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.
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).
To apply to the Bio Major, submit the “Application for a Major Program” form located on the Forms page to the Bio Department, 109 Cooke Hall, North Campus.
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
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.
Refer to the archived catalogs.
If you began the Biological Sciences major before Fall 2020 your elective choices are as follows:
1 Up to 3 total credits of BIO 49X may be used towards the major.
2 2 or 3 credits of BIO 498 may be counted as a lab towards the major provided the abstract is submitted at the completion of the research.
NOTE: The UB Curriculum course BIO 387 Communicating in Biological Sciences cannot be used as elective credit towards the BA.
Selection of electives should be done in consultation with your advisor.