About the Program

The Minor in Human Biology (21 credits) is designed for students majoring in a wide range of fields. Psychology majors interested in behavioral and mental health, Sociology majors interested in public health, and any student interested in medical and allied health professions might benefit from additional coursework in human anatomy and physiology, applied microbiology, and human heredity. The Human Biology minor acknowledges the breadth of disciplines that inform human biology by including up to 6 credits of non-Biology electives.

To declare the Human Biology minor, a student should fill out the "Minor Declaration" form available in the Biology Department office (SAMC 166). The student will be assigned a faculty advisor from the Biology Department, and a minor audit sheet will be generated. The minor requires a minimum of 21 credit hours (see guidelines below). Students minoring in Human Biology meet with their faculty advisors in Biology to select and schedule courses to fulfill the minor, just as they meet with advisors in their major departments to plan their major.

Program Requirements

Required Courses (15 credit hours)

BIO 101 Human Biology (3)
BIO 100 or 111 Principles of Biology or Foundations of Biology (3)
BIO 308 Survey of Anatomy and Physiology (3)
BIO 322 or 324 Human Heredity or Biology of Human Reproduction (3)
BIO 355  Survey of Microbiology (3)

Electives

An additional 6 credit hours of elective coursework selected with the assistance of a Biology faculty advisor. Courses are selected from the lists below:

Choose 1 of the following courses (3 credits):
ANT 100 Human Origins
ANT 101 Understanding Culture
HEW 225 Introductory Epidemiology
NFS 102 Introductory Nutrition
PHI 111 Ethics for Scientists
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology

Choose 1 of the following courses (3 credits):
ANT 323 Disease and Global Health
ANT 324 The Human Skeleton
HEW 304 Exercise Physiology I
HEW 350 Epidemiology
PSY 308 Sensation and Perception
PSY 333 Brain and Behavior
PSY 340 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 355 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
SOC 353 Environment and Society

Restrictions

  1. At least three courses must be taken at Buffalo State.
  2. A maximum of 3 transfer courses (12 credits maximum) will be accepted as part of the Human Biology minor. The Department Chairperson will judge the acceptability of transfer courses.
  3. A student considering the Human Biology minor should check the Undergraduate Catalog for prerequisite requirements. 
  4. Biology majors (BA or BS) cannot declare the Human Biology minor.