The BA in Biology is intended to provide students with knowledge and skills in the field of Biology while also allowing students to minor in another topic area in order to receive marketable training and skills that will offer them pathways into professions as diverse as Medical Technology, Pharmaceutics, Bio-Technology, Law, Government Service, Community Health, or Science Communication.
Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
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Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 35 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
| Major Requirements | 70-74 | |
| Free Electives | 12-2 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core | ||
| BIOL 112 | Principles of Biology: Introduction to the Cell | 4 |
| BIOL 113 | Principles of Biology: Organisms and Diversity | 4 |
| BIOL 213 | Introduction to Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 230 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 315 | Science Literacy and Communication | 3 |
| BIOL 492 | Senior Colloquium | 1 |
| Community Engaged Service Learning Requirement | ||
| BIOL 409 | Externship in Biological Research (Co-operative Education) | 4 |
| Biology Electives | ||
| Complete 10 credits from the list below. | 10 | |
| Additional STEM Elective | ||
| Complete one course: | 3-4 | |
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Python Programming I | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| Collateral Requirements | ||
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 121 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| MATH 122 | Calculus I | 4 |
| STAT 230 | Data Science and Statistics | 3 |
| Required Minor | ||
| Choose any minor outside of the College of Science and Mathematics. Excluded minors include the minors in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Earth and Environmental Science, Geographic Information Science, Mathematics, Physics, Sustainability Science, or Urban Studies | 18-21 | |
| Total Credits | 70-74 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 300 | Environmental Biology and Related Controversial Issues | 3 |
| BIOL 319 | Genes, Brains, and Behavior | 4 |
| BIOL 320 | Social Neurobiology | 3 |
| BIOL 330 | Introduction to Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BIOL 350 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIOL 351 | Introduction to Aquatic Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 360 | Introduction to Bio-Imaging | 3 |
| BIOL 370 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 380 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL 404 | Plant and Animal Histological Techniques | 3 |
| BIOL 405 | Cell Culture | 3 |
| BIOL 406 | Scanning Electron Microscopy | 4 |
| BIOL 410 | Toxicology | 3 |
| BIOL 411 | Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy | 4 |
| BIOL 415 | Population Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 417 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 418 | Biology Independent Research | 1-4 |
| BIOL 420 | Economic Botany | 3 |
| BIOL 422 | Community Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 425 | Elementary Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 426 | New Jersey Flora | 4 |
| BIOL 429 | Herpetology | 4 |
| BIOL 430 | Ornithology | 4 |
| BIOL 431 | Entomology | 3 |
| BIOL 432 | Medical Entomology | 3 |
| BIOL 433 | Developmental Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 434 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 435 | Experimental Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 436 | Phylogenetic Zoology | 4 |
| BIOL 439 | Biology of Animal Parasites | 3 |
| BIOL 440 | Gross Mammalian Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 441 | Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates | 4 |
| BIOL 442 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 443 | Vertebrate Embryology | 4 |
| BIOL 444 | Cell Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 445 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOL 446 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BIOL 447 | Fundamentals of Pharmacology | 3 |
| BIOL 450 | Medical Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOL 451 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 457 | Virology | 3 |
| BIOL 458 | Microbial Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 460 | Biological Oceanography | 3 |
| BIOL 461 | Aquatic Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 467 | Biology of the Fishes | 4 |
| BIOL 468 | Neurobiology | 3 |
| BIOL 475 | Medical Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 476 | Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| BIOL 480 | Research Community I: Organism Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 481 | Research Community II: Organism Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 482 | Research Community I: Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 483 | Research Community II: Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 484 | Research Community I: Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 485 | Research Community II: Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 486 | Special Topics in Biology | 3-4 |
| BIOL 487 | Statistical Genomics | 3 |
| BIOL 488 | Special Topics in Cell and Molecular Biology | 3-4 |
| BIOL 489 | Special Topics in Organismal Biology | 3-4 |
| BIOL 490 | Senior Seminar in Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 491 | Research in Biology Literature | 1 |
| BIOL 492 | Senior Colloquium | 1 |
| BIOL 493 | Molecular Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 495 | Special Topics in Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 497 | Genomics | 3 |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Calculus I (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Biology: Introduction to the Cell (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 35 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (C3) Communication | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (G) Computer Science | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | 4 | BIOL 113 | 4 |
| MATH 122 | 4 | STAT 230 | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 |
| World Language 1 | 3 | World Language 2 or Free Elective | 3 |
| BIOL 213 | 4 | BIOL 230 | 4 |
| CHEM 120 | 4 | CHEM 121 | 4 |
| Minor Requirement | 3 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BIOL 315 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 |
| Biology Elective | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (K3) Social Science – Social Science Perspectives | 3 |
| Additional STEM Collateral | 4 | GENERAL EDUCATION (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 |
| Minor Requirement | 3 | Biology Elective | 3 |
| Minor Requirement | 3 | Minor Requirement | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 |
| BIOL 409 | 4 | World Cultures | 3 |
| Biology Elective | 4 | BIOL 492 | 1 |
| Minor Requirement | 3 | Minor Requirement | 3 |
| Free Electives | 5 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||