Requirements for the Botany Major

In being associated with the Botany Department, the faculty expect students to meet the department's Expectations of Students.

Botany Core Courses

The Botany Department requires all students who major in Botany to take a common set of core courses.  BTNY LS1403/3403 provides majors an introduction to  environmental ethics.   BTNY SI2104 and SI2114 provide an overview of the field of Botany.  One or both of these two courses is a prerequisite for all upper division courses in the department.  BTNY 2121 serves as an introduction to the Botany program itself.  Students are strongly encouraged to take this course after completing BTNY SI2104 or SI2114.  Students should take BTNY 2600 prior to or concurrently with their first lab course.  BTNY DV2303 enables Botany majors to meet the university diversity requirement within the major.   (Students in Track C who have already met the diversity requirement in another department can take BTNY DV2303 to meet elective hours in Botany.)  BTNY 4980 should be taken during a student's last semester.  

Botany Core Courses Required for Track A (lab emphasis) and Track B (field emphasis) (19 credit hours)

• BTNY LS1403 Environment Appreciation (3) or BTNY 3403 Environment Appreciation (3)
• BTNY SI2104 Plant Form and Function (4)
• BTNY SI2114 Evolutionary Survey of Plants (4)
• BTNY 2121 Career Planning for Botanists (1)
• BTNY DV2303 Ethnobotany (3)
• BTNY 2600 Laboratory Safety (1)
• BTNY 4980 Portfolio Summative Assessment (3)
  

Botany Core Courses Required for Track C (general) (16 credit hours)

• BTNY LS1403 Environment Appreciation (3) or BTNY 3403 Environment Appreciation (3)
• BTNY SI2104 Plant Form and Function (4)
• BTNY SI2114 Evolutionary Survey of Plants (4)
• BTNY 2121 Career Planning for Botanists (1)
• BTNY 2600 Laboratory Safety (1)
• BTNY 4980 Portfolio Summative Assessment (3)

The core courses, combined with the upper division courses selected to complete the major, enable a student to meet the Department's  learning outcomes.  The Curriculum Grid that shows which specific skills, knowledge areas, and values are provided by each course should be consulted in conjunction with the full descriptions of the learning outcomes.  Whichever track a Botany major pursues (Track A - lab emphasis, Track B - field emphasis, Track C - general), the final assessment of a student's progress in meeting the learning outcomes is via the Botany Student Portfolio.  (Please refer to the Botany Department's Student Assessment Plan.)

A Botany major should take BTNY 2121 (Career Planning for Botanists) before beginning upper division course work as this is the course that introduces students to the Portfolio system.  All upper division courses will include an interim assessment of the Portfolio which uses the Botany Student Portfolio Checklist and the Portfolio Grading Rubric.  The final assessment of the Portfolio will occur when a student takes BTNY 4980 (Portfolio Summative Assessment)

All upper division courses encourage the development of speaking skills by requiring students to give oral presentations.  The presentations are evaluated according to either the Botany Department evaluation form or a course-specific modification of this form.  The instructions for the presentations for the different courses can be found in the appropriate course syllabi.

Track A for the Botany major is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career primarily in laboratory-based work in the plant sciences.

Botany Courses Required (12 credit hours)

• BTNY 3105 Anatomy and Morphology of Vascular Plants (5)
• BTNY 3204 Plant Physiology (4)
• BTNY 3303 Plant Genetics (3)

Elective Botany Courses (16 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

• BTNY 2203 Home and Garden Plants (3)
• BTNY 2413 Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3)
• BTNY 2503 Biology of the Plant Cell (3)
• BTNY 3214 Soils (4)
• BTNY 3454 Plant Ecology (4)
• BTNY 3473 Plant Geography (3)
• BTNY 3504 Mycology (4)
• BTNY 3514 Algology (4)
• BTNY 3523 Marine Biology (3)
• BTNY 3624 Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4)
• BTNY 3641 Intermountain Flora (1-4)
• BTNY 4113 Plant Evolution (3)
• BTNY 4252 Cell Culture (2)
• BTNY 4750 Topics in Botany (2)
• BTNY 4800 Individual Research (2) or BTNY 4850 Thesis Research (2)
• BTNY 4830 Readings in Botany (2) or BTNY 4840 Thesis Readings (2)
• BTNY 4890 Cooperative Work Experience (5)
• BTNY 4950 Advanced Field Botany (2)
• BTNY 4990 Seminar in Botany (1) or BTNY 4970 Botany Thesis (2)

Required Support Courses (44-49 credit hours)

This program includes a minor in Chemistry

• CHEM PS/SI1210/SI1220 Principles of Chemistry I & II (10)
• CHEM 2310/2320 Organic Chemistry I & II (10)
• CHEM 3000 Quantitative Analysis (4) or CHEM 3070 Biochemistry I (4)
• MATH QL1050/1060 College Algebra & Trigonometry (7)
  or MATH QL1080 Pre-Calculus (5)
  or MATH QL SI1210 Calculus I (4)
  or MATH QL1040 Introduction to Statistics (3)
• PHYS PS/SI2010/SI2020 College Physics I & II (10)
  or PHYS PS/SI2210/SI2220 Physics for Scientists & Engineers (10)

Select two of the following:

• GEO PS/SI1110 Physical Geology (3)
  or GEOG PS/SI1000 Natural Environments of the Earth (3)
• MICR LS/SI2054 Principles of Microbiology (4)
• ZOOL SI1110 Principles of Zoology I (4)
• ZOOL SI1120 Principles of Zoology II (4)

Calculus and Statistics are recommended.

Track B for the Botany major is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career primarily in field botany.

Botany Courses Required (19 credit hours)

• BTNY 2413 Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3)
• BTNY 3214 Soils (4)
• BTNY 3454 Plant Ecology (4)
• BTNY 3624 Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4)
• BTNY 4950 Advanced Field Botany (4)

Elective Botany Courses (11 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

• BTNY 2203 Home and Garden Plants (3)
• BTNY 2503 Biology of the Plant Cell (3)
• BTNY 3105 Anatomy and Morphology of Vascular Plants (5)
• BTNY 3204 Plant Physiology (4)
• BTNY 3303 Plant Genetics (3)
• BTNY 3473 Plant Geography (3)
• BTNY 3504 Mycology (4)
• BTNY 3514 Algology (4)
• BTNY 3523 Marine Biology (3)
• BTNY 3641 Intermountain Flora (1-4)
• BTNY 4113 Plant Evolution (3)
• BTNY 4252 Cell Culture (2)
• BTNY 4750 Topics in Botany (2)
• BTNY 4800 Individual Research (2) or BTNY 4850 Thesis Research (2)
• BTNY 4830 Readings in Botany (2) or BTNY 4840 Thesis Readings (2)
• BTNY 4890 Cooperative Work Experience (5)
• BTNY 4990 Seminar in Botany (1) or BTNY 4970 Botany Thesis (2)

Required Support Courses (20-40 credit hours)

• CHEM PS/SI1050 Introduction to General, Organic & Biochemistry (5)
  or CHEM PS/SI1110 Elementary Chemistry (5)
      and CHEM SI1120 Elementary Organic Bio-Chemistry (5)
  or CHEM PS/SI1210 Principles of Chemistry I (5)
      and CHEM SI1220 Principles of Chemistry II (5)
      and CHEM 2310 Organic Chemistry I (5)
• GEO PS/SI1110 Physical Geology (3)
  or GEOG PS/SI1000 Natural Environments of the Earth (3)
• MATH QL1040 Introduction to Statistics (3)
  or MATH QL1050 College Algebra (4)
• PHYS PS/SI1010 Elementary Physics (3)
  or PHYS PS/SI2010/SI2020 College Physics I & II (10)
  or PHYS PS/SI2210/SI2220 Physics for Scientists & Engineers (10)

• MICR LS/SI2054 Principles of Microbiology (4)
  & MICR 3484 Environmental Microbiology (4)

or

• GEO SI1115 Physical Geology Lab (1)
  & GEO PS/SI1130 Introduction to Meteorology (3)
  & GEO 1220 Historical Geology (4)

or

• GEOG 3450 Cartography (3)
  & GEOG 3460 Advanced Cartography (3)
  
  or
   
• ZOOL SI1110 Principles of Zoology I (4)
  & ZOOL SI1120 Principles of Zoology II (4)

Track C for the Botany major is intended for students who want  a broad exposure to the study of plants.  This track provides considerable flexibility for students who are undecided about their future career plans in botany.  Track C is also the most accommodating track for students who come to the Botany major late in their college careers.

Botany Courses Required (11 credit hours)

• BTNY 3303 Plant Genetics (3)
• BTNY 3454 Plant Ecology (4)
• BTNY 3624 Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4)

Elective Botany Courses (22 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

• BTNY 2203 Home and Garden Plants (3)
• BTNY DV2303 Ethnobotany (3)
• BTNY 2413 Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3)
• BTNY 2503 Biology of the Plant Cell (3)
• BTNY 3105 Anatomy and Morphology of Vascular Plants (5)
• BTNY 3204 Plant Physiology (4)
• BTNY 3214 Soils (4)
• BTNY 3473 Plant Geography (3)
• BTNY 3504 Mycology (4)
• BTNY 3514 Algology (4)
• BTNY 3523 Marine Biology (3)
• BTNY 3641 Intermountain Flora (1-4)
• BTNY 4113 Plant Evolution (3)
• BTNY 4252 Cell Culture (2)
• BTNY 4750 Topics in Botany (2)
• BTNY 4800 Individual Research (2) or BTNY 4850 Thesis Research (2)
• BTNY 4830 Readings in Botany (2) or BTNY 4840 Thesis Readings (2)
• BTNY 4890 Cooperative Work Experience (5)
• BTNY 4950 Advanced Field Botany (1-5)
• BTNY 4970 Botany Thesis (2) or BTNY 4990 Seminar in Botany (1)

Requried Support Courses (23-38 credit hours)

• CHEM PS/SI1110 Elementary Chemistry (5)
      and CHEM SI1120 Elementary Organic Bio-Chemistry (5)
  or CHEM PS/SI1210 Principles of Chemistry I (5)
      and CHEM SI1220 Principles of Chemistry  II (5)
      and CHEM 2310 Organic Chemistry I (5)
• MATH QL1040 Introduction to Statistics (3)
  or MATH QL1050 College Algebra (4)
  or MATH QL1080 Pre-Calculus (5)
  or MATH SI1210 Calculus I (4)
• PHYS PS/SI1010 Elementary Physics (3)
  or PHYS PS/SI2010/SI2020 College Physics I & II (10)
  or PHYS PS/SI2210/SI2220 Physics for Scientists & Engineers (10)

• GEO PS/SI1110 Physical Geology (3)
  or GEOG PS/SI1000 Natural Environments of the Earth (3)
• MICR LS/SI2054 Principles of Microbiology (4)
• ZOOL SI1110 Principles of Zoology I (4)
• ZOOL SI1120 Principles of Zoology II (4)