The botany faculty have recently revised the major. These changes await final approval from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Agricultural Sciences. Pending their final approval, the B.S. in Botany major will have two tracks offered through the Department of Biology: Botanical Research and General Botany.
This page outlines two tracks to earn the botany degree. Many of these courses can be used to fulfill the college-level and general education requirements along the way. See here for details on college-level and general education requirements.
The Botanical Research track is for students who intend to pursue a graduate degree and requires research with a faculty member. This track provides some flexibility in tailoring the courses needed in order to pursue specific interests. Students are encouraged to consult with an adviser and botany faculty member when deciding on which courses to take.
Botanical Research track
A. Botanical research track – required foundation courses. Total credits 37 – 42:
1) BSC 2010/2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and lab (1) OR BOT2010C Introductory Botany (3)
2) BSC2011/BSC 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and lab (1) OR [preferred] BOT2011C* Plant diversity (4)
3) CHM2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and lab (1)
4) CHM2046 and CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and lab (1)
5) CHM2210 Organic Chemistry 1 (3) and CHM2211 Organic Chemistry 2 (3) OR CHM 3217 Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 1 (4) and CHM3218 Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 (4)
6) CHM2211L Organic Chemistry lab (2)
7) PHY2053/2053L Physics 1 (3) and lab (1) and PHY2054/2054L Physics 2 (3) and lab (1) OR PHY2048/2048L Physics with Calculus 1 (3) and lab (1) and PHY2049/2049L Physics with Calculus 2 (3) and lab (1)
8) Choose two of the following courses:
a. MAC 2311+ Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (4)
b. STA 2023+ Introduction to Statistics 1 (3)
c. COP 2800+ Computer Programming Using JAVA (3) , OR COP 3275 Computer Programming
Using C (3), OR BSC 2981 Python Programming for Biology (3) [see note below]
A. Botanical research track – required courses in the major. Total credits 32 – 36:
1) PCB3063 (4) OR AGR 3303 (3) Genetics
2) PCB4674 Evolution (4)
3) BOT3503/3503L Plant physiology (3) and lab (2)
4) Ecology and Florida biodiversity – Choose two of the following courses:
a. PCB4043C General ecology (4)
b. PCB3601C Plant ecology (3)
c. BOT3151C Local flora (3)
d. BSC3307 Climate Change Biology (4)
5) BOT2710C Practical plant taxonomy (3)
6) Cells and tissues requirement – Choose one of the following courses:
a. BOT4935/5225C Plant anatomy (4)
b. PCB 3023 Essential Cell Biology (3)
c. BCH 4024 Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (4)
7) Biodiversity breadth requirement: choose one course from the following list (3-4):
a. BOT2011C* (4)
b. ZOO4307C Vertebrate Biodiversity (4)
c. ZOO4926 Mammalogy (3)
d. ZOO4205C Invertebrate Biodiversity (4)
e. ENY 3005 (2) and ENY3005L (1) Principles of Entomology
f. WIS4934 Mammalogy (3)
g. PLP3002C Fundamentals of Plant Pathology (4)
h. PLP3653C Introductory Mycology (4)
i. MCB2003/ MCB 2000L Microbiology (3) and lab (1)
j. MCB3020/ MCB3020L Basic Biology of Microorganisms (3) and lab (1)
8) Research requirement: BOT 4910 Individual Studies in Botany (2) AND BSC3911 Entering Research in Biology (1) must be taken concurrently; AND BSC4936 Critical Analysis of Research (2).
Plus electives and college-level requirements
Grand total: 120 credits for the B.S. Botany – Botanical research track
The General Botany track is for students who may not intend to pursue a graduate degree but are interested in a career in plant biology. This track provides some flexibility in tailoring the courses needed in order to pursue specific interests. Students are encouraged to consult with an adviser and botany faculty member when deciding on which courses to take.
General Botany track
B. General Botany track – required foundation courses. Total credits 29 – 32:
1) BSC 2010/2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and lab (1) OR BOT2010C Introductory Botany (3)
2) BSC2011/BSC 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and lab (1) OR [preferred] BOT2011C* Plant diversity (4)
3) CHM2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and lab (1)
4) CHM2046 and CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and lab (1)
5) CHM2200/2200L Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry (3) and lab (1)
6) PHY2004/2004L Applied Physics 1 (3) and lab (1)
7) Choose two of the following courses:
a. MAC 1147+ Precalculus: Algebra and Trigonometry (4) OR MAC 2311+ Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (4)
b. STA 2023+ Introduction to Statistics 1 (3)
c. COP 2800+ Computer Programming Using JAVA (3) , OR COP 3275 Computer Programming
Using C (3), OR BSC 2981 Python Programming for Biology (3) [see note below]
B. General Botany track – required courses in the major. Total credits 34 – 42:
1) PCB3063 (4) OR AGR 3303 (3) Genetics
2) PCB4674 Evolution (4)
3) BOT3503/3503L Plant physiology (3) and lab (2)
4) Ecology and Florida biodiversity – Choose two of the following courses:
a. PCB4043C General ecology (4)
b. PCB3601C Plant ecology (3)
c. BOT3151C Local flora (3)
d. BSC3307 Climate Change Biology (4)
5) BOT2710C Practical plant taxonomy (3)
6) Cells and tissues requirement – Choose one of the following courses:
a. BOT4935/5225C Plant anatomy (4)
b. PCB 3023 Essential Cell Biology (3)
7) Biodiversity breadth requirement: choose one course from the following list (3-4):
a. BOT2011C*
b. ZOO4307C Vertebrate Biodiversity (4)
c. ZOO4926 Mammalogy (3)
d. ZOO4205C Invertebrate Biodiversity (4)
e. ENY 3005 (2) and ENY3005L (1) Principles of Entomology
f. WIS4934 Mammalogy (3)
g. PLP3002C Fundamentals of Plant Pathology (4)
h. PLP3653C Introductory Mycology (4)
i. MCB2003/MCB 2000L Microbiology (3) and lab (1)
j. MCB3020/ MCB3020L Basic Biology of Microorganisms (3) and lab (1)
8) BSC4936 Critical Analysis of Research (3)
9) Biology electives – choose two from any course above or other approved electives (see below) (4-8)
Plus other electives and college-level requirements
Grand total: 120 credits for the B.S. Botany – General Botany track
Recommended and approved electives (some courses may have prerequisites):
AGG3501 Environment, Food and Society (3)
AGR4304 Plant Chromosomes and Genomes (3)
AGR4320 Plant Breeding (3)
AGR4512 Physiology and Ecology of Crops (3)
ALS4163 Challenges in Plant Resource Protection (3)
BCH5045 Graduate Survey of Biochemistry (Online) (4)
BCH3023 Elementary Organic and Biological Chemistry (Online) (3)
BOT2800C Plants in Human Affairs (3)
BOT4053 Practical Experience in Teaching Botany (2)
BOT4621 Plant Geography (2)
BOT4935 Special Topics in Botany (2-4)
BOT4935/5305 Paleobotany (3)
BSC2862 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (3)
BSC2930 Introduction to Phage Isolation, Genome Sequencing, and Analysis (2)
BSC3402 Theory and Practice in the Biological Sciences (2)
BSC4434 Introduction to Bioinformatics (3)
ENY 4161 Insect Classification (3)
FNR 3131C Dendrology/Forest Plants (3)
FOR2662 Forests for the Future (3)
FOR3153 Forest Ecology (3)
FOR3342C Tree Biology (3)
FOR4060 Global Forests (3)
HOS3305 Introduction to Plant Molecular Biology (3)
HOS4304 Horticultural Physiology (3)
HOS4313C Laboratory Methods in Plant Molecular Biology (2)
HOS4341 Advanced Horticultural Physiology (3)
MCB4304 Genetics of Microorganisms (3)
MCB4320C Bacterial Genome Sequencing and Analysis (3)
MCB4503 General Virology (3)
MCB4652 Environmental Microbiology (3)
ORH3513C Environmental Plant Identification and Use (3)
ORH3773 Public Gardens (2)
ORH3815C Florida Native Landscaping (3)
PCB4553 Population Genetics (4)
PCB5338 Principles of Ecosystem Ecology (3)
PLP2060 Molds, Mildews, Mushrooms and Man (3)
PLP3230 Survey of Plant Pathogens (3)
PLS2003 Plants that Feed the World (3)
PLS3004C Principles of Plant Science (3)
PLS3221 (2) and 3221L (1) Plant Propagation and Lab
PLS4601C Principles of Weed Science (3)
+These courses can be used to fulfill the university-wide math requirement.
NOTE: COP 3275 Computer Programming Using C (3) and BSC 2981 Python Programming for Biology can be used to fulfill the foundation requirements, but do NOT fulfill the university-wide math requirement.
* Students who choose BOT2011C to fulfill the foundation requirements may not use BOT2011C to fulfill the biodiversity breadth requirements for the major.