Our undergraduate program is designed to provide flexibility and personal attention. Each student plans an individualized program of study in consultation with a faculty advisor. Students have many opportunities to interact closely with faculty through field, lab and research experiences. Areas of student research include ecology, evolution, cell and molecular biology, growth and development, and physiology (see our departmental web page for a list of completed student projects). Popular study opportunities include our biennial trip to Costa Rica and student-initiated research projects at our internationally known Proctor Maple Research Center or at the Pringle Herbarium, the third largest plant collection in New England. To learn more about our undergraduate program, visit the Plant Biology Department web site at www.uvm.edu/~plantbio/.
Basic Course Requirements (45-48 credits) - required for all concentrations:
BCOR 011,BCOR 012, BCOR 101
PBIO 104
CHEM 31, CHEM 32, CHEM 141, CHEM 142*
MATH 019 and MATH 020; or MATH 021 and MATH 022
One UVM Physics course with laboratory or equivalent
STAT 141, STAT 211, or NR 140.
*Students desiring an especially strong foundation in chemistry may instead enroll in the quivalent courses for chemistry majors: CHEM 035, CHEM 036, CHEM 0143, CHEM 144.
Students must also complete the requirements for one of the following concentrations:
General Plant Biology Concentration Requirements
:
This concentration offers broad training at all levels of plant biology ranging from molecular biology to plant communities. Students have the flexibility to study plants from many perspectives and to understand how the diverse areas are interrelated. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, can choose courses that meet their individual needs and interestts. Students are encouraged to perform undergraduate research working directly with departmental faculty on laboratory or field projects in plant biology.
In addition to the basic course requirements for our departmental major, this concentration has the following requirements and electives:
Concentration Requirements (8 hours):
PBIO 108 or PBIO 109
BCOR 102.
Plus at least 18 credit hours (including at least two 200-level Plant Biology courses) selected in consultation with your advisor. An up-to-date list of approved courses for this concentration may be found on the department's website.
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Plants Concentration Requirements
:
This concentration offers broad training in organismal biology, with emphasis on population and physiological ecology, community structure and function, and plant evolution and diversity. Students choose from a menu of options in fulfilling most requirements; this flexible curriculum enables students to select from a wide range of courses while achieving proficiency in ecology and evolution of plants. Students are encouraged to initiate an independant research project with one of our faculty.
In addition to the basic course requirements for our departmental major, this concentration has the following requirements and electives:
Concentration Requirements (12 hours):
PBIO 108, PBIO 109
BCOR 102
Plus at least 15 credit hours (including at least one ecology course and two 200-level Plant Biology courses) selected in consultation with your advisor. An up-to-date list of approved courses for this concentration may be found on the department's website.
This concentration focuses on the inner workings of plants at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Although the basic cellular functions of plants are the same as those of animals, plants face unique challenges and have evolved interesting solutions. To understand the unique biology of plants within a context of what is known about other organisms, courses examining the biochemistry and molecular biology are supplemented by courses on the molecular funtions and development of other organisms. In addition to coursework, students are encouraged to get hands-on laboratory experience by taking advantage of the many opportunities to participate in independent research with department faculty.
In addition to the basic course requirements for our departmental major this concentration has the following requirements and electives:
Concentration Requirements (12-16 credits):
PBIO 201 and PBIO 202; or BIOC 205, BIOC 206, and BIOC 207
MMG 101
BCOR 103
Plus at least 12 credit hours (including at least two 100- or 200-level Plant Biology courses) selected in consultation with your advisor. An up-to-date list of approved courses for this concentration may be found on the department's website.
