310 and representational in nature. Within the portfolio, students can document their acquisition of a variety of skills, including critical thinking, scientific reasoning, writing, speaking, and effective arguing. The portfolio is used for assessment purposes in addition to serving as an incentive to the student for developing good habits in assembling and organizing materials of relevance to themselves and others, such as personnel managers or graduate school selection committees. The department has also developed an undergraduate thesis program which provides a desirable capstone experience for many of the Botany majors. Individuals who choose to study botany fall into three broad groups: those who are more interested in the quantitative or analytical side of plant biology (laboratory research orientation); those who are interested in the qualitative or descriptive side of science (field research orientation); and those general students, such as transfer students entering with an Associate's Degree, where greater flexibility is required. In order to serve each group effectively, the Botany Department offers a Botany Major with three tracks. Track A, enriched with quantitative science and intense laboratory hands- on experiences, is designed to best prepare students for graduate school and careers in laboratory research in Plant Biology. Track B, enriched with field-oriented course opportunities, is designed to best prepare students for field-related careers such as ecology, environmental science, and natural resource management. Track C, with greater flexibility through more elective courses, is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to be more broadly trained because of general interests in Plant Biology or of those students who enter the program with an Associate of Science Degree. The Botany Department also cooperates in offering a Biology Composite Teaching Major; this program prepares individuals who are interested in teaching Biology at the secondary school level (described under the Zoology Department in this catalog). The Botany Department also serves students who are interested in pre-professional programs: Pre-Agriculture, Pre-Horticulture, Pre-Forestry, and Pre-Range Management. After completing these programs at Weber State, students must continue their education at another institution in order to obtain baccalaureate degrees in these fields. The catalog of the school to which the student plans to transfer should be consulted as a guide in registering for courses at Weber State. The Botany Minor provides valuable support for students majoring in a variety of other fields, including geosciences and zoology. Herbarium The Herbarium of Weber State University is housed on the fourth floor of the Science Lab Building and contains more than 24,000 preserved plant specimens collected from Utah and the Western United States. This collection serves as an important reference for students, faculty, biologists, and all others who need to know the identity of plants, or learn something about their geographic distributions and ecological associations. It also serves as the repository of the plants collected for the Institute of American Indian Botany. Institute of American Indian Botany The Institute is dedicated to the study of American Indian Botany and provides a place where all of those who have interest can learn, conduct research, teach, and preserve for generations yet to come, this segment of our great American heritage. Pre-Agriculture and Pre-Horticulture two years (no degree) Advisor: Dr. Dawn M. Gatherum Location: Science Lab, SL403M Telephone: 801-626-6175 Follow the catalog of a university which offers a degree program in these fields for general requirements, etc. Course Requirements for Two Year Program Botany Courses Required (24 credit hours) BTNY SI2104 Plant Form and Function (4) BTNY SI2114 Evolutionary Survey of Plants (4) BTNY 2121 Career Planning for Botanists (1) BTNY DV2303 Ethnobotany (3) BTNY 2413 Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3) BTNY 2600 Laboratory Safety (1) Select two of the following. BTNY 3204 BTNY 3214 BTNY 3454 BTNY 3624 Plant Physiology (4) Soils (4) Plant Ecology (4) Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4) Required Support Courses (24-26 credit hours) CHEM PS/SI1210,1220 Principles of Chemistry (10) GEOPS/SI1110 MATH QL1050 or MATH QL1080 orMATHSI1210 or MATH QL1040 Select One Group: MCRLS/SI2054 Sc MCR 3484 or GEOSI1115 ScGEOPS/SI1130 Sc GEO 2050 Physical Geology (3) College Algebra (4) Pre-Calculus (5) Calculus (4) Introduction to Statistics (3) Principles of Mcrobiology (4) Environmental Mcrobiology (4) Physical Geology Laboratory (1) Introduction to Meteorology (3) Earth Materials (4) Suggested Course Sequence Please refer to this program in the online catalog (weber.edu/catalog) and/or contact the department for a suggested course sequence. Pre-Forestry and Pre-Range Management two years (no degree) Advisor: Dr. Dawn M. Gatherum Location: Science Lab, SL403M Telephone: 801-626-6175 Follow the catalog of a university which offers a degree program in these fields for general requirements, etc. Course Requirements for Two Year Program Botany Courses Required (24 credit hours) BTNYSI2104 BTNYSI2114 BTNY 2121 BTNYDV2303 BTNY 2413 BTNY 2600 Select two of the following. BTNY 3214 BTNY 3454 BTNY 3624 Plant Form and Function (4) Evolutionary Survey of Plants (4) Career Planning for Botanists (1) Ethnobotany (3) Introduction to Natural Resource Management (3) Laboratory Safely (1) Soils (4) Plant Ecology (4) Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (4) Weber State University 2009 - 2010 Catalog