Biology, B.A.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

NY State Program Code: 04086
HEGIS Code: 0401.00
CIP Code: 26.0101

General Education

All students must satisfy the University’s General Education requirements , in addition to the requirements for the major. Students completing the B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must also satisfy the University’s foreign language requirement. There is no University requirement for a foreign language for the B.A. degree awarded by other schools of the University or for other bachelor’s degrees such as the B.S. or B.F.A.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology

Required GPA: 2.0
Credits Required for Major: 63
(38 credits in biology, 25 credits in related subjects)
Credits Required to Graduate: 120

BIO (0105) 111 - Biological Concepts and Methods I Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 112 - Biological Concepts and Methods I I Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 222 - Genetics Credits: 3
BIO (0105) 224 - Genetics Project Lab Credits: 2
Biology Category 1: Ecology and Organismal Biology; Credits: 3-4 (see list below)
Biology Category 2: Anatomy and Physiology; Credits: 3-4 (see list below)
Biology Category 3: Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology; Credits: 4 (see list below)
Additional Biology Electives Credits: vary ⁴
400 and/or 500 Level Biology Course Credits: 3-4 ²
Biology Capstone Experience Credits: 3 ¹
CHE (0106) 111 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHE (0106) 112 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHE (0106) 251 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 3
CHE (0106) 253 - Organic Chemistry I Lab Credits: 2
MTH (0144) 114 - Statistics for Natural Sciences Credits: 3
Additional Non-Biology Requirements Credits: 9 ³
Level I-IV Language Credits: 0-12 **

Additional Information:

A minimum of 38 credits in biology, including BIO 111 and BIO 112 .
A maximum of four credits from BIO 491-499 will be counted toward the 38 credits in required biology courses, except if BIO 497 or BIO 498 and BIO 499 are taken, in which case the total of these credits (5-6 maximum) will be counted toward the required total 38 biology credits.

Additional Major Requirements

To graduate with a major in biology, the student must maintain a minimum 2.0 average in the major and complete a minimum of 16 biology credits applicable to the major at Adelphi University. Courses numbered 300–400 are open only to juniors and seniors, and to sophomores only with permission of the instructor. All requirements for the major must be graded on an A–F scale, except BIO 492 , which is offered only on a Pass/Fail basis.

Biology Category 1: Ecology and Organismal

Choose one:

BIO (0105) 220 - Organic Evolution Credits: 3
BIO (0105) 234 - Principles of Ecology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 250 - Invertebrate Zoology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 253 - Marine Biology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 260 - Animal Behavior Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 290 - Vertebrate Zoology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 438 - Microbial Ecology-Capstone Credits: 4

Biology Category 2: Anatomy and Physiology

Choose one ⁵ :

BIO (0105) 294 - Comparative Anatomy Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 355 - Histology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 360 - Prin of Regulatory Physiology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 484 - Neurobiology Credits: 3

Biology Category 3: Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology

Choose one:

BIO (0105) 345 - Developmental Biology Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 365 - Cell Biology I Credits: 4
BIO (0105) 504 - Survey of Biochemistry Credits: 4 ⁶
BIO (0105) 506 - Introduction Molecular Biology Credits: 4
CHE (0106) 471 - Biochemistry I Credits: 3 ⁶
and
CHE (0106) 472 - Biochemistry II Credits: 3 ⁶
and
CHE (0106) 473 - Biochemistry Laboratory Credits: 2

Notes:

¹ One of the following courses is required: BIO 423 , BIO 438 , BIO 465 , BIO 475 , BIO 499 (with a prerequisite of either BIO 497 or BIO 498 ), or BIO 516 . The capstone course must be taken during the final two semesters.

²One course at the 400 and/or 500 level, excluding capstone courses and BIO 491-498, is required. If a second capstone course is taken, it can meet this requirement. Courses that meet Category 1, 2, or 3 can be applied simultaneously to this requirement and to the Category (Distribution) Requirements.

³Select 9 credits from the following: CHE 252 , CHE 254 , or PHY 111 or PHY 113 , PHY 112 or PHY 114 , MTH 110 , MTH 130 , MTH 131 , MTH 140 or above, or CSC 160 , CSC 171 , or other CSC with prerequisite of CSC 171 , or any EAS course.

⁴Select in consultation with an adviser for other biology credit which can include additional courses in Category 1, 2, and 3.

⁵Both the distribution requirement for category II, and 4 of the 38 total credits can be satisfied by taking both BIO 203 and BIO 204 (4 credits toward Bio major are applied; however, 8 credits are applied to the overall 120 credits needed to graduate).

⁶CHE 471 Biochemistry I and CHE 472 Biochemistry II may be substituted for BIO 504 Survey of Biochemistry . When all of CHE 471 , CHE 472 and CHE 473 are taken, they will count for a Category III requirement. All 8 credits will count towards the 38 required biology credits.

Semester Sequence

Degree: B.A. Required GPA: 2.0 Credits Required for Major: 63 (38 credits in biology, 25 credits in related subjects) Credits Required to Graduate: 120

Requirements
Course	Credits	Freshmen		Sophomore		Junior		Senior
		Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring
BIO (0105) 111 Biological Concepts & Methods I	4	✓
CHE (0106) 111 General Chemistry I	4	✓*
BIO (0105) 112 Biological Concepts & Methods II	4		✓
CHE (0106) 112 General Chemistry II	4		✓*
MTH (0144) 114 Statistics for the Natural Sciences	3		✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
CHE (0106) 251 Organic Chemistry I	3			✓*
CHE (0106) 253 Organic Chemistry I Lab	2			✓*
BIO (0105) 222 Genetics	3			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
BIO (0105) 224 Genetics Project Lab	2			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Capstone Experience¹	3							✓	or ✓
400 and/or 500 Level Biology Courses²	6-8					✓	or ✓	✓	or ✓
Biology Category 1: Ecology and Organismal Biology	3-4			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Biology Category 2: Anatomy and Physiology⁵	3-4			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Biology Category 3: Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology⁶	4			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Additional Non-Biology Requirements³	9			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Additional Biology Electives⁴	vary			✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Level I-IV Language**	0-12	✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓	or ✓
Upon recommendation by the adviser, this course may be taken during different semesters *Students may elect to sit for the language competency examination to be exempt from the foreign language requirement.