BA in Biological Sciences
North Campus
The Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is highly flexible and recommended for students with broad academic interests who may wish to combine studies in biology with those in other disciplines. Ideal for students who are considering studying abroad, a double major and/or a minor in distinct disciplines.
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Program Summary
Students qualify for the Bachelor of Arts degree by successfully completing at least 33 credits of biology-required coursework within the department plus 38 credits in chemistry, physics and mathematics. The curriculum of the BA program includes required core courses, as well as elective laboratory and lecture courses.
Application to the Major
All freshmen with interest in BIO are accepted into the major if they select Biological Sciences (BIO) on their UB application.
Students transferring to UB are admitted directly to the major if they have a combined GPA of 2.0 in any completed biology courses that articulate to BIO 200, BIO 201, BIO 303, and BIO 305, and a combined GPA of 2.0 in any completed other science/math courses that articulate to MTH 121 or MTH 141, MTH 122 or MTH 142, CHE 101, CHE 102, CHE 201, and CHE 202.
Students transferring to the major from another degree program must apply to the major and are admitted if they have a combined GPA of at least 2.0 in BIO courses already taken (of BIO 200, BIO 201, BIO 303, BIO 305) and a combined GPA of at least 2.0 in all required MTH/CHE courses already taken (of MTH 121 or MTH 141, MTH 122 or MTH 142, CHE 101, CHE 102, CHE 201, CHE 202).
A minimum combined GPA of 2.0 for required BIO courses and a minimum combined GPA of 2.0 in required CHE and MTH courses are required for retention in the major. At the end of every semester a review of all BIO coursework is completed, and any student not meeting either GPA minimum for four consecutive semesters will be dismissed from the major.
A minimum GPA of 2.0 in biology courses and a minimum GPA of 2.0 in required chemistry, physics and mathematics courses is required for degree conferral.
Bachelor of Arts
- 33 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours in chemistry, physics and mathematics
- 71 Total credit hours required for Bachelor of Arts degree
- BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology
- BIO 201 Cell Biology
- BIO 303 General Physiology
- BIO 305 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry
- BIO 319 Genetics
- CHE 101/CHE 113 (CHE 101 prior to Fall 2019) or CHE 105 or CHE 107/CHE 127 General Chemistry
- CHE 102/CHE 114 (CHE 102 prior to Fall 2019) or CHE 106 CHE 108/CHE 128 General Chemistry
- CHE 201 Organic Chemistry or CHE 203/205
- CHE 202 Organic Chemistry or CHE 204/206
- MTH 121 or MTH 141 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
- PHY 101/151 or PHY 107 General Physics I
- PHY 102/152 or PHY 108/158 General Physics II
- BIO 211 Cell Biology Lab
And choose THREE of the following:
- APY 346 Dissections in Comparative Primate Anatomy
- BIO 313 General Physiology Lab
- BIO 315 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry Lab
- BIO 329 Genetics Lab
- BIO 332 Advanced Molecular Biology Lab
- BIO 370 Developmental Biology Lab
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics / Genome Analysis
- BIO 420 Cytogenetics Lab
- EVS 412 Field Course in Tropical Marine Ecology
- GLY/EVS 310 Ecological Methods (available to students entering prior to 2020)
Take additional Biological Sciences or Cognate electives to reach the minimum of 33 credits of Biological Sciences coursework for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
NOTE: The UB Curriculum course BIO 387 Communicating in Biological Sciences cannot be used as elective credit towards the BA, but can be used as elective credit for the BS.
The list of applicable electives can be found in the UB catalog from the year you started the Biological Sciences major. This is the year you matriculated at UB if you started as a Biological Sciences major, or, if you did not begin as a Biological Sciences major, the year you were accepted into the major.
Submit the CAS Major/Minor Change Request form to request one of the following changes to your academic plan:
- Add a major, minor, or certificate in the College of Arts and Sciences
- Drop any major
- Drop any minor