BS in Biological Sciences
The Bachelor of Science degree program provides the opportunity for in-depth study within particular sub-disciplines of the biological sciences. Students may select a broad-based degree, or may choose a track that specializes in cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, neurobiology, or pre-health studies.
Degree Programs
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What could be more fascinating than studying living things, how they evolve, and how they interact with the world around them? Whether you’re interested in human health, the environment and sustainability, food security, or nearly any topic that affects life on this planet, you’ll find students and faculty at UB who are just as excited as you are. Our program is ideal for anyone who wants a major that covers a variety of disciplines to prepare for a career in life sciences.
Learn more about Biological Sciences Degree Programs.
UB Catalog links to program of study requirements:
Majors
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS - Biological Sciences Concentration
- Biological Sciences BA
- Biological Sciences BS
Combined Majors
- Biological Sciences BA/Biology Adolescence Education EdM
- Biological Sciences BA/MS
- Biological Sciences BS/PharmD
Minors
Application to Major: Online Form
INFORMATION LISTED IS REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE REFER TO THE UB COURSE CATALOG FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
Bachelor of Science
- 44 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours in chemistry, physics and mathematics
- 82 Total credit hours required for Bachelor of Science degree
Required lecture courses in biological sciences
- BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology
- BIO 201 Cell Biology
- BIO 211 Cell Biology Lab
- BIO 303 General Physiology
- BIO 305 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry
- BIO 319 Genetics
Required lab courses in biological sciences (choose four total)
- APY 346LAB - Dissections in Comparative Primate Anatomy
- BIO 313LBR - General Physiology Laboratory
- BIO 315LLB - Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry Laboratory
- BIO 329LLB - Genetics Laboratory
- BIO 330LAB - Special Topics
- BIO 332LBR - Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory
- BIO 370LBR - Developmental Biology Laboratory
- BIO 400LLB - Bioinformatics / Genome Analysis
- BIO 420LAB - Cytogenetics
- BIO 473/573 - Mycology
- BIO 497TUT - Honors in Biology
- EVS 412LAB - Field Course in Tropical Marine Ecology
Required courses in chemistry, mathematics, and physics
- 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 or 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/Lab
Take additional Biological Sciences or Cognate electives to reach the minimum of 44 credit for the Biological Sciences coursework for the Bachelor of Science degree.
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
Application to Major: Online Form
INFORMATION LISTED IS REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE REFER TO THE UB COURSE CATALOG FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
- 44 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours in chemistry, physics and mathematics
- 82 Total credit hours required for Bachelor of Science degree
—Required BIO, CHE, MTH, and PHY courses same as required for BA and for BS (broad-based degree)
—Required laboratory courses in Biological Sciences (choose four total)
- BIO 313 General Physiology Lab
And three of the following:
- 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 (lab)
- BIO 420 Cytogenetics Lab
- APY 346 Dissections in Comparative Primate Anatomy
—Elective courses: Make additional choices from the following courses to reach the 44 credit minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree.
- BIO 301 Intermediate Cell Biology
- BIO 302 Molecular Biology
- BIO 317 Medical Entomology/Parasitology
- BIO 320 Cytogenetics (Lecture)
- BIO 325 Biochemistry of Human Diseases
- BIO 344 Neuroethology
- BIO 367 Developmental Biology
- BIO 369 Biology of the Microbes
- BIO 387
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics (Lecture)
- BIO 401 Advanced Biological Chemistry
- BIO 402 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 1
- BIO 404 Advanced Molecular Genetics
- BIO 405 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 2
- BIO 406 Signal Transduction
- BIO 417 Neurobiology
- BIO 418 Integrative Neuroscience
- BIO 425 Special Topics – Cancer Immunology
- BIO 426 Special Topics: Genes in Cancer
- BIO 448 Endocrinology
- BIO 449 Comparative Genomics
- BIO 450 Human Evolutionary Genomics
- BIO 495 Undergraduate Supervised Teaching (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 496 Biological Sciences Internship (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 498 Undergraduate Research (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 461/NMD 421 Basic Radiation Science
- APY 345 Comparative Primate Anatomy
- APY 348 Anthropological Osteology
- APY 358 Evolutionary Medicine
- MIC 401 General Microbiology
- PMY 311 Chemistry of Drug Action
- NRS 301 The Brain, or, PSY 351 Biopsychology
- PGY 451/452 Human Physiology
- PSY 402 Psychopharmacology
- PSY 451 Drug Addiction
- PUB 340 Introduction to Epidemiology
Application to Major: Online Form
INFORMATION LISTED HERE IS REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE REFER TO THE UB COURSE CATALOG FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
- 44 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours in chemistry, physics and mathematics
- 82 Total credit hours required for Bachelor of Science degree
—Required BIO, CHE, MTH, and PHY courses same as required for BA and for BS (broad-based degree)
and for this concentration:
- BIO 302 Introduction to Molecular Biology
- BIO 402 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 1
—Required laboratory courses in Biological Sciences (choose four total)
- BIO 332 Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory
and three of the following:
- BIO 313 General Physiology Lab
- BIO 315 Fundamentals of Biological Chemistry Lab
- BIO 329 Genetics Lab
- BIO 370 Developmental Biology Lab
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics (Lab)
- BIO 420 Cytogenetics Laboratory
—Elective courses: make choices from the following courses in Cell and Molecular Biology to reach the 44 credit minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree:
- BIO 301 Intermediate Cell Biology
- BIO 320 Cytogenetics (Lecture)
- BIO 325 Biochemistry of Human Disease
- BIO 367 Developmental Biology
- BIO 387 Communicating in Biology
- BIO 369 Biology of the Microbes
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics (Lecture)
- BIO 401 Advanced Biological Chemistry
- BIO 404 Advanced Molecular Genetics
- BIO 405 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 2
- BIO 406 Signal Transduction
- BIO 417 Neurobiology
- BIO 418 Integrative Neuroscience
- BIO 424 Cancer Immunology
- BIO 433 Human Genetic Diseases
- BIO 448 Endocrinology
- BIO 449 Comparative Genomics
- BIO 495 Undergraduate Supervised Teaching (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 496 Biological Sciences Internship (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 498 Undergraduate Research (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
Application to Major: Online Form
INFORMATION LISTED HERE IS REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE REFER TO THE UB COURSE CATALOG FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
- 44 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours in chemistry, physics and mathematics
- 82 Total credit hours required for Bachelor of Science degree
—Required BIO, CHE, MTH, and PHY courses same as required for BA and for BS (broad-based degree)
and for this concentration:
- BIO 309 Ecology
- BIO 437 Pattern and Process in Evolution OR BIO 438 Evolutionary Ecology
—Required laboratory courses in Biological Sciences (choose four total)
- EVS 310 Ecological Methods
and THREE of the following:
- 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 (Lab)
- BIO 420 Cytogenetics Lab
- APY 346 Dissections in Comparative Primate Anatomy
—Elective courses: make choices from the following courses to reach the 44 credit minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree.
- BIO 318 Plant Biology
- BIO 320 Cytogenetics (Lecture)
- BIO 369 Biology of the Microbes
- BIO 387 Communicating in Biology
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics (Lecture)
- BIO 407 Advanced Ecology
- BIO 432 Microbial Genomics and Metagenomics
- BIO 437 Pattern and Process in Evolution
- BIO 438 Evolutionary Ecology
- BIO 449 Comparative Genomics
- BIO 450 Human Evolutionary Genomics
- BIO 456 Evolutionary Genetics
- BIO 460 Foundations of Developmental Evolution
- BIO 495 Undergraduate Supervised Teaching (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 496 Biological Sciences Internship (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 498 Undergraduate Research (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- APY 345 Comparative Primate Anatomy
- APY 348 Forensic Anthropological Osteology
- APY 358 Evolutionary Medicine
- APY 347 Understanding Human Variation
- APY 494 The Evolution of Hominin Behavior
- APY 348 Forensic Anthropological Osteology
- APY 358 Evolutionary Medicine
- EVS 411 Marine Ecology
- EVS 412 Field Course in Tropical Marine Ecology
- EVS 413 Ecology of Invasive Species
- EVS 445 Restoration Ecology
- EVS 452 Limnology (must submit BIO program petition if taking this prior to 2023)
- GEO 356 Forest Ecology
- GEO 435 Conservation Biogeography
- GEO 445 Restoration Ecology
- GLY 400 Stratigraphy and Paleobiology
- GLY 458 Macroevolution
Application to Major: Online Form
INFORMATION LISTED HERE IS REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE REFER TO THE UB COURSE CATALOG FOR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
- 44 Required credit hours in biological sciences
- 38 Required credit hours inmath, chemistry, and physics
- 82 Total required credit hours
—Required BIO, CHE, MTH, and PHY courses same as required for BA and for BS (broad-based degree)
and for this concentration:
- BIO 417 Neurobiology
- BIO 418 Integrative Neuroscience
—Required laboratory courses in biological sciences (choose four total)
- BIO 313 General Physiology Lab
and three of the following:
- 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 (Lab)
- BIO 420 Cytogenetics Lab
- APY 346 Comparative Primate Anatomy Lab
—Elective courses: Make additional choices from the following courses to reach the 44 credit minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree.
- BIO 301 Intermediate Cell Biology
- BIO 302 Molecular Biology
- BIO 320 Cytogenetics (Lecture)
- BIO 325 Biochemistry of Human Disease
- BIO 344 Neuroethology
- BIO 367 Developmental Biology
- BIO 387 Communicating in Biology
- BIO 400 Bioinformatics (Lecture)
- BIO 401 Advanced Biological Chemistry
- BIO 402 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 1
- BIO 404 Advanced Molecular Genetics
- BIO 405 Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology 2
- BIO 406 Signal Transduction
- BIO 426 Special Topics: Human Genetic Diseases
- BIO 440 Experimental Endocrinology
- BIO 448 Endocrinology
- BIO 495 Undergraduate Supervised Teaching (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 496 Biological Sciences Internship (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- BIO 498 Undergraduate Research (Up to 3 credits total of BIO 495, 496, or 498 can be used).
- APY 345 Comparative Primate Anatomy
- NRS 301 The Brain, or, PSY 351 Biopsychology
- PGY 451/452 Human Physiology
- PMY 311 Chemistry of Drug Action
- PSY 402 Psychopharmacology
- PSY 443 Neurobiology of Animal Communication
- PSY 451 Drug Addiction
See the possible timetable for completion of the BS degree in Biological Sciences listed in the UB CATALOG.
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