
|
PHYS 1301 & 1101 | Physics 138 & 118 |
|
PHYS 1302 & 1102 | Physics 139 & 119 |
|
| PHYS 2425 | Physics 141 | |
Component Area 4 Humanities & Visual & Performing Arts |
||
| Common Course # | SHSU Course | Credit |
| Select 3 hrs from visual and performing arts: | 9 |
|
| ARTS 1301 | AGR 299 |
|
| ARTS 1301 | Art 160 |
|
ARTS 1311 | Art 161 |
|
ARTS 1316 | Art 163 | |
| ARTS 1303 | Art 260 |
|
| DANC 2303 | Dance 172 |
|
DANC 1301 | Dance 176 |
|
MUSI 1308 | Music 138 | |
MUSI 1301 | Music 161 |
|
MUSI 1310 | Music 264 |
|
MUSI 1306 | Music 265 |
|
| DRAM 1330 | Theatre 160 | |
DRAM 1351 | Theatre 164 |
|
DRAM 1310 | Theatre 166 |
|
| DRAM 1341 | Theatre 230 | |
| DRAM 2336 | Theatre 231 | |
| Select 3 hours from Literature or Philosophy: | ||
| ENGL 2331OR 2332 | English 265 | |
ENGL 2342 | English 266 |
|
| ENGL 2343 | English 267 |
|
PHIL 1301 | Philosophy 261 |
|
| PHIL 2306 | Philosophy 263 | |
| Select 3 hours from Cultural Studies: | ||
NO TCCN | BSL 236 |
|
| GEOG 1303 | Geography 265 |
|
GEOG 1303 | Geography 266 |
|
HIST 2311 | History 265 |
|
HIST 2312 | History 266 |
|
| SOCI 2319 | Sociology 168 | |
Component Area 5 Social and Behavioral Sciences |
||
| Common Course # | SHSU Course | Credit |
| Select 9 hours from: | 15 | |
| HIST 1301 | History 163 | |
| HIST 1302 | History 164 | |
| GOVT 2301 or 2306 | Political Science 261 | |
| GOVT 2302 or 2305 | Political Science 285 | |
| Select 3 hours from: | ||
| SOCI 1301 | Agriculture 236 | |
| ECON 1301 | Economics 230 | |
| ECON 2302 | Economics 233 | |
| ECON 2301 | Economics 234 | |
| GEOG 1300 | Geography 161 | |
| PHIL 2303 | Philosophy 262 | |
| PSYC 2301 | Psychology 131 | |
| PSYC 2315 | Psychology 289 | |
| SOCI 1301 | Sociology 131 | |
| SOCI 1306 | Sociology 264 | |
| NO TCCN Local Political Systems | Political Science 231 |
|
| NO TCCN State Political Systems | Political Science 232 | |
| NO TCCN Politics of Ethnic Minorities and Gender | Political Science 235 |
|
| NO TCCN Comparative Survey of World Political Systems | Political Science 265 | |
| NO TCCN Introduction to Public Administration | Political Science 266 |
|
| NO TCCN American Foreign Policy | Political Science 281 | |
Component Area 6 Institutionally Designated Option |
||
| Common Course # | SHSU Course | Credit |
Select 1 hour from: |
||
| PHED 1164 | KIN 215 | |
Degrees require a minimum of 120 hours with 42 advanced hours (300 and 400 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 MUST complete ENG 164, ENG 165, Core Composite Area 2, and one-half of Composite Area 3 prior to enrollment in any upper-level class. 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. Applicants for the Bachelor of Arts degree should consult their major department web page for foreign language requirements. Many colleges and programs have additional prerequisites for upper-level classes.
Prior to enrolling in core classes, students are encouraged to review specific degree requirements for their major. Selection of major specified core courses may reduce the total number of hours required for graduation.
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