Conservation Biology (B.S.)

51-52 Major Hours, 120 Degree Hours

Students in this major must also complete requirements for a degree in the College of Arts & Sciences .

Major Requirements (21-24 hours)

• BIOL 151 - General Biology I (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• BIOL 151L - General Biology I Lab (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• BIOL 153 - General Biology II (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• BIOL 153L - General Biology II Lab (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• BIOL 280 - Inquiry and Analysis in Biology (C)
• BIOL 280L - Inquiry and Analysis in Biology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 311 - Principles of Ecology (C)
• BIOL 311L - Principles of Ecology Lab (C)
• BIOL 420 - Introduction to Biostatistics & Computational Biology (C)
• BIOL 420L - Introduction to Biostatistics & Computational Biology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 473 - Evolution (C)

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• Capstone Course (Choose one of the following):

• BIOL 402 - Animal Behavior AND
• BIOL 402L - Animal Behavior Lab

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• BIOL 417 - Field Ecology AND
• BIOL 417L - Field Ecology Laboratory

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• BIOL 498 - Research (C) 1-3 cr * OR
• UHON 498 - Senior Thesis (C) 1-3 cr *

• *Any 498 course used for a capstone must be approved by the Biology department chair or designee. 

Nondepartmental Requirements (11-12 hours)

• CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]

• OR

• CHEM 112 - General Chemistry I (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• CHEM 112L - General Chemistry I Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]

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• ESCI 425 - Introduction to Geographical Information Systems

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• Additional Science with lab (Choose one of the following):

• CHEM 110 - Chemistry and the Environment
• CHEM 110L - Chemistry and the Environment Laboratory
• CHEM 114 - General Chemistry II (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• CHEM 114L - General Chemistry II Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• CHEM 116 - Honors Principles of Chemistry [SGR #6, HSDC]
• CHEM 116L - Honors Principles of Chemistry Laboratory [SGR #6, HSDC]
• ESCI 101 - Dynamic Earth [SGR #6, HSDC]
• ESCI 101L - Dynamic Earth Laboratory [SGR #6, HSDC]
• ESCI 103 - Earth and Life Through Time [SGR #6, HSDC]
• ESCI 103L - Earth and Life Through Time Laboratory [SGR #6, HSDC]
• PHYS 111 - Introduction to Physics I (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• PHYS 111L - Introduction to Physics I Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• PHYS 211 - University Physics I (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• PHYS 211L - University Physics I Laboratory (C) [SGR #6, HSDC]
• SUST 113 - Sustainable Environment [SGR #6, HSDC]
• SUST 113L - Sustainable Environment Lab [SGR #6, HSDC]

Major Electives (16-19 hours)

Required Coursework:

Students are required to have a total of 40 credit hours in BIOL.

• 12 credits should be from the Conservation and Biodiversity Course Group
• 3 credits from the Physiology, Cell & Molecular Course Group.
• Remaining credits can be any BIOL courses at the 300 or 400 level.

Courses taken as capstone courses are not counted towards elective credits.

Conservation and Biodiversity Course Group

• BIOL 310 - Environmental Science
• BIOL 401 - Plant Systematics
• BIOL 401L - Plant Systematics Laboratory
• BIOL 402 - Animal Behavior
• BIOL 402L - Animal Behavior Lab
• BIOL 405 - Entomology (C)
• BIOL 405L - Entomology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 407 - Plants and Civilization (C)
• BIOL 407L - Plants and Civilization Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 408 - Landscape Ecology
• BIOL 408L - Landscape Ecology Laboratory
• BIOL 410 - Conservation Biology (C)
• BIOL 412 - Freshwater Ecology
• BIOL 412L - Freshwater Ecology Laboratory
• BIOL 417 - Field Ecology
• BIOL 417L - Field Ecology Laboratory
• BIOL 419 - Plant Ecology (C)
• BIOL 419L - Plant Ecology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 424 - Disease Ecology
• BIOL 434 - Herpetology (C)
• BIOL 434L - Herpetology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 435 - Animal Diversity & Evolution
• BIOL 436 - Biogeography (C)
• BIOL 440 - Restoration Ecology (C)
• BIOL 440L - Restoration Ecology Lab (C)
• BIOL 442 - Introduction to River Studies
• BIOL 463 - Ornithology (C)
• BIOL 463L - Ornithology Laboratory (C)
• BIOL 466 - Environmental Toxicology & Contaminants (C)
• BIOL 484 - Remote Sensing (C)

Physiology, Cell & Molecular Course Group

• BIOL 425 - Cellular Physiology
• BIOL 426 - Endocrinology
• BIOL 427 - Plant Physiology
• BIOL 427L - Plant Physiology Laboratory
• BIOL 428 - Integrative Physiology
• BIOL 429 - Biology of Reproduction
• BIOL 430 - Neurobiology (C)
• BIOL 432 - Behavioral Neuroscience
• BIOL 433 - Environmental Physiology of Animals
• BIOL 441 - Histology
• BIOL 441L - Histology Laboratory
• BIOL 443 - Cell Biology
• BIOL 456 - Mammalian Physiology
• BIOL 475 - Introduction to Molecular Biology
• BIOL 481 - Vertebrate Anatomy & Embryology
• BIOL 481L - Vertebrate Anatomy & Embryology Laboratory
• BIOL 483 - Developmental Biology (C)

Four-Year Program Guides and Costs

USD encourages students to take 15 credits per semester or 30 credits within the year in order to graduate in 4 years. To help students complete their academic degree program in four years, we provide a sample academic plan. Please work with your academic advisor to confirm your plan.

• Conservation Biology, B.S. 4-year plan guide

Related programs:

• Biology, B.S.-Human Dynamics specialization 4-year plan guide
• Medical Biology, B.S. 4-year plan guide
• Physiology, Cell, & Molecular Biology, B.S. 4-year plan guide
• Secondary Education, B.S.Ed.-Biology Education specialization 4-year plan guide 
• Sustainability (B.A., Human and Natural Systems) 4-year plan guide 
• Sustainability (B.S., Human and Natural Systems) 4-year plan guide  
• Sustainability (B.S., Environmental Science) 4-year plan guide

State Authorization - It Matters Where You Live

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference USD’s State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization