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Biological Sciences BA - Program Requirements

(HEGIS: 04.01 BIOLOGY GENERAL, CIP: 26.0101 Biology/Biological Sciences, General)

Department of Biological Sciences

109 Cooke Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1300
716-645-2363
716-645-2975
arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/biological-sciences.html

Derek Daniels
Chair

Lara Hutson
Director of Undergraduate Studies

Associated Programs

Associated Subjects

Completing the Biological Sciences BA Program

Academic Requirements

A minimum GPA of 2.000 following the completion of BIO 200, BIO 201/BIO 211, BIO 303 and BIO 305 is required for retention in the Biological Sciences major.

A minimum GPA of 2.000 in biology courses and a minimum GPA of 2.000 in required chemistry, physics and mathematics courses is needed for degree conferral.

Academic Advice

For information regarding academic standing and progression through the major, contact a Biological Sciences advisor:

Ms. Rebecca Engasser
Department of Biological Sciences
109 Cooke Hall
Email Ms. Rebecca Engasser

Transfer Credit Policy

Courses from other institutions that have been previously evaluated in comparison to UB courses are listed on UB's course articulation TAURUS website. For courses not listed, students can submit a new request to TAURUS.

SUNY Seamless Transfer is a SUNY-wide program intended to make transferring to UB and other SUNY Schools simple and efficient for SUNY students. SUNY has defined courses that SUNY students can take before transferring which will apply to the major at UB and ensure timely graduation.

Information about the Transfer Path for this major can be found on the SUNY website.

Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor or department to discuss how their coursework will apply to their degree.

Residency Requirement

A student must complete a minimum of 30 undergraduate credit hours (the equivalent of one full year of study) at the University at Buffalo in order to earn a degree from the university.

The following forms of credit may not be used to fulfill the residency requirement: transfer work; proficiency exams; Advanced Placement; military training; study abroad; cross-registration; international baccalaureate credit; and experiential learning.

Prerequisite Courses

BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology
BIO 201 Cell Biology
BIO 211 Cell Biology Lab
CHE 101 General Chemistry w/ CHE 113 Lab
CHE 102 General Chemistry w/ CHE 114 Lab
MTH 121 Survey of Calculus and its Applications I or MTH 141 College Calculus I
MTH 122 Survey of Calculus and its Applications II or MTH 142 College Calculus II OR STA 119 (Statistical Methods)** OR PSY 207 (Psychological Statistics)**

Required Courses

BIO 303 General Physiology
BIO 305 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry
BIO 319 Genetics
CHE 201 Organic Chemistry I or CHE 203/CHE 205 Organic Chemistry
CHE 202 Organic Chemistry II or CHE 204/CHE 206 Organic Chemistry
PHY 101/PHY 151 College Physics I/Lab or PHY 107 General Physics I
PHY 102/PHY 152 College Physics II/Lab or PHY 108/PHY 158 General Physics II/Lab
Three BIO lab courses
Electives (18 credits or enough to fulfill the 33 credit major requirement) from the following approved course list: 

*Up to three credits of the tutorial courses BIO 495, BIO 496, BIO 498 can count towards the BA/BS.
** These two course options are effective spring 2022.

NOTE: The UB Curriculum course BIO 387 Communicating in Biological Sciences cannot be used as elective credit towards the BA.

Departmental Honors Requirements

Students with a GPA ≥ 3.600 may apply to the departmental honors program during Fall of the junior year. Accepted students take a spring course during the junior year (BIO 487) solely for honors students. The senior year is devoted to lab research where the student 1) is accepted by a research advisor and 2) doing biologically relevant research at the honors level. Six credits of research (BIO 497) are completed during the senior year, resulting in a project and presented at our departmental symposium. BIO 497 credits count for two of the required labs for BA/BS degrees and all the BIO 487/BIO 497 credits will be counted toward the total required for the major. Students must maintain a 3.600 or greater GPA through graduation to graduate with honors. Honors students with a GPA of 3.600 - 3.790 will graduate with Honors. Students with GPAs of 3.800 and above will graduate with High Honors. Successful participation in the honors program and distinction level will be reflected on student diplomas.

Total Credit Hours Required

Total credit hours required for the Biological Sciences BA degree
Credits Required for Major71
Additional Credits Required for UB Curriculum 32
Additional Credits Required for Electives17
Total Credits Required for Degree120

Students should consult with an academic advisor to determine how any transfer or exam credit might be utilized in meeting general education, prerequisite, or major requirements.

See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for general education and remaining university requirements.

Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This chart should not be used for financial aid purposes.

 
Published: Aug 16, 2022 15:20:16