University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
College of Biological Sciences
http://www.cbs.umn.edu/

CBS minors

To declare a minor in Biochemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or Plant Biology, please complete one of our online forms:
In each CBS minor, students must take the courses on an A-F basis and earn at least a C- in all credits counted toward the minor.

Biochemistry minor
Biology minor
Plant Biology minor
Microbiology minor
Pharmacology minor

Biochemistry minor

The Biochemistry minor is available to CBS students pursuing one of the other department majors. It is also available to non-CBS students. Students must complete the courses listed below.

  • BIOC 4331 Biochemistry I: Structure, Catalysis, and Metabolism in Biological Systems
    Prerequisite: Biol 1002 or 1009 or equiv; Chem 2302 or equiv or instructor consent. Registration by permission number is required if students have transfer or AP credit for prerequisites. For a permission number, please call the Biochemistry Department at 612-624-7232.
  • BIOC 4332 Biochemistry II: Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction and Gene Expression
    Prerequisite: BIOC 4331 or instructor consent.
  • BIOC 4025 Laboratory in Biochemistry
    Prerequisite BIOC 3021 or 4331

Biology minor

The Biology minor is available to non-CBS students only. Due to significant course overlap, the following majors will not be allowed to complete a biology minor: Biology, Society, and the Environment, Physiology, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Nutrition (Nutritional Science sub-plan only), Fisheries and Wildlife (all sub-plans), and individually designed programs with a life sciences emphasis. In addition, students pursuing a biochemistry minor are not allowed to receive a biology minor.

Transfer courses, AP/IB credit, or courses offered by non-CBS departments are only allowed for use in the biology minor for general biology, general chemistry, and a maximum of three credits of upper division coursework.

  • General Biology: Biol 1001 or 1009 or an equivalent course from a transfer institution
  • Chemistry: Chem 1021 or an equivalent course from a transfer institution
  • CBS Coursework: At least 12 total credits of 2xxx–5xxx level biological sciences coursework, including at least 3 credits at the 3xxx–5xxx level. Only courses with the following CBS designators or those cross-listed with CBS designators are allowed for use in the minor: BIOL, BIOC, EEB, GCD, MICB, NSCI, PBIO.

Plant Biology minor

Information about the Plant Biology minor.

Microbiology minor

Microbiology is a fascinating and important discipline that integrates information from many majors in the biological sciences. Beginning in the Fall semester of 2011, CBS will offer a 14 credit microbiology minor.  Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in order to declare the minor.  This minor is available to both CBS and non-CBS students. If you have taken VBS 2032 (or a non-majors microbiology course at another institution) and wish to pursue this minor, please contact Dr. Leslie Schiff by email (schif002@umn.edu). Transfer credit will only be accepted for the General Microbiology component of the minor. All upper division coursework needs to be completed at the University of Minnesota.

To declare the minor, please complete the Add/Drop a CBS Minor form. It will be added to the records of students with a 2.5 cumulative GPA effective for Fall 2011.

Microbiology Minor Requirements
Students should take MicB 3301 and two courses from the following list: MicB 4111, MicB 4121, MicB 4131, MicB 4151, MicB 4161 or MicB 4171.  In addition, one of the advanced lab options MicB 4215, MicB 4225 or MicB 4235 is required.

MICB 3301 - Biology of Microorganisms (5.0 cr) 
Take 2 or more course(s) totaling 6 or more credit(s) from the following:

  • MICB 4111 - Microbial Physiology and Diversity (3.0 cr)
  • MICB 4121 - Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4131 - Immunology (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4151 - Molecular and Genetic Bases for Microbial Diseases (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4161 - Eukaryotic Microbiology (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4171 - Biology, Genetics, and Pathogenesis of Viruses (3.0 cr) 

Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:

  • MICB 4215 - Advanced Laboratory: Microbial Physiology and Diversity (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4225 - Advanced Laboratory: Microbial Genetics (3.0 cr) 
  • MICB 4235 - Advanced Laboratory: Virology, Immunology, and Microbial Genetics (3.0 cr)

Pharmacology minor

Pharmacology is a scientific discipline that studies how drugs affect biological systems. Drugs are defined as chemical/biological agents that act on living organisms, mostly act by interacting with specific target molecules to produce a desired biological effect. Pharmacology is the foundation of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing and many other healthcare professions. Pharmacology is also an interdisciplinary discipline that employs scientific principles and experimental techniques of its own, as well as various biological disciplines such as physiology, biochemistry, cellular/molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, genetics, structural biology, and pathology, etc. A fundamental knowledge of the underlying biological processes is required to achieve the objectives of pharmacology study, including identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention, developing new therapeutics, understanding their mechanisms of action and the potential environmental/toxicological implications. For course descriptions, see the Pharmacology course catalog.

Admission Requirements

 

 

The minimum courses completed before admission: None.

Minimal GPA: 2.5
Pharmacology Minor length in credits: 12 credits

Pharmacology Minor Requirements:

  • Phcl 3100 - Pharmacology for Pre-Med and Life Science Students (2 credits, Spring)

7 -10 credits from the following courses:

  • Phcl 4001 - Mechanisms of Drug Action (2 credits, Fall)
  • Phcl 4010 - Current Research Topics in Pharmacology (new course) (1 credit, Fall and Spring) Students should take two credits, from any two semesters, to meet the requirement.
  • Phcl 5110 - Introduction to Pharmacology (3 credits, Fall)
  • Phcl 5111 - Pharmacogenomics (3 credits, Spring)

0-3 credits from the following courses:

  • Phcl 4993 - Directed Studies (1-3 credits, Fall and Spring; 1-2 credits, Summer)
  • Phcl 4994 - Directed Research (1-3 credits, Fall and Spring; 1-2 credits, Summer)
  • The folliwng upper level courses discussing biological problems (0-3 credits) PHSL 3xxx, PHSL 4xxx, PHSL 5xxx, BIOC 4xxx, BIOC 5xxx, BIOL 3xxx, BIOL 4xxx, BIOL 5xxx, NSCI 4xxx, NSCI 5xxx, GCD 4xxx, MICB 41xx.