Biology: Marine Science and Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Sciences SF Scholars Roadmap
The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Units | |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I: Essential Concepts of Chemistry (Major Lower-Division Core) | 5 |
| ENG 114 | Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 | 3 |
| MATH 226 | Calculus I (Major Lower-Division Core, B4) 2 | 4 |
| GE Area A 3 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOL 230 | Introductory Biology I (Major Lower-Division Core) | 5 |
| BIOL 231 | Advising for Success as a Biology Major (Major Lower-Division Core) | 1 |
| CHEM 130 | General Organic Chemistry (Major Lower-Division Core) | 3 |
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 6 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOL 240 | Introductory Biology II (Major Lower-Division Core) 4 | 5 |
| Select One (Major Lower-Division Core): 5 | 4-5 | |
| General Chemistry II: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts and General Chemistry II Laboratory: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts |
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| Calculus II | ||
| Select One (Major Lower-Division Core): 5 | 4 | |
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory (B1, B3) |
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| General Physics with Calculus I and General Physics with Calculus I Laboratory (B1, B3) |
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| GE Area C | 3 | |
| Units | 16-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select One Set of Courses Not already Taken (Major Lower-Division Core): | 4-5 | |
| General Chemistry II: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts and General Chemistry II Laboratory: Quantitative Applications of Chemistry Concepts (Prerequisites for BIOL 580) |
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| Calculus II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory 6 |
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| General Physics with Calculus II and General Physics with Calculus II Laboratory 6 |
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| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area D - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 13-14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 6 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOL 355 | Genetics (Major Upper-Division Core) 7 | 3 |
| BIOL 458 | Biometry (Major Upper-Division Core) | 4 |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities (Consider SF State Studies Course) | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOL 337 | Evolution (Major Upper-Division Core) | 3 |
| Oceanography Elective - Select One 8 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences (Consider SF State Studies Course) | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 6 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOL 708 | Scientific Methods for Professional Aquatic Scientists (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| MSCI 709 | Foundations in Interdisciplinary Marine & Estuarine Science (Graduate Core) | 4 |
| GWAR Option - Select One 9 | 3-4 | |
| Major Upper-Division Electives (6-7 units) - Take One 10 | 3-4 | |
| Units | 13-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MSCI 715 | Writing for Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Scientists (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| Major Upper-Division Electives (6-7 units) - Take One 10 | 3-4 | |
| Graduate Electives (4-6 units) 11 | 4-6 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 13-16 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MSCI 717 | Professional Skills Workshop I: Data Analysis and Visualization (Graduate Core) | 2 |
| MSCI 718 | Writing and Professional Skills Workshop II (Graduate Core) | 2 |
| MSCI 788 | Professional Internship in Marine and Estuarine Sciences (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| MSCI 885 | Seminar in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Science (Graduate Core) | 2 |
| Units | 9 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MSCI 885 | Seminar in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Science (Gradaute Core) | 2 |
| MSCI 897 | Research (Graduate Core) | 4 |
| Select One (Culminating Experience): | 3-4 | |
| Field Study or Applied Research Project | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Units | 9-10 | |
| Total Units | 152-161 | |
| 1 | ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses. |
| 2 | To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start. |
| 3 | To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major. |
| 4 | GE Area B2 (Life Science) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 240. |
| 5 | Students are encouraged to take MATH 227 if they are taking PHYS 220/PHYS 222. |
| 6 | PHYS 111/PHYS 112 are prerequisites for PHYS 121/PHYS 122. PHYS 220/PHYS 222 are prerequisites for PHYS 230/PHYS 232. |
| 7 | Upper-Division General Education, Physical, and Life Sciences (UD-B) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 355. |
| 8 | Oceanography Elective - Select One BIOL 582 Biological Oceanography & Limnology (4 units) CHEM 680 Chemical Oceanography (3 units) ERTH 400 Earth Systems I (3 units) ERTH 434 Coastal Processes (3 units) ERTH 470 Physical Oceanography (4 units) |
| 9 | GWAR Option - Select One BIOL 344GW Research Skills - GWAR (3 units) BIOL 475GW Herpetology - GWAR (3 units) BIOL 478GW Ornithology - GWAR (4 units) BIOL 570GW Biology of Fishes - GWAR (4 units) BIOL 670GW Ecology and Evolution of Marine Systems I - GWAR (6 units) |
| 10 | Upper-Division Electives (6-7 units) BIOL 315 Field Methods in Ecology and Evolution (1 unit) BIOL 349 Bioethics (3 units) (UD-B, SJ) BIOL 350 Cell Biology (3 units) BIOL 356 Honors Genetics (2 units) BIOL 357 Molecular Genetics (3 units) BIOL 380 Evolutionary Developmental Biology (3 units) BIOL 382 Developmental Biology (3 units) BIOL 391 Microscopy and Photomicrography (2 units) BIOL 401 General Microbiology (3 units) BIOL 411 Environmental Microbiology (3 units) BIOL 460 General Entomology (4 units) BIOL 470 Natural History of Vertebrates (4 units) BIOL 482 Ecology (4 units) BIOL 502 Biology of the Algae (3 units) BIOL 525 Plant Physiology (3 units) BIOL 526 Plant Molecular Physiology Laboratory (2 units) BIOL 530 Conservation Biology (3 units) BIOL 532 Restoration Ecology (3 units) BIOL 534 Wetland Ecology (4 units) BIOL 555 Marine Invertebrate Zoology (4 units) BIOL 556 Natural History of Marine Invertebrates (4 units) BIOL 572 Colloquium in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation (2 units) BIOL 580 Limnology (3 units) BIOL 582 Biological Oceanography & Limnology (4 units) BIOL 585 Marine Ecology (3 units) BIOL 586GW Marine Ecology Laboratory - GWAR (4 units) BIOL 600 Animal Behavior (3 units) BIOL 607 Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals (3 units) BIOL 617 Environmental Physiology (3 units) BIOL 630 Animal Physiology (3 units) BIOL 631GW Animal Physiology Laboratory - GWAR (4 units) BIOL 644 LEADerS Service Learning Course: Learners Engaged in Advocating for Diversity in Science (4 units) or BIOL 654 Peer Assistants for Learning Science (PALS) (4 units) BIOL 670GW Ecology and Evolution of Marine Systems I - GWAR (6 units) BIOL 671 Ecology and Evolution of Marine Systems II (6 units) BIOL 699 Independent Study in Biology (1-3 units) GEOG 629 Coastal and Marine Applications of GIS (3 units) MSCI 306 Marine Science Diving and Boating (2 units) |
| 11 | Graduate Electives (4-6 units) Students can choose from a wide range of upper-division or graduate-level courses in consultation with their advisor. At least one course must be a graduate seminar such as from the list below: BIOL 863 Advances in Marine Biology (2 units) ERTH 795 Selected Topics in the Geosciences (3 units) GEOG 857 Issues in Marine and Estuarine Conservation (3 units) |
| ± | Given catalog rights, fall 2022 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course. |