Overview
The interdepartmental undergraduate BPM I major is designed for students who want to combine their interests and aptitudes in science and art. Based on the theme of Communicating Science Through Art, the major prepares students for careers in biological visualization/illustration or for graduate education in medical visualization/illustration. Graduates enter fields such as biocommunications, environmental display design, freelance illustration, UX/UI and museum display design, creative technologies, instructional design, and various careers in the publishing, research and education, and visual communication industries.
Student Learning Outcomes
Throughout its over 35-year existence, the underlying philosophy of BPM I has been to emphasize both art and science; students take approximately equal credit hours in the two major areas. Another important guiding principle has been visual thinking and problem-solving, and a third is maintaining student proficiency in a wide range of visual communication methods and technologies so they have the skill to choose the most effective tools for a given communication objective. Upon completion of the BPM I Program, graduates will:
- implement effective academic research methods and concept development processes for producing meaningful educational visual solutions
- demonstrate advanced science knowledge in a science focus area of choice (for example, pre-medical, or non-medical areas of life and earth science)
- demonstrate the ability to deconstruct and visualize complex science in order to create accessible, accurate, aesthetic, and meaningful visual representations, including diagrammatic, realistic, and symbolic, for a range of outputs (print, modeled, online, mobile)
- implement interdisciplinary thinking in team-based and independent projects
- flexibly adapt to new technology and communication challenges
- showcase and analyze works by articulating key visual elements in formal presentations, in written and oral format, and during assessments and critiques
- demonstrate effective use of design principles, problem solving skills, and visual organization
- demonstrate career-readiness and professional practice competencies
- exhibit an academic trajectory for engaging in life-long learning
Entrance Requirements
Entrance into the BPM I program is by application to the BPM I Advisory Committee. Eligibility is based on an academic standard of at least 2.00 cumulative GPA on 30 credits of university level work and a consideration of artistic ability as demonstrated through submission of a portfolio of representative drawings or other art work. Freshman and transfer students usually declare pre-BPM I as their major while satisfying the conditions for entrance into the major, although other majors can be declared.
Degree Requirements
The information below outlines the specific requirements for a BA degree in Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration (BPM I). There are four components to a degree in BPM I:
- Liberal arts general education
- Science core and advanced courses
- Art core and advanced courses
- Electives
Part 1. College Requirements
a. Communication Proficiency Requirements
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication (grade of C or better) | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (grade of C or better) | 3 |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| 3 |
| Business Communication | |
| Creative Writing: Playwriting | |
| 0-8 |
| |
| Total Credits | 10-18 |
B. Liberal Arts and Sciences Requirements*
| ** | 12 |
| |
| MATH 104 | Introduction to Probability | 3-4 |
| or MATH 140 | College Algebra |
| or MATH 143 | Preparation for Calculus |
| or MATH 165 | Calculus I |
| or STAT 101 | Principles of Statistics |
| or STAT 104 | Introduction to Statistics |
| or COM S 107 | Windows Application Programming |
| |
CHEM 163
& 163L | College Chemistry
and Laboratory in College Chemistry | 5 |
or CHEM 177
& 177L | General Chemistry I
and Laboratory in General Chemistry I |
CHEM 231
& 231L | Elementary Organic Chemistry
and Laboratory in Elementary Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| *** | 9 |
| Total Credits | 33-34 |
Part 2. Course Requirements for Major in BPM I (continued in Part 3)
A. Biological Sciences Core
| LAS 293D | Special Projects: General (F.) | 1 |
| or LAS 101 | Orientation for Open Option and Preprofessional Students |
BIOL 211
& 211L | Principles of Biology I
and Principles of Biology Laboratory I (F.S.) | 4 |
BIOL 212
& 212L | Principles of Biology II
and Principles of Biology Laboratory II (F.S.) | 4 |
BIOL 255
& 255L | Fundamentals of Human Anatomy
and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy Laboratory | 4-5 |
or BIOL 256
& BIOL 255L | Fundamentals of Human Physiology
and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy Laboratory |
or BIOL 313
& 313L | Principles of Genetics
and Genetics Laboratory |
or BIOL 335
& 335L | Principles of Human and Other Animal Physiology
and Principles of Human and Other Animal Physiology Laboratory |
| or BIOL 350 | Comprehensive Human Anatomy |
| or BIOL 351 | Comparative Chordate Anatomy |
| or BIOL 365 | Vertebrate Biology |
| |
| BIOL 356 | Dendrology | 3-4 |
| or BIOL 366 | Plant Systematics |
| or BIOL 451 | Plant Evolution and Phylogeny |
| or BIOL 454 | Plant Anatomy |
GEOL 102
& 102L | History of the Earth
and History of the Earth: Laboratory | 3-4 |
| or BIOL 312 | Ecology |
| or BIOL 315 | Biological Evolution |
| Total Credits | 19-22 |
B. Art Core
| DSN S 131 | Drawing I (F.S.) | 4 |
| ARTIS 230 | Drawing II (F.S.) | 3 |
| ARTIS 233 | Watercolor Painting (F.S.) | 3 |
| ARTIS 308 | Computer Modeling, Rendering and Virtual Photography (F.S.) | 3 |
| ARTIS 330 | Drawing III: Life Drawing (F.S.) | 3 |
| BPM I 323 | Scientific Illustration Principles and Techniques (F.) | 3 |
| BPM I 326 | Illustration and Illustration Software (S.) | 3 |
| BPM I 327 | Illustration as Communication (F.) | 3 |
| BPM I 337 | Application of Scientific Illustration Techniques (S.) | 3 |
| BPM I 497 | Illustration Internship | 1 |
| Total Credits | 29 |
Beyond the core preparation, students must take 9 credits in the advanced science area and 12 credits in the advanced art area. The courses acceptable in these areas follow. Other courses in art and biological science may be acceptable. See BPM I advisors and/or the BPM I Advisory Committee.
C. Advanced Art Area
D. Advanced Science Area
As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major.
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 300/400 level. You must also complete the LAS world language requirement and career proficiency requirement.
Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. diversity and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.
Minor
A minor in biological/pre-medical illustration is offered. A minimum of 17 credits must be taken, including 8 credits in biological science courses and 9 credits in art and design courses. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
The biological sciences must include:
The art and design courses must include:
| BPM I 323 | Scientific Illustration Principles and Techniques | 3 |
| BPM I 337 | Application of Scientific Illustration Techniques | 3 |
| 3 |
For more information, contact the BPM I advisor or view the website listed above.
