Biology, B.S.

Upon successful completion of the program of studies for biology, the student will receive a B.S. or B.A. in Biology and will have given evidence of the following outcomes and goals:

• Students will gain knowledge of the key ideas and theories within the field of biology.
• Students will learn to use basic biology laboratory field methods, tools and techniques.
• Students will effectively read and critically evaluate scientific literature as evidenced by rubric driven analysis of signature assignments in BI201 Biological Literature and BI443 Capstone in Biology: BA or BI444 Capstone in Biology: BS.
• Students will learn to communicate biological information effectively as evidence by a) rubric driven analysis of oral presentations in BI120 Biological Diversity & Phylogeny and BI443 Capstone in Biology: BA or BI444 Capstone in Biology: BS, and b) rubric driven analysis of formal written reports prepared in BI201 Biological Literature and upper-level biology elective courses.
• Students will integrate personal and ethical values within the study of biology as evidenced by students' responses on the departmentally generated values survey.

To earn this degree, students must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and the major requirements below.

Major Sequence

Course Requirements (except for Medical Laboratory Science Track):

A minimum of 40 biology credits, plus courses in related areas, including:

¹

Students preparing for professional careers that require calculus are strongly advised to also take MA115 Calculus I and MA116 Calculus II.

²

Students electing for PH121 University Physics I must take MA115 Calculus I.

For the Medical Laboratory Science Track, either BI203 Experimental Design & Statistics, MA103 Introduction to Statistical Thinking, or SO201 Social and Crime Statistics is also required. For the Pre-Med Track, either PS111 Introduction to Psychology or PS113 Foundations of Psychology, and SO101 Principles of Sociology are required.

Requirements for the Pre-Med Track Within the B.S. in Biology Degree

Requirements for Medical Laboratory Science Track

¹

Students preparing for professional careers that require calculus are strongly advised to also take MA115 Calculus I and MA116 Calculus II.

²

Students electing for PH121 University Physics I must take MA115 Calculus I.

For the B.S. degree in all tracks, a minimum of 12 credits of biology coursework must be taken at the 300 or 400 level.

For students seeking teacher certification, in addition to the core of required courses for the biology degree, the department recommends the following courses: BI213 Human Anatomy & Physiology I and BI214 Human Anatomy & Physiology II. For Teacher of Biology (K-12) certification, at least 12 credits must be taken at the 300 or 400 level. 

It is recommended that students who have completed General Biology I, II, at another institution, take BI320 Cell Biology in place of BI121 Cellular Organiz., Energetics & Function to satisfy their cell biology requirement.

All biology majors who have completed 16 credits of Georgian Court biology courses will have their status reviewed by the biology faculty members. Those with a Georgian Court biology GPA of less than 2.50 may be advised and required to change their major. A Georgian Court biology GPA of 2.50 is required for graduation.

All majors pursuing the B.S. or B.A. degree in Biology are required to take a department-administered Major Field Test before graduation.

¹

General Education

²

Major

³

PH121 University Physics I - PH122 University Physics II may be selected if student has taken MA115 Calculus I.