SECTION IN INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO
The Integrative Biology Section within the Department of Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio has a broad biological perspective. This Section has degree programs similar to the other sections in the Biology Department, with the major differences pertaining to courses necessary to complete an emphasis in Integrative Biology.
The program philosophy in Integrative Biology is that understanding biological systems is best approached by including the study of multiple levels of biological organization including the molecular, organismal, population, and community levels. A diversity of disciplines will be present in the program to examine many levels of complexity in biology. The types of organisms studied range from bacteria and fungi through invertebrate and vertebrate animals, as well as the lower and higher plants.
The main focus in the Integrative Biology Section will be Global Change Biology. That is, changes in the biota of the Earth anticipated, expected, or unexpected in the future as the climate of the Earth is modified. Both Integrative Biology and Global Change Biology are relatively new, expanding areas of research. Under the umbrella of Global Change Biology, specific disciplines will be developed including ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and conservation.
A total of 120 hours are required for a major in Biology, 46 semester credit hours are required in Biology, 30 of which must be at the upper division level. Required classes for a B.S. degree in the Section of Integrative biology would be the same as for a B.S. in Biology and include the following:
Required: 29 semester credit hours as follows:
BIO 1122 Laboratory Investigation in Biology
BIO 1404 Biosciences I
BIO 1413 Biosciences II
BIO 2313, 2322 Genetics and Laboratory
BIO 3413, 3422 Biomedical Physiology and Lab
BIO 3513, 3522 Biochemistry and Laboratory
BIO 3813, 3822 Cellular Biology and Laboratory
One lecture and lab (5 semester credit hours) from the following:
BIO 3283, 3292 Principles of Ecology and Laboratory
BIO 3433, 3442 Neurobiology and Laboratory
BIO 3713, 3722 Microbiology and Laboratory
BIO 4143, 4152 Developmental Biology and Laboratory
Concentration in Integrative Biology-Ecology (12 semester credit hours)
Principles of Ecology (BIO 3283) and laboratory (3292) are required and if selected from the above group then 12 additional hours from the following upper-division elective courses or related courses must be selected:
BIO 4233 Field Biology
BIO 4043 Desert Biology
BIO 4033 Conservation Biology
BIO 3213 Animal Behavior
BIO 3323 Evolution
BIO 4053 Wildlife Biology
BIO 4203 Plant Ecology
BIO 4063 Ornithology
BIO 4083 Entomology
BIO 4923 Laboratory Research: Biology Concentrations
For an M.S. in Biology specializing in Integrative Biology-Ecology, 36 semester credit hours are required (Go to UTSA Biology, graduate programs or ecology for some specifics). All credit hours must be approved by the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record. These hours are subject to the following conditions:
A minimum of 18 semester hours of graduate credit in organized classes must be earned within the department. This may include up to 6 semester credit hours of approved upper-division undergraduate coursework and a maximum of 3 semester credit hours in a graduate seminar (BIO 7051).
An additional 18 semester hours of graduate credit as approved by the Graduate Advisor of Record. This may include a maximum of 6 hours of BIO 5973 Directed Research. For students electing the nonthesis option, a minimum of 3 semester credit hours of BIO 5973 must be included. Students electing the thesis option must complete 6 semester credit hours of BIO 6983 Master’s Thesis as part of this total.
A Ph.D. is available for students interested in Integrative Biology through The Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. program (Go to environmental science at UTSA in the Civil Engineering program for particulars).