Image
Student admiring plants in the greenhouse

Plant Biology - B.S.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Biology focuses on the scientific study of plants, and the understanding of how plants provide aesthetic beauty, as well as materials for basic needs, including food, shelter and oxygen. Botanical research has diverse applications in modern horticulture, agriculture, soil science and forestry, in addition to pharmacology and biotechnology.

Contact Us

Apply Now
Request Info
Schedule a Visit

Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Biology

Expand your expertise in the plant sciences with Kent State’s Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Biology. Engage in in-depth coursework that spans a broad range of topics, from plant physiology to ecological interactions. Our program is designed to enhance your knowledge and skills, preparing you for careers in environmental consulting, agricultural science, and various botanical research fields.

Program Information for Plant Biology - B.S.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Biology focuses on the scientific study of plants and understanding of how plants provide aesthetic beauty, as well as materials for basic needs including food, shelter and oxygen. Botanical research has diverse applications in modern horticulture, agriculture, soil science and forestry, in addition to pharmacology and biotechnology.

Many students continue their education in graduate or professional programs. Those opting to enter directly into the workforce find jobs in fields related to the economic importance of plants, including agriculturally-based and related professions; environmental consulting; or in federal, state or local agencies. The Department of Biological Sciences offers several mechanisms to help students prepare for their future careers.

Admissions for Plant Biology - B.S.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Understand fundamental biological principles.
  2. Acquire fundamental skills necessary for laboratory and field investigations.
  3. Conduct proper experimental design, analyze biological data and communicate research results.
  4. Know and appreciate the role that biology plays in societal issues, such as those related to the environment, biodiversity, ethics, human health and disease.

Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BSCI 10110BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 10120BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 30156ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
BSCI 40163EVOLUTION 3
BSCI 40224QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY 3-5
or MATH 12003 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II
or MATH 30011 BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
BSCI 40600WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 11
CHEM 10062GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
CHEM 10063GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
CHEM 20481BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 3-4
or CHEM 30481 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 20482BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II 21-3
or CHEM 30475 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
or CHEM 30482 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
MATH 12002ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5
Biology Elective, choose from the following: 3,41-6
BSCI 30105
CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY
BSCI 40192
INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ELR)
BSCI 40196
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR)
BSCI 40199
SENIOR HONORS THESIS (ELR)
Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives, choose from the following: 320-25
CHEM 20482
BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II 2
or CHEM 30482
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
CHEM 30475
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
CHEM 30476
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
PHY 13001
PHY 13021
GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS)
and GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB)
or PHY 23101
GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I (KBS) (KLAB)
PHY 13002
PHY 13022
GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS II (KBS)
and GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY II (KBS) (KLAB)
or PHY 23102
GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II (KBS) (KLAB)
General Chemistry Electives, choose from the following: 58
CHEM 10058
CHEM 10059
GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES II
CHEM 10060
CHEM 10061
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS)
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS)
Plant Biology Core Electives, choose from the following:12-14
BSCI 30267
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
BSCI 30270
GENERAL PLANT BIOLOGY
BSCI 30271
GENERAL PLANT BIOLOGY LABORATORY
BSCI 30274
FORESTRY
BSCI 30275
LOCAL FLORA (ELR)
BSCI 30277
ECONOMIC BOTANY
BSCI 40162
SOIL BIOLOGY
BSCI 40270
PLANT ECOLOGY
BSCI 40272
PLANT ANATOMY
BSCI 40368
WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (ELR)
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below)8
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each)9
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)6
Kent Core Additional2
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)13
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

2

CHEM 20482 may be substituted with CHEM 30284 with faculty advisor approval.

3

Students should select their electives in consultation with a faculty advisor. A total of 26 credit hours combined are required to fulfill the Biology Elective and Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives.

4

A maximum 6 credit hours of any combination of BSCI 30105, BSCI 40192, BSCI 40196 and BSCI 40199 may be applied toward the major (with no more than 4 credit hours S/U graded). Enrollment in these courses must be determined with a faculty advisor.

5

Students who plan to attend a professional or graduate program are strongly encouraged to take CHEM 10060 and CHEM 10061.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000

The following Biological Sciences (BSCI) courses may NOT be used in the elective category for majors or minors in the Department of Biological Sciences:

BSCI 10001HUMAN BIOLOGY (KBS) 3
BSCI 10002LIFE ON PLANET EARTH (KBS) 3
BSCI 10003LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN BIOLOGY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
BSCI 10005SMALL ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS 4
BSCI 11010FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 3
BSCI 11020FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) 3
BSCI 16001HORTICULTURAL BOTANY 3
BSCI 20019BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 4
BSCI 20021BASIC MICROBIOLOGY 3
BSCI 20022BASIC MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY 1
BSCI 21010ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 21020ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II 4
BSCI 26002ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF PEST MANAGEMENT 3
BSCI 26003PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION I 3
BSCI 26004PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION II 3
BSCI 30050HUMAN GENETICS 3
BSCI 40020BIOLOGY OF AGING 3
Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
!BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
!CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
!General Chemistry Elective 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Two
!BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
!CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
!General Chemistry Elective 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
!CHEM 20481
or CHEM 30481
BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
3-4
CHEM 20482
or CHEM 30475
or CHEM 30482
BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
0-3
Plant Biology Core Electives 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours17
Semester Four
!BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1
CHEM 20482
or CHEM 30475
or CHEM 30482
BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
or ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
0-3
Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective 3
Plant Biology Core Electives 4-6
Kent Core Requirement 2
 Credit Hours13
Semester Five
MATH 12002 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5
Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective 3
Plant Biology Core Electives 4
Foreign Language 4
 Credit Hours16
Semester Six
BSCI 40224
or MATH 12003
or MATH 30011
QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BIOLOGY
or ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II
or BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
3-5
Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives 9
Foreign Language 4
 Credit Hours16
Semester Seven
BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3
Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Electives 8
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Eight
Biology Elective and/or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Elective 3
General Electives 10
 Credit Hours13
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Plant Biology - B.S.

Graduates of Kent State University's Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology can pursue careers and specialized roles as plant scientists, environmental consultants, and biological science teachers. They are equipped to work in botanical gardens, research institutions, and environmental organizations, where they can study plant life, contribute to conservation efforts, and promote sustainable land use practices.

Biological science teachers, postsecondary

9.3%

much faster than the average

64,700

number of jobs

$85,600

potential earnings

Biological scientists, all other

2.2%

slower than the average

44,700

number of jobs

$85,290

potential earnings

Natural sciences managers

4.8%

about as fast as the average

71,400

number of jobs

$137,940

potential earnings

Soil and plant scientists

6.8%

faster than the average

17,800

number of jobs

$66,120

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.