HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
THE URBAN ECOLOGY BS MAJOR AN 8-SEMESTER STUDY GRID
This is simply an example of what 8 semesters might look like for incoming First-Year students. Shown below are major requirements and university general education requirements. If you declare your major later, or are a Transfer Student, your grid will look considerably different. Your course choices may vary. Note that you will complete your NS Distribution requirements taking degree courses. Advanced BIO courses are numbered BIO 020 and above. Up to 6 credits of Distribution courses may be taken during Study Abroad. At least 15 semester hours in the major field of study must be taken at Hofstra. BIO 100 is a required course, but can be taken in second or fourth years.
FIRST YEAR Fall BIO 12 – Animal Form & Function BIO 20 – Urban Habitats CHEM 3A,B WSC 001 Distribution Course (AA, CP, or LT)
Spring BIO 11 – Intro Cell Biology & Genetics BIO 15 – Scientific Process Skills CHEM 4A,B WSC 002 Distribution Course (AA, CP, or LT)
Summer/January Sessions
Fall BIO 14 - Ecology & Evolution
Spring BIO 13 - Plants, Protists, and Prokaryotes
Summer/January Sessions
CHEM 185 – Environmental Chemistry GEOG 006 (BH) – Resources and Energy Geography MATH 50/71 – Calculus
GEOL 5 – Environmental Geology TPP 115 – Environmental Planning
SECOND YEAR
THIRD YEAR Study Abroad Fall/Spring semester or an entire academic year; not restricted to Junior Year. 1 Fall Bio 114 – General Ecology Bio 100 – Biostatistics2 Geog 106 (BH, CC) – Urbanization in a Developing World
Spring Bio 115 – Conservation Biology Advanced BIO elective3 Geog 161 – GIS course
Summer/January Sessions
PHI 133 (HP) – Ethics and the Natural Environment FOURTH YEAR Fall Bio 185 - Urban Ecology Internship Advanced BIO elective3 ENGG 110 – Project Management Soc 141 (BH) – Urban and Community Studies
NOTES
Spring Bio 186 - Urban Ecology Internship Advanced BIO elective Bio 170 - Urban Ecology
Summer/January Sessions
1
In addition to going on study abroad for either semester in their third year, students can go for the entire academic year in their third year, for a semester in their second or fourth years, or for a short-term program in the summer or during the January break. Also, you may consider taking the 3 credit January Session study abroad program in the GalĂ pagos Islands and Ecuador (additional tuition and program fees, see more information below). 2
Biostatistics (BIO 100) is required. It may be taken in place of a 2nd math course or as a biology elective, but not both. BIO 100 can be switched with an advanced biology elective if Study Abroad spans the entire junior year. 3
Advanced Bio Electives chosen from Bio 108, Bio 116, Bio 147, Bio 154, Bio 175.
During some semesters, students will need to take more courses than shown on this list because students need 124 credits to graduate (including 47 credits in biology). This degree has reduced Distribution requirements and no language requirement. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA overall and in Biology courses.
For more information and to meet your faculty, visit our Department website at: https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/bio/index.html WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH AN URBAN ECOLOGY DEGREE? https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/bio/bio-urbanecology-career.html You are not required to take Summer or January courses (for which there is no financial aid). You can complete your degree of 124 credits taking five courses every semester because the required physics, chemistry, and calculus courses are 4 credit courses. Note that you can take up to 17 credits per semester without paying additional tuition. We encourage all BIOLOGY students to participate in internships, independent research ( https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/bio/bio-independet-research.html, https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/bio/bio-summer-research.html ), or other forms of experiential learning including the 3-credit January Session Study Abroad program in the GalĂ pagos Islands and Ecuador (https://www.hofstra.edu/pdf/academics/colleges/hclas/bio/bio_galapagos_poster.pdf) and Belize (https://www.instagram.com/hofstrainbelize/ ).