Major in Biomedical Sciences

The Major in Biomedical Sciences prepares students for a wide variety of opportunities which have a basis in cellular and molecular biology, human/animal anatomy, and physiology. In addition to enrolling in required courses, students will have opportunities to engage in elective courses and laboratory research in specialty areas of endocrinology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, neurophysiology, reproductive physiology, and cardiopulmonary physiology. In this process, students are able to tailor their educational experiences to specific career objectives. The curriculum will prepare graduates to pursue further studies in professional schools for medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and optometry, as well as other programs such as nursing, physician assistant and physical therapy. This major will also prepare students for graduate studies in animal and human health sciences as well as for employment in a variety of innovative and developing fields in biotechnology.

The basic science curriculum meets many requirements for entrance into professional schools. Experiential learning opportunities are encouraged and could include participating in laboratory research, teaching/tutoring in selected courses, volunteer experiences and leadership positions within student club(s), study abroad, internships, and honors curriculum. These opportunities are encouraged with the student’s interests and career goals as the focus.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Obtain a solid background in anatomy and physiology, and integrate knowledge from the molecular to the systemic level.
2. Demonstrate strong writing and oral communication skills.
3. Develop scientific hypotheses and experiments to test them.
4. Work effectively in groups.
5. Demonstrate effective organization, leadership, and laboratory skills.
6. Think critically and logically.

Potential Occupations

A Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences will provide students with a variety of opportunities for further study or employment in the broad area of biomedical sciences. The coursework is designed to prepare students for health-related graduate and professional programs. Post-graduate opportunities will include additional studies in specialty areas of physiology such as neuroscience, reproductive endocrinology, cardiopulmonary, and patho-physiology. Employment opportunities can be found in government at the local, state, and national levels; research in a variety of settings such as university, industry, and private laboratories; education; administration and management; and industry such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Students will be exposed to skill sets which are necessary in a competitive, ever changing job market.

Concentrations

The following concentrations have been converted into individual majors administered by three different departments. Students are no longer being admitted into these concentrations:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Environmental Public Health
• Microbiology and Infectious Disease

The Anatomy and Physiology Concentration is very similar to the new Major in Biomedical Sciences (see the Requirements and Major Completion Map tabs above).

Interested students should visit the new Major in Environmental Public Health (administered by the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences) and the new Major in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (administered by the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Effective Fall 2026

Biomedical Sciences Electives

• BMS 260 may count as an Elective. Freshmen must take BMS 260.
• BMS 330 may count as an Elective if either BMS 301 or BMS 305 were taken to satisfy the anatomy requirement in the Junior year.
• BMS 345, BMS 420, and BMS 460 may count as  Electives if not taken to satisfy All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) Category 4 in the major.
• BMS 384 may be taken for a maximum of 3 credits.
• A maximum total of 3 credits earned in BMS 487, BMS 495, and BMS 498 may count toward the Electives. Additional credits earned in these courses will count as free elective credits.
• Only one of the following courses may count as an  Elective: BMS 496A, BMS 496B, BMS 496C, BMS 496D. Additional credits earned in these courses will count as free elective credits.
• CHEM 343 may count as an  Elective for students who select organic chemistry Group B in the Sophomore year.
• A maximum total of 4 credits earned in ANEQ 320, ERHS 210, ERHS 220, ERHS 332, ERHS 430, FSHN 350, HES 403, MIP 315, MIP 351, OT 215, and PHIL 322 may count toward the Electives. Additional credits earned in these courses will count as free elective credits.
  
   

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BC 463	Molecular Genetics	3
BC 465	Molecular Regulation of Cell Function	3
BMS 192	First Year Seminar in Biomedical Sciences	1
BMS 260	Biomedical Sciences 1	3
BMS 304	Applied Food and Fiber Animal Anatomy	3
BMS 325	Cellular Neurobiology	3
BMS 330	Microscopic Anatomy 1	4
BMS 345	Functional Neuroanatomy 1	4
BMS 384	Supervised College Teaching 1	1-3
BMS 401	Laboratory Research in Biomedical Sciences	4
BMS 405	Nerve and Muscle-Toxins, Trauma and Disease	3
BMS 409	Human and Animal Reproductive Biology	3
BMS 420	Cardiopulmonary Physiology 1	3
BMS 425	Introduction to Systems Neurobiology	3
BMS 430	Endocrinology	3
BMS 450	Pharmacology	3
BMS 460	Essentials of Pathophysiology 1	3
A maximum of 3 credits may selected from the following:
BMS 487	Internship 1
BMS 495	Independent Study 1
BMS 498	Research 1
A maximum of one course may selected from the following:
BMS 496A	Honors: Human Gross Anatomy 1
BMS 496B	Honors: Physiology Lab 1
BMS 496C	Honors: Physiology Case Studies 1
BMS 496D	Honors: Animal Gross Anatomy 1
BMS 500	Mammalian Physiology I	4
BMS 501	Mammalian Physiology II	4
BMS 521	Comparative Reproductive Physiology	3
BMS 531	Domestic Animal Dissection	3
BMS 575	Human Anatomy Dissection	4
BZ 220	Introduction to Evolution	3
CHEM 343	Modern Organic Chemistry II 1	3
MIP 342	Immunology	4
PH 122	General Physics II (GT-SC1)	5
A maximum of four credits may selected from the following:
ANEQ 320	Principles of Animal Nutrition 1
ERHS 210	Cancer Biology, Medicine, and Society 1
ERHS 220	Introduction to Environmental Public Health 1
ERHS 332	Principles of Epidemiology 1
ERHS 430	Human Disease and the Environment 1
FSHN 350	Human Nutrition 1
HES 403	Physiology of Exercise 1
MIP 315	Pathology of Human and Animal Disease 1
MIP 351	Medical Bacteriology 1
OT 215	Medical Terminology 1
PHIL 322	Biomedical Ethics 1

¹

 See Concentration Elective notes directly above the course list. 

²

Select enough free electives at student's discretion to complete degree program of 120 credits. Enough upper division (300- and 400-level) credits must be taken to bring total number of upper division credits to 42.

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
To Declare Major: competitive entry controls required and capped enrollment in place. Please contact Director of Student Success in the CVMBS Student Success Center for more information.

To Prepare for First Semester:   The curriculum for the major assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus.  Entering students who are not prepared to take calculus will need to fulfill pre‐calculus requirements in the first semester.  Those pre‐calculus requirements are listed as benchmark courses in Freshman Semester 1 below. LIFE 102 requires high school chemistry as a prerequisite; CHEM 111 requires Algebra II as a prerequisite (this prerequisite is met by having Algebra II by test credit, transfer credit, or placement out of MATH 117 and MATH 118 on Math Placement Exam.