The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Four Year Plan: Biology (BA/BS)
This plan is one suggestion for sequencing courses for students this major. There are other ways to sequence courses, therefore students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Regarding MATH, students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology must achieve the equivalent of Calculus I level Math (MATH 198). There are multiple Math course sequence options to achieve this based on your Math placement and transfer credits (if applicable).
Regarding Organic Chemistry, there are 3 pathways to completing this requirement (semesters are divided by a semicolon):
- Option 1 — CHEM 320: Foundations of Organic Chemistry (4 cr) (this option may not be the best for students planning to pursue graduate or professional studies after attending Truman, please speak with your academic advisor)
- Option 2 — CHEM 329: Organic Chemistry I (3 cr); CHEM 331: Organic Chemistry II (3 cr) + CHEM 330: Organic Chemistry Lab I (1 cr); CHEM 332: Organic Chemistry Lab II (1 cr)
- Option 3 — CHEM 329: Organic Chemistry I (3 cr); CHEM 331: Organic Chemistry II (3 cr) + CHEM 333: Organic Chemistry Lab (2 cr)
Semester 1
- TRU 120: First Year Seminar (3 cr)
- BIOL 107: Cells, Molecules, & Genes (4 cr)
- ENG 190: Writing as Critical Thinking (3 cr)
- Math 156: College Algebra (or as placed) (3-5 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 2
- BIOL 104: Ecology and Evolution of the Organism (4 cr)
- CHEM 130: Chemical Principles I (4 cr)
- Math 157: Plane Trig (or as placed) (3-5 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 3
- BIOL 210: WE/Intro to Writing about Biology (3 cr) (or Spring)
- BIOL Core Elective #1 (3 cr)
- CHEM 131: Chemical Principles II (4 cr)
- MATH 198: Analytic Geometry and Calculus (5 cr)
Semester 4
- BIOL 300: Genetics (4 cr) (or Fall)
- CHEM 329: Organic Chemistry I (3 cr) (see other options above)
- STAT 190: Statistics (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 5
- CHEM 330: Organic Chemistry Lab I (1 cr) (see other options above)
- CHEM 331: Organic Chemistry II (3 cr) (see other options above)
- PHYS 185: College Physics I (4 cr)
- BIOL Core Elective #2 (3 cr) (or Spring)
- Elective or Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 6
- CHEM 332: Organic Chemistry Lab II (1 cr) (see other options above)
- PHYS 186: College Physics II (4 cr)
- BIOL Elective or Learning Plan (3 cr) *
- JINS 3XX: WE/Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar (3 cr)
- Elective(s) and/or Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
(*) = Can be taken any semester, typically junior and/or senior year.
Semester 7
- BIOL Elective or Learning Plan *
- BIOL Elective or Learning Plan *
- Elective(s) and/or Dialogues Curriculum course
(*) = Can be taken any semester, typically junior and/or senior year.
Semester 8
- BIOL 545: Senior Biology Capstone (1 cr)
- BIOL Elective or Learning Plan (3 cr) *
- Elective(s) and/or Dialogues Curriculum course (9 cr)
(*) = Can be taken any semester, typically junior and/or senior year.
NOTES:
- (*) = Can be taken any semester, typically junior and/or senior year.
- WE = Writing Enhanced course
- If you have not completed the Civics Exam, we recommend doing so in your first year.
- Truman students are required to complete a Portfolio to graduate. We recommend starting to compile your work for the Portfolio sooner than later.
- Students must complete their Application to Graduate the semester prior to graduating. Apply to graduate through TruView.
- Graduating seniors need to complete their seniors test and questionnaire. We recommend reviewing the Assessment & Testing page to plan accordingly.
- The Dialogues curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.
Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above. Updated 3-16-2026
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.
Sample Plans for Related Majors
Agricultural Science: Sample 4-Year Plans Chemistry Major: Sample 4-Year Plan Physics Major: Sample Plans