Degree Requirements - 126 credits
Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major
Biology Major Requirements: 19 courses and their corresponding laboratories, 66-70 credits
Concentrations in biotechnology, marine science, and health careers are also available. A Biology major must take courses in biology plus designated related science and math courses, in addition to the degree requirements.
Core Requirements (13 courses and their corresponding laboratories where applicable, 46 credits)
Biology Requirement (6 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 18 credits)
Chemistry Requirement (4 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 16 credits)
Math Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)
Choose one Mathematics course:
| MATH-134 | Calculus for Management and Social Sciences | 4 |
| - | Or any Mathematics course including Math 165 or higher | |
Physics Requirement (2 courses and corresponding laboratories, 8 credits)
Choose one of the following sequences:
Divisional Requirements (3 courses, 11-12 credits)
Molecular/Cellular Biology Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)
Choose one of the following and its corresponding laboratory where applicable from the Molecular/Cellular division:
Organismic Structure and Function Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)
Choose one of the following and its corresponding laboratory where applicable from the Organismic Structure and Function division:
Diversity, Environment, and Conservation Requirement (1 course, 3-4 credits)
Choose one of the following and its corresponding laboratory where applicable from the Diversity, Environment, and Conservation division:
| BIO-216 | Coastal and Ocean Policy and Management | 3 |
| BIO-218 | Water Resources Planning and Management | 3 |
| BIO-240 | Introduction to Marine Mammals | 4 |
| BIO-254 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIO-L254 | Marine Biology Lab | 1 |
| BIO-320 | Marine Invertebrates: Evolution and Ecology of Marine Animals | 3 |
| BIO-L320 | Marine Invertebrates: Evolution and Ecology of Marine Animals Laboratory | 1 |
| BIO-321 | Earth and Life Through Time | 4 |
| BIO-H321 | Honors Earth and Life Through Time | 4 |
| BIO-343 | Biodiversity and Conservation Biology | 4 |
| BIO-345 | The Biology of Vector Borne Diseases | 4 |
| BIO-357 | Biology of Fishes | 3 |
| BIO-359 | Biology of Whales | 4 |
| ENVS-135 | Coastal Geology | 4 |
| ENVS-430 | Oceans & Coasts | 4 |
Electives (3 courses, 9-12 credits)
Choose three Biology course electives and their corresponding laboratories where applicable. Any of the courses listed above may be used as an elective if another course was already taken to fulfill the division requirement. If a student chooses one of the concentrations, the concentration requirements will fulfill these elective courses.
Additional elective options are:
Notes:
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BIO-503, BIO-H503, BIO-510, and BIO-H510 must be taken for a minimum of 3 credits to count as a major elective. These courses require approval of an internship or research proposal.
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Students in the CAS Honors program (Honors Community Scholars) may have the option of completing the Honors version of the course instead.
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Transfer students wishing to major in Biology must meet the residency requirement (below) plus complete the Biology Professional Development course (BIO-409) at Suffolk University with a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.
About the Biology Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page
Concentrations
Biotechnology Concentration
Requirements: 19 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 67-70 credits
This concentration requires the completion of all Biology major core requirements (listed in the Degree Requirements section), as well as the following:
| BIO-403 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIO-474 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIO-L474 | Molecular Genetics Lab | 1 |
| - | Choose one Organismic Structure and Function Division course and its corresponding laboratory where applicable (options listed in the Degree Requirements section) | 4 |
| - | Choose one Diversity, Environment, and Conservation Division course and its corresponding laboratory where applicable (options listed in the Major Requirements section) | 3-4 |
Choose two of the following elective courses and their corresponding laboratory where applicable (at least one of these two courses must have a laboratory component):
Notes:
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All courses must be taken with the corresponding laboratory class where applicable.
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BIO-503, BIO-H503, BIO-510, and BIO-H510 must be taken for a minimum of 3 credits to count towards the major. These courses require approval of an internship or research proposal.
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Students in the CAS Honors program (Honors Community Scholars) may have the option of completing the Honors version of the course instead.
Marine Science Concentration
Requirements: 18 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 64-66 credits
This concentration requires the completion of all Biology major core requirements (listed in the Degree Requirements section) as well as the following:
| BIO-254 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| BIO-L254 | Marine Biology Lab | 1 |
| - | Choose one Molecular/Cellular Division course and its corresponding laboratory where applicable (options listed in the Degree Requirements section) | 4 |
| - | Choose one Organismic Structure and Function Division course and its corresponding laboratory where applicable (options listed in the Degree Requirements section) | 4 |
Choose two of the following courses:
| BIO-216 | Coastal and Ocean Policy and Management | 3 |
| BIO-218 | Water Resources Planning and Management | 3 |
| BIO-240 | Introduction to Marine Mammals | 4 |
| BIO-320 | Marine Invertebrates: Evolution and Ecology of Marine Animals | 3 |
| BIO-L320 | Marine Invertebrates: Evolution and Ecology of Marine Animals Laboratory | 1 |
| BIO-343 | Biodiversity and Conservation Biology | 4 |
| BIO-357 | Biology of Fishes | 3 |
| BIO-359 | Biology of Whales | 4 |
| BIO-503 | Biology Internship | 1-4 |
| BIO-H503 | Biology Internship | 4 |
| BIO-510 | Independent Study | 1-4 |
| BIO-H510 | Honors Biology Independent Study | 1-4 |
| ENVS-135 | Coastal Geology | 4 |
| ENVS-410 | Marine Biogeochemistry | 4 |
| ENVS-430 | Oceans & Coasts | 4 |
Notes:
- BIO-503, BIO-H503, BIO-510, and BIO-H510 must be taken for a minimum of 3 credits to count as a major elective. These courses require approval of an internship or research proposal.
- Students in the CAS Honors program (Honors Community Scholars) may have the option of completing the Honors version of the course instead.
Health Careers Concentration
Requirements: 19 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 67-70 credits
The Health Careers concentration is focused on assisting students in gaining acceptance to graduate clinical training but it is not intended to be bachelor’s-level preparation for a specific clinical field.
The concentration requires the completion of all Biology major core requirements (listed in the Major Requirements section), as well as the following:
| - | Choose one Diversity, Environment, and Conservation Division course and its corresponding laboratory where applicable (options listed in the Major Requirements section) | 3-4 |
Choose one of the following courses from the Organismic Structure and Function Division and its corresponding laboratory where applicable:
Choose one of the following courses from the Molecular/Cellular Division and its corresponding laboratory where applicable:
Choose three of the following Biology elective courses and their corresponding laboratories where applicable. Courses listed above not used to fulfill the division requirement may be taken as an elective.
Notes:
- BIO-503, BIO-H503, BIO-510, BIO-H510 must be taken for a minimum of 3 credits to count as a major elective. These courses require approval of an internship or research proposal.
- Students in the CAS Honors program (Honors Community Scholars) may have the option of completing the Honors version of the course instead.
About the Biology Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page
Biology Major Learning Outcomes
The following learning outcomes will be achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.
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Students will be able to demonstrate core knowledge in the fields of molecular, organismal, ecological, and evolutionary biology.
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Students will be able to analyze biological aspects of societal concerns and evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based solutions, including their equitability.
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Students will be able to use professional literature of science to increase and contextualize their knowledge.
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Students will be able to formulate testable hypotheses, conduct experimental and observational studies, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on evidence using scientific approaches.
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Students will be able to effectively communicate biological phenomena appropriate to different audiences orally and in writing.
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Students will be able to maintain a safe working environment for themselves and others and explain how to respond appropriately to accidents and unsafe conditions.
About the Biology Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page
Honors in the Major
To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:
- Have an overall GPA of 3.3
- Have a major GPA of 3.5
- Receive an invitation to apply from the department/major
- Apply by invitation in or around September 15 in time to register for the spring interdisciplinary course
- Be a Biology major and be a sophomore or have 4 semesters remaining before graduation, as of April 1 of the application year
To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:
- Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.3
- Graduate with a major GPA of 3.5
- Pass the junior year interdisciplinary course CAS H322
- Complete departmental honors in a project that encompasses at least two of the following categories of honors-level work: A) Leadership B) Original research C) Outreach/Scientific communication D) Curricular development
- Present at the honors symposium in the senior year
About the Biology Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page