A Quick "Self-Quiz" for the Biology Major

 

1.  A candidate for a Bachelor of Science degree need take courses only in the areas of mathematicsand natural science to attain the degree.

a.  true

b.  false

 

Biology majors must take courses across all disciplines, as designated by the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

2.  A student should ask his/her instructor for a grade of "Incomplete" if

a.  the grade s/he is getting is too low for medical or graduate school admission.

b.  a family emergency has made it impossible to complete any courses that semester.

c.  the student wishes to drop the class after the official last day to drop has passed.

d.  s/he wishes to re-take the entire course and get a better grade the second time.

e.  any of the above are appropriate circumstances to request an "I"

 

NONE of the other choices are appropriate circumstances to ask for an "I", and instructors should not give "I" for them.

 

3.  A "W" on your transcripts

a.  will absolutely keep you out of any medical or other professional school on earth

b.  can be changed to a letter grade if you re-take the course

c.  is the same as a grade of "Incomplete"

d.  indicates that you withdrew from the course and did not receive a letter grade

e.  stands for "Wonderful," and is an even better grade than an "A+"

 

 

4.  If you were to receive an Academic Alert saying that you are presently earning a grade of "D" or"F" in one of your courses

a.  that notification would remain on your permanent transcripts forever.

b.  you should contact your instructor and/or advisor for advice on how to improve your performance

c.  you should immediately drop the course

d.  you should ask the instructor for an "Incomplete" so you can take the entire course over later

e.  you should call your mom so she can complain to the Dean.

 

While it's true that you might choose to drop a course in which you are doing poorly, it's wise to discuss this with your instructor and/or advisor first.  There may be ways to improve your grade.

 

5.  How many courses are you allowed to take over again, using the "Freshman Repeat Rule?"

a.  one

b.  two

c.  three

d.  four

e. as many as necessary

 

...and only if the student receives a "D" or "F" in the course.  D+ is too high for the FRR.

 

6.  Which of the following is NOT TRUE for the student using the Freshman Repeat Rule?

a.  S/he has 12 months to re-take the course in which s/he received a "D" or "F."

b.  The original "D" or "F" s/he received is absolutely erased from the transcripts

c.  Though the original grade will not be used to calculate the student's UM overall GPA, medical and professional rules often re-calculate applicants' GPA by adding the original "D" or "F" grade back into the mix.

d.  The second grade earned, even if lower than the first, will be used to calculate the U.M. GPA

 

Which means that all the other choices are TRUE!  Something that's important to know!

 

7.  A student who stops going to a class before taking 50% of the coursework (exams, papers, etc.) without being granted a "W" or "I" from the instructor

a.  may apply for a retroactive withdrawal within 12 months of having taken the course

b.  will automatically receive an "I" and have 12 months to complete the course

c.  will receive the grade s/he was getting at the time s/he stopped attending class

d.  will receive a failing grade in that course

e.  will be billed for a "course abandonment fee" in the following semester

 

A student who has completed a minimum of 50% of the coursework will receive a grade based upon the work completed.  But since that's rarely enough for a passing grade, don't count on this to save you!

 

8.  All Biology majors, whether seeking the B.A. or the B.S., are required to complete two semesters of Calculus.

a.  true

b.  false

 

B.A. candidates need only one course beyond MTH 101.  

IMPORTANT NOTE:  MTH 107 does NOT count as "one course beyond MTH 101", as it is considered the first part of MTH 108.  Terminal non-calculus MTH courses include MTH 103 and MTH 108.)

 

 

9.  In order to register online using the EASY system, a student must have

a.  completed 75 credits and have a minimum GPA of 2.5

b.  completed 30 credits, have a minimum GPA of 2.5, have an advisor-signed course request

form, and a special code requested from Arts and Sciences

c.  a PIN number to access his/her account on the EASY system

d.  a and c

e.  b and c

f.  Either d or e is correct

 

New students, First year and Transfer who come in with more that 30 credits will not be able to register via EASY this term due to the fact that we do not have a UM GPA yet. They will be able to do so next semester (depending on their GPA).

 

10.  Which of the following is NOT necessary for you to be admitted to the Biology HonorsProgram?

a.  You must also be in the UM Honors Program.

b.  You must be involved in an original research project mentored by our faculty.

c.  You must have your application accepted by the Biology Department Honors Director.

d.  You must maintain a 3.3 GPA overall and a 3.5 GPA as a biology major.

e.  all of the above are necessary for a student to be in the Biology Honors Program.

 

 

11.  What is the minimum number of credits in BIOLOGY a student needs in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree?

a.  18

b.  25

c.  34

d.  75

e.  120

 

The B.A. candidate must take BIL 150/151 and BIL 160/161 plus ANY 24 additional. BIL credits.

 

The B.S. candidate must take BIL 150/151 and BIL 160/161 plus 24 more BIL credits including BIL 250, 255, 265, 235, and two lab courses above BIL 151/161.

 

12.  What is the minimum number of credits per semester a student must take in order to be considered a full time student?

a.  10

b.  12

c.  15

d.  18

e.  20

 

Note that if you drop below 12 credits, your financial aid may be in jeopardy.  Before you drop a course and lose your full time status, be sure to check with your financial aid agency to see what the consequences may be.

 

A load of more than 17 credits requires Dean's approval.  You may take up to 20 credits before you are charged extra for additional credits.

 

13.  What is the lowest grade a student can receive in a course taken in Biology, and still have it count towards the major or minor?

a.  B

b.  C+

c.  C

d.  C-

e.  D

 

But note that you may not transfer a course from another institution if you received a grade lower than a "C".

 

14.  If a B.S. student's Math Placement indicates that s/he must take MTH 101 through 108 before beginning calculus, all those courses are counted towards the MTH requirement.

a.  true

b.  false

 

FALSE:  Any Math (or other prerequisite) courses taken in preparation for a required course counts as a general elective--not towards the requirement in any particular category.

 

15.  Unless s/he has a double major, a college of Arts and Science student must have both a major and a minor.

a.  True

b.  False

 

 

16.  If you are completing a Bachelor of Science in Biology, you must have a _________ minor. 

If you are completing a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, you must have a  ____________ minor.

a.  natural science; non-science

b.  non-science; natural science

c.  marine science; humanities

d.  parent who is a; sibling who is a

e.  coal; salt

 

 

17.  All students must complete  ________ writing-oriented course(s) beyond ENG 105 and ENG 106 to satisfy their graduation requirements.

a.  one

b.  two

c.  three

d.  four

e.  five

 

 

18.  Which of the following courses IS NOT REQUIRED as part of the Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Biology?

a.  Genetics (BIL 250)

b.  General Physiology (BIL 265)

c.  Ecology (BIL 235)

d.  Cellular and Molecular Biology (BIL 255)

e.  Animal Behavior (BIL 241)

 

 

19.  If you're taking BIL 150 section G, what does the "G" stand for?

a.  the name of the instructor

b.  the time and days the course is offered

c.  the level of difficulty of the section

d.  some obscure university code

e.  when your midterm exams will be given

 

You can view the organization of the section letters at www.bio.miami.edu/dana/149/hours.html.

 

20.  If you wish to transfer a course taken at another institution to your U.M. transcripts, you may do so only if

a.  you have received permission and equivalency from the department in which you plan to take the equivalent course.

b.  you have completed fewer than 75 earned credits at U.M.

c.  you have not already taken an equivalent course at U.M.

d.  you received a grade of "C" or higher in the course you took at the other institution.

e.  all of the above