Genetics is the scientific study of heredity. Understanding the basis of heredity is fundamental to all aspects of the life sciences, from the most basic molecular study to applied studies of agricultural species. At Iowa State University the study of the life sciences is interdepartmental, involving faculty in the basic, agricultural, and veterinary sciences. Faculty in 20 different departments are involved in genetics research. This large group of faculty presents a broad range of possibilities for students to learn from faculty who are at the forefront of research in many areas of genetics.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDY
Undergraduate study in genetics is jointly administered by three departments: the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology; the Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology; and the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. Undergraduate degrees are offered through both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Science. Programs of study for genetics majors leading to a B.S. degree are available.
Training in genetics may lead to employment in teaching, research, or a variety of health-related professions. Although some students find employment directly after their baccalaureate training, many students continue their education in graduate or professional programs. Students with the B.S. degree may find employment in the biotechnology, health, or food industries. Recent graduates have also developed careers in conservation biology, technical writing, science journalism, technical sales, and business.
The required course work and associated electives provide students with the foundation in basic life sciences, mathematics, chemistry, and physics that is essential for professions involving modern biological/biomedical sciences. As part of these courses students develop skills in problem solving, critical thinking, writing, and research-related activities in the biological sciences.
Specific entrance requirements for medical and health-related professions are established by the professional schools. Students interested in fulfilling pre-professional requirements for such professions as dentistry, human medicine, genetic counseling, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and veterinary medicine can major in genetics while fulfilling the pre-professional requirements.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon graduation, students earning the BS degree in Genetics are expected to have achieved the following skills and capabilities:
- Comprehensive, detailed understanding of the chemical basis of heredity.
- Comprehensive and detailed understanding of genetic methodology and how quantification of heritable traits in families and populations provides insight into cellular and molecular mechanisms.
- Understanding of how genetic concepts affect broad societal issues including health and disease, food and natural resources, environmental sustainability, etc.
- Understanding the role of genetic mechanisms in evolution.
- The knowledge required to design, execute, and analyze the results of genetic experimentation in animal and plant model systems.
- The ability to recognize the experimental rationale of genetic studies as they are described in peer-reviewed research articles and grant proposals to federal and other funding agencies.
- The ability to evaluate conclusions that are based on genetic data.
- Insight into the mathematical, statistical, and computational basis of genetic analyses that use genome-scale data sets in systems biology settings.
- Understanding the role of genetic technologies in industries related to biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, and other fields.
- Communication skills required in the discipline including oral presentations of research data, published research articles, grant proposals, and poster presentations at conferences.
- Teamwork and leadership skills including group analysis of data, working together in the research laboratory, joint compositions of written reports, substantive participation in research group meetings, etc.
CURRICULUM IN GENETICS - REQUIREMENTS
Total Degree Requirement: 120 cr.
A maximum of 65 cr. from a two-year institution can be applied that may include up to 16 technical cr.; up to 9 Pass-Not Pass cr. of free electives can be applied; a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is required for graduation. Program-approved lists can be found on the Genetics website.
1. Genetics and Life Sciences
A grade of C– or better is required in all Genetics and Life Science courses.
A. Courses required of all Genetics majors
| GEN 110 | Genetics Orientation | 1 |
| BIOL 211 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 211L | Principles of Biology Laboratory I | 1 |
| BIOL 212 | Principles of Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 212L | Principles of Biology Laboratory II | 1 |
| GEN 313 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| GEN 313L | Genetics Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 314 | Principles of Molecular Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 315 | Biological Evolution | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology | ||
| The Genome Perspective in Biology | ||
| Bioinformatics of OMICS | ||
| GEN 409 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| GEN 410 | Analytical Genetics | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Evolutionary Genetics | ||
| Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics | ||
| Molecular Phylogenetics | ||
| GEN 491 | Undergraduate Seminar, Professional Practice in Genetics Disciplines | 1 |
| MICRO 302 | Biology of Microorganisms | 3 |
| Total Credits | 35-36 | |
B. Course required of majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences only
| A minimum of 3 cr. of coursework in the area of environmental science from program approved list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
2. Advanced Sciences Electives: 6 cr. from program approved list
A grade of C- or better is required in each course. No more than 3 cr. of GEN 490, 490R, 490H, 492, 496, 499, or 499H may be used to meet this requirement.
3. Mathematical Sciences
| Complete at least one calculus course from MATH, minimum of 4 credits. | 4 | |
| Survey of Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Complete at least one course from STAT, minimum of 3 credits. | 3-4 | |
| Principles of Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Complete at least one additional course from MATH or STAT, minimum of 4 credits. | 4 | |
| Calculus II | ||
| Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods | ||
| Total Credits | 11-12 | |
4. Supporting Sciences
| CHEM 177 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 177L | Laboratory in General Chemistry I | 1 |
| CHEM 178 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 178L | Laboratory in College Chemistry II | 1 |
| CHEM 331 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 331L | Laboratory in Organic Chemistry I | 1 |
| CHEM 332 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 332L | Laboratory in Organic Chemistry II | 1 |
| PHYS 131 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 131L | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 132 | General Physics II | 4 |
| PHYS 132L | General Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| Choose one of the following options | 6-7 | |
| Option 1 | ||
| Biochemistry I | ||
And one of the following: | ||
| Biochemistry II | ||
| Techniques in Biochemical Research | ||
| Quantitative and Environmental Analysis and Quantitative and Environmental Analysis Laboratory | ||
| Chemical Thermodynamics | ||
| Option 2 | ||
| Mammalian Biochemistry | ||
And one of the following: | ||
| Techniques in Biochemical Research | ||
| Quantitative and Environmental Analysis and Quantitative and Environmental Analysis Laboratory | ||
| Chemical Thermodynamics | ||
| Total Credits | 33-34 | |
5. International Perspectives: 3 cr. from university approved list
This course can satisfy both the university requirement for International Perspectives and the college requirement for a General Education elective (item 8) if the selection appears on both lists of approved courses.
6. U.S. Diversity: 3 cr. from university approved list
This course can satisfy both the university requirement for U.S. Diversity and the college requirement for a General Education elective (item 8) if the selection appears on both lists of approved courses.
7. Communications/Information Literacy
A. Courses required of all Genetics majors
Grades of C or better are required in ENGL 250 and advanced writing. (The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences requires a C or better in ENGL 150, as well.)
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 250H | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition: Honors | |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| One advanced English writing course from program approved list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
B. Course required of majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences only.
A grade of C or better is required by the college.
| SP CM 212 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| or AGEDS 311 | Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
8. General Education electives
Courses from college approved lists that also appear on university approved lists of U.S. Diversity or International Perspectives courses can be used to satisfy both requirements.
A. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
| Humanities course from college approved list | 3 | |
| Social Science course from college approved list | 3 | |
| Ethics course from college approved list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
B. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
| Humanities courses from college approved list; one of these should be a Science/Humanities bridge course from program approved list | 12 | |
| Social Science courses from college approved list | 9 | |
| Students must have completed 3 years of a single world language in high school or take 4-8 credits of World Languages at the university level. | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Genetics, B.S.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| GEN 110 | 1 | ENGL 250 or Social Sciences Choice | 3 | ||
| BIOL 211 | 3 | BIOL 212 | 3 | ||
| BIOL 211L | 1 | BIOL 212L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 177 | 4 | CHEM 178 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 177L | 1 | CHEM 178L | 1 | ||
| ENGL 150 or 250 | 3 | MATH/STAT choice or Humanities Choice | 3-4 | ||
| LIB 160 | 1 | Consider Research (HON 290 or GEN 499) | 0-2 | ||
| MATH/STAT choice or Humanities Choice | 3-4 | ||||
| 17-18 | 14-17 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| BIOL 313 | 3 | BIOL 314 | 3 | Consider Internship, Study Abroad | |
| BIOL 313L | 1 | CHEM 332 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 331 | 3 | CHEM 332L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 331L | 1 | MICRO 302 | 3 | ||
| SP CM 212 | 3 | MATH/STAT Choice or Social Sciences* | 3-4 | ||
| MATH/STAT Choice or Social Sciences* | 3-4 | Ethics Choice | 3 | ||
| 14-15 | 16-17 | 0 | |||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| GEN 409 | 3 | BIOL 315 | 3 | Consider Research with Faculty | |
| U.S. Diversity/Social Sciences Choice | 3 | or Bioinformatics Choice | |||
| BIOL 315 | 3 | BBMB 405 | 3 | ||
| BBMB 404 | 3 | GEN 410 | 3 | ||
| PHYS 131 or 231 | 4 | GEN 491 (or Fall of Senior Year) | 1 | ||
| PHYS 131L or 231L | 1 | PHYS 132 | 4 | ||
| PHYS 132L | 1 | ||||
| 17 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| GEN 462 | 3 | Advanced Science Electives | 3-6 | ||
| STAT 301 (or Advanced Science Elective) | 4 | International Perspectives/Humanities | 3 | ||
| ENGL 312 (or other ENGL 302-316) | 3 | True Electives | 3-6 | ||
| Environmental Awareness Choice | 3-4 | ||||
| 13-14 | 9-15 | ||||
Undergraduate Minor
The minor in Genetics may be earned by completing the following courses. At least 9 cr. must be used only to fulfill the requirements of the minor and not be applied to any other major, college, or university requirement.
| GEN 313 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| GEN 313L | Genetics Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 314 | Principles of Molecular Cell Biology | 3 |
| GEN 410 | Analytical Genetics | 3 |
| GEN 409 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| Two or more additional credits in Genetics at the 300 level or above. | 2 | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |