| NOTE: | The information in this file matches the corresponding print edition. More current information may be found at www.asu.edu/aad/catalogs/. |
Professors: Arntzen, Backhaus, Frasch, Hoober, Klopatek, Nash, Sommerfeld, Trelease, Vermaas, Webber, Young
Associate Professors: Briggs, Clark, Day, Martin, Mason, Pigg, Ramakrishna, Roberson, Stromberg, Stutz, Szarek, Towill, Wu
Assistant Professors: Rhoads, Wojciechowski
Assistant Research Professors: Hu, Joshi, Mor, Walmsley
Senior Research Scientist: LoBrutto
Associate Research Scientist: Bingham
Senior Research Specialist: Sharp
Herbarium Curator: Landrum
Effective July 2003, the Departments of Biology, Microbiology, and Plant Biology merge to become the School of Life Sciences.
The faculty of plant biology provides four curricular options to meet the needs of students whose interests are in rapidly expanding areas within the life sciences. Students may choose the general program option which allows the opportunity to develop strength in one area or discipline. Others may choose to design a more specific, but interdisciplinary, program in one of the following three optional concentrations: environmental science and ecology, plant biochemistry and molecular biology, and urban horticulture.
Each concentration promotes interaction between diverse groups and captures the growing interdisciplinary nature of scientific investigations. When one of these options is chosen, the title will appear on transcripts and other university documents.
The four curricular options prepare students for careers in technical, industrial, and educational fields as well as professional degree programs in medicine or research and postgraduate education in the life sciences.
Plant biology faculty, in cooperation with microbiology faculty, also administer the B.S. degree program in Molecular Biosciences/Biotechnology. This major is for students interested in molecular and cellular biology and its application to biotechnology. For more information about this area of study, see “Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology.”
The B.S. degree in Plant Biology consists of a minimum of 38 semester hours in plant biology and approved life science and physical science courses. Required courses are as follows:
| BIO 320 | Fundamentals of Ecology (3)
or BIO 340 General Genetics (4) |
| BIO 353 | Cell Biology (3) |
| PLB 200 | Biology of Plants SQ* (3) |
| PLB 201 | Biology of Plants Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| PLB 306 | Plant Anatomy (4) |
| PLB 308 | Plant Physiology (4) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3)
or PLB 499 Individualized Instruction (3) |
| Total: 21–22 |
| * | Both PLB 200 and 201 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining hours to bring the total to 38 are selected from among relevant courses in plant biology, other life sciences, and physical sciences.
Required supplemental courses in chemistry and mathematics are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry SQ (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis SQ (5) |
| Choose between the organic chemistry course combinations below (4 or 8) | |
| CHM 231 Elementary Organic Chemistry SQ* (3) | |
| CHM 235 Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory SQ* (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| CHM 331 General Organic Chemistry (3) | |
| CHM 332 General Organic Chemistry (3) | |
| CHM 335 General Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1) | |
| CHM 336 General Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1) | |
| MAT 251 | Calculus for Life Sciences MA (3) |
| Total: 16 or 20 | |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
Courses meeting the university computer/statistics/quantitative applications requirement are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| PLB 430 | Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science CS (3)
or PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology CS (3) or BIO 415 Biometry CS (4) |
Three special concentration programs are optional. Students who wish to pursue the general program in Plant Biology are not obligated to choose one of these specific programs. Each special concentration program is expected to be interdisciplinary and contain course work outside both Plant Biology and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Each concentration includes hands-on technical training.
Environmental Science and Ecology. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology with a concentration in environmental science and ecology consists of a minimum of 44 semester hours in plant biology and approved life science and physical science courses. Required courses are as follows:
| BIO 320 | Fundamentals of Ecology (3) |
| Choose between the geology course combinations below (4) | |
| GLG 101 Introduction to Geology (Physical) SQ, G1 (3) | |
| GLG 103 Introduction to Geology I—Laboratory SQ1 (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| GLG 110 Geologic Disasters and the Environment SG, G2 (3) | |
| GLG 111 Geologic Disasters Laboratory SG2 (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| GPH 111 Introduction to Physical Geology SQ (4) | |
| PLB 200 | Biology of Plants SQ3 (3) |
| PLB 201 | Biology of Plants Laboratory SQ3 (1) |
| PLB 310 | The Flora of Arizona (4) |
| PLB 322 | Environmental Science (Major) (3) |
| PLB 420 | Plant Ecology: Organisms and Populations (3)
or PLB 421 Plant Ecology: Communities and Ecosystems (3) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3)
or PLB 499 Individualized Instruction (3) |
| Total: 24 | |
| 1 | Both GLG 101 and 103 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
| 2 | Both GLG 110 and 111 must be taken to secure SG credit. |
| 3 | Both PLB 200 and 201 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining hours to bring the total to 44 are selected from among relevant courses in plant biology, other life sciences, and physical sciences.
Required supplemental courses in chemistry and mathematics are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry SQ (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis SQ (5) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry SQ* (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| MAT 251 | Calculus for Life Sciences MA (3) |
| Total: 16 |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
Courses meeting the university computer/statistics/quantitative applications requirement are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| PLB 430 | Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science CS (3)
or PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology CS (3) or BIO 415 Biometry CS (4) or STP 420 Introductory Applied Statistics CS (3) |
Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology with a concentration in biochemistry and molecular biology consists of 56 semester hours.
The required major courses are as follows:
| BIO 353 | Cell Biology (3) |
| MBB 245 | Cellular and Molecular Biology SQ* (3) |
| MBB 246 | Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| PLB 308 | Plant Physiology (4) |
| PLB 350 | Applied Genetics (4) |
| PLB 444 | Plant Growth and Development (3) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3)
or PLB 499 Individualized Instruction (3) |
| Total: 21 |
| * | Both MBB 245 and 246 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
Required supplemental courses in biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics, and physics are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| Choose between the course combinations below (4 or 9) | |
| BCH 361 Principles of Biochemistry (3) | |
| BCH 367 Elementary Biochemistry Laboratory (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| BCH 461 General Biochemistry (3) | |
| BCH 462 General Biochemistry (3) | |
| BCH 467 Analytical Biochemistry Laboratory L (3) | |
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry SQ (4) |
| CHM 115 | General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis SQ (5) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry SQ1 (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory SQ1 (1) |
| MAT 251 | Calculus for Life Sciences MA (3) |
| PHY 111 | General Physics SQ2 (3) |
| PHY 112 | General Physics SQ3 (3) |
| PHY 113 | General Physics Laboratory SQ2 (1) |
| PHY 114 | General Physics Laboratory SQ3 (1) |
| Total: 28 or 33 | |
| 1 | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
| 2 | Both PHY 111 and 113 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
| 3 | Both PHY 112 and 114 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining hours to bring the total to 56 are selected from among relevant courses in plant biology, other life sciences, and physical sciences.
Courses meeting the university computer/statistics/quantitative applications requirement are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| BIO 406 | Computer Applications in Biology CS (3)
or MAT 351 Mathematical Methods for Genetic Analysis CS (3) |
Urban Horticulture. The B.S. degree in Plant Biology concentrating in urban horticulture consists of a minimum of 46 semester hours in plant biology and approved life science and physical science courses.
Required courses are as follows:
| PLB 200 | Biology of Plants SQ* (3) |
| PLB 201 | Biology of Plants Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| PLB 260 | Plants in Cities: Introduction to Urban Horticulture SG (4) |
| PLB 306 | Plant Anatomy (4)
or PLB 308 Plant Physiology (4) or BIO 320 Fundamentals of Ecology (3) |
| PLB 362 | Landscape Plants (3) |
| PLB 364 | Urban Forestry (3) |
| PLB 366 | Interiorscape (3)
or PLB 372 Turf Management (3) or PLB 472 Greenhouse/Nursery Management (3) |
| PLB 370 | Environmental Landscape Management (3) |
| PLB 414 | Plant Pathology L (3) |
| PLB 484 | Internship (3) |
| PLB 498 | PS: Urban Horticulture (1) |
| Total: 30–31 |
| * | Both PLB 200 and 201 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining hours to bring the total to 46 are selected from relevant courses in plant biology, other life sciences, and physical sciences.
Required supplemental courses in chemistry, mathematics, and soils are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| Choose between the course combinations below (4) |
| ABS 225 Soils (3) | |
| ABS 226 Soils Laboratory (1) | |
| ——— or ——— | |
| ERS 130 Introduction to Environmental Science SQ (4) | |
| CHM 101 | Introductory Chemistry SQ (4) |
| CHM 231 | Elementary Organic Chemistry SQ* (3) |
| CHM 235 | Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| MAT 251 | Calculus for Life Sciences MA (3) |
| Total: 15 | |
| * | Both CHM 231 and 235 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
Courses meeting the university computer/statistics/quantitative applications requirement are as follows (a minimum of “C” is required for all course work):
| PLB 430 | Statistical Analyses in Environmental Science CS (3)
or PLB 432 Computer Applications in Biology CS (3) or BIO 415 Biometry CS (4) |
| Total: – |
The minor can be designed after the curricular options offered. Variations to the minor for the plant biochemistry and molecular biology option are also listed below. Courses not available for credit for majors in the life sciences cannot be used for the minor. A Plant Biology minor is not available to students majoring in the life sciences.
The minor consists of a minimum of 24 semester hours. Required courses are as follows:
| PLB 200 | Biology of Plants SQ* (3) |
| PLB 201 | Biology of Plants Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| PLB 306 | Plant Anatomy (4)
or PLB 308 Plant Physiology (4) or PLB 310 The Flora of Arizona (4) |
| Total: 8 |
| * | Both PLB 200 and 201 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining 16 hours are selected by the student through consultation with an academic advisor. Eight of these 16 hours must be in upper-division courses in the life sciences or other advisor-approved areas.
| Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Option | |
| BIO 353 | Cell Biology (3)
or PLB 308 Plant Physiology (4) or PLB 350 Applied Genetics (4) |
| MBB 245 | Cellular and Molecular Biology SQ* (3) |
| MBB 246 | Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory SQ* (1) |
| Total: – | |
| * | Both MBB 245 and 246 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
The remaining 16 to 17 hours are selected by the student through consultation with an academic advisor. Eight to nine of these 16 to 17 hours must be in upper-division courses in the life sciences or other advisor-approved areas.
Concentrations in plant biology (with options in environmental science and ecology, molecular biosciences/biotechnology, and urban horticulture) are available under the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) degree, a program intended for the student who has academic interests that might not be satisfied with existing majors. Building on two academic concentrations (or one double concentration) and an interdisciplinary core, students in the B.I.S. program take active roles in creating their educational plans and defining their career goals. For more information, see Division of Undergraduate Academic Services, “Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.”
The plant biology faculty offer programs leading to the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. The faculty also participate in programs leading to the Master of Natural Science degree when one of the concentrations is plant biology. Plant biology faculty members participate in the interdisciplinary program for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Other select faculty collaborate in the interdisciplinary concentration in ecology.
| Plant Biology (PLB) Courses |
| Omnibus Courses: See omnibus courses that may be offered. |
| Page Last Updated:
November 16, 2005 | Visits to this page: |