Botany Student Handbook

Requirements for the Botany Major

Students who major in Botany must have an overall GPA of 2.00 in all courses required for the major.  A minor is required.  The support courses required for Track A include those which meet a minor in Chemistry.  It is the student's responsibility to formally declare a minor in Chemistry and to get the minor cleared by the Chemistry Department at the time of graduation.  Other minors completed by Botany majors include Anthropology, Geography, Geology, Geospatial Analysis, Microbiology, and Zoology.

In being associated with the Botany Department, the faculty expect students to meet the department's Expectations of Students.

Botany Core Courses

The Botany Department requires all students who major in Botany to take a common set of core courses.  Botany LS1403/3403 provides majors an introduction to  environmental ethics.   Botany SI2104 and SI2114 provide an overview of the field of Botany.  One or both of these two courses is a prerequisite for all upper division courses in the department.  Botany 2121 serves as an introduction to the Botany program itself.  Students are strongly encouraged to take this course concurrently with Botany SI2104 or SI2114 if they have not yet taken 2121 prior to taking the two survey courses.  Students should take Botany 2600 prior to or concurrently with their first lab course.  Botany DV2303 enables Botany majors to meet the university diversity requirement within the major.   (Students in Track C who have already met the diversity requirement in another department can take Botany DV2303 to meet elective hours in Botany.)  

Botany Core Courses Required for Track A (lab emphasis) and Track B (field emphasis) (16 credit hours)

Botany Core Courses Required for Track C (general) (13 credit hours)

The core courses, combined with the upper division courses selected to complete the major, enable a student to meet the Department's  learning outcomes.  The Curriculum Grid that shows which specific skills, knowledge areas, and values are provided by each course should be consulted in conjunction with the full descriptions of the learning outcomes.  Whichever track a Botany major pursues (Track A - lab emphasis, Track B - field emphasis, Track C - general), the final assessment of a student's progress in meeting the learning outcomes is via the Botany Student Portfolio.  (Please refer to the Botany Department's Student Assessment Plan.)

A Botany major should take Botany 2121 (Career Planning for Botanists) as early as possible as this is the course that introduces students to the Portfolio system.  All upper division courses will include an interim assessment of the Portfolio which uses the Botany Student Portfolio Checklist.  The final assessment of the Portfolio will occur when a student takes Botany 4970 (Botany Thesis) or Botany 4990 (Seminar in Botany).

All upper division courses encourage the development of speaking skills by requiring students to give oral presentations.  The presentations are evaluated according to either the Botany Department evaluation form or a course-specific modification of this form.  The instructions for the presentations for the different courses can be found in the appropriate course syllabi.

Track A for the Botany major is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career primarily in laboratory-based work in the plant sciences.

Botany Courses Required (17-18 credit hours)

Elective Botany Courses (14 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

Required Support Courses (44-49 credit hours)

Track B for the Botany major is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career primarily in field botany.

Botany Courses Required (20-21 credit hours)

Elective Botany Courses (11 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

Required Support Courses (29-39 credit hours)

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Track C for the Botany major is intended for students who want  a broad exposure to the study of plants.  This track provides considerable flexibility for students who are undecided about their future career plans in botany.  Track C is also the most accommodating track for students who come to the Botany major late in their college careers.

Botany Courses Required (12-13 credit hours)

Elective Botany Courses (22 credit hours minimum; 6 lower division credit hours maximum)

Requried Support Courses (20-28 credit hours)

Last updated:  24 November 2003.  Contact:  sharley@weber.edu