2024-2025 Catalog

Biology, BA, BS


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)

BIO-111Introduction to the Cell

3

BIO-L111Introduction to the Cell Laboratory

1

BIO-114Organismal Biology

3

BIO-L114Organismal Biology Laboratory

1

BIO-274Genetics

3

BIO-L274Genetics Lab

1

BIO-333Ecology

3

BIO-L333Ecology Lab

1

BIO-409Biology Senior Seminar

1

CAS-201College to Career: Explore Your Options and Find Your Path

1

CAS-H201Honors College to Career: Explore Your Options and Find Your Path

1

Chemistry Requirement (4 courses and corresponding laboratories where applicable, 16 credits)

CHEM-111General Chemistry I

3

CHEM-L111General Chemistry Laboratory I

1

CHEM-112General Chemistry II

3

CHEM-L112General Chemistry Laboratory II

1

CHEM-211Organic Chemistry I

3

CHEM-L211Organic Chemistry Laboratory I

1

CHEM-212Organic Chemistry II

3

CHEM-L212Organic Chemistry Laboratory II

1

Math Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)

Choose one Mathematics course:

MATH-134Calculus for Management and Social Sciences

4

-Or any higher level Mathematics course

4

Physics Requirement (2 courses and corresponding laboratories, 8 credits)

Choose one of the following sequences:

PHYS-111College Physics I

3

PHYS-L111College Physics Lab I

1

PHYS-112College Physics II

3

PHYS-L112College Physics Lab II

1

-
Or

PHYS-151University Physics I

3

PHYS-L151University Physics Lab I

1

PHYS-152University Physics II

3

PHYS-L152University Physics Lab II

1

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:

BIO-262Principles of Cell Culture

4

BIO-285Microbiology

3

BIO-L285Microbiology Laboratory

1

BIO-360Cancer Biology

4

BIO-377Immunology

4

BIO-385Advanced Microbiology

4

BIO-403Cell Biology

4

BIO-L403Cell Biology Lab

1

BIO-474Molecular Genetics

3

BIO-L474Molecular Genetics Lab

1

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:

BIO-203Anatomy and Physiology I

3

BIO-L203Anatomy and Physiology Lab I

1

BIO-204Anatomy and Physiology II

3

BIO-L204Anatomy and Physiology Lab II

1

BIO-233Human Nutrition

4

BIO-304Comparative Animal Physiology

4

BIO-475Developmental Biology

4

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-216Coastal and Ocean Policy and Management

3

BIO-218Water Resources Planning and Management

3

BIO-240Introduction to Marine Mammals

4

BIO-254Marine Biology

3

BIO-L254Marine Biology Lab

1

BIO-321Earth and Life Through Time

4

BIO-H321Honors Earth and Life Through Time

4

BIO-337Evolution

4

BIO-343Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

4

BIO-345The Biology of Vector Borne Diseases

4

BIO-357Biology of Fishes

3

BIO-359Biology of Whales

4

ENVS-430Oceans & 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 taken as an elective if another course is 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:

BIO-273Biostatistics

4

BIO-503Biology Internship

4

BIO-H503Biology Internship

4

BIO-510Independent Study

4

BIO-H510Honors Biology Independent Study

4

CHEM-331Biochemistry I

3

CHEM-L331Biochemical Techniques Lab

1

ENVS-410Marine Biogeochemistry

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 Honors program have the option of completing the Honors version of the course instead.

  • Transfer students wishing to major in Biology must meet the residency requirement plus complete senior seminar in Biology 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-403Cell Biology

4

BIO-L403Cell Biology Lab

1

BIO-474Molecular Genetics

3

BIO-L474Molecular 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 courses and their corresponding laboratory where applicable (at least one of these two courses must have a laboratory component):

BIO-262Principles of Cell Culture

4

BIO-273Biostatistics

4

BIO-285Microbiology

3

BIO-L285Microbiology Laboratory

1

BIO-360Cancer Biology

4

BIO-377Immunology

4

BIO-385Advanced Microbiology

4

BIO-503Biology Internship

4

BIO-H503Biology Internship

4

BIO-510Independent Study

4

BIO-H510Honors Biology Independent Study

4

CHEM-331Biochemistry I

3

CHEM-L331Biochemical Techniques Lab

1

CHEM-332Biochemistry II

3

CHEM-H332Honors Biochemistry II

3

Notes:

  • All courses must be taken with the corresponding laboratory class where applicable.

  • 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.

  • Students in the Honors program 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-254Marine Biology

3

BIO-L254Marine 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-216Coastal and Ocean Policy and Management

3

BIO-218Water Resources Planning and Management

3

BIO-240Introduction to Marine Mammals

4

BIO-343Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

4

BIO-357Biology of Fishes

3

BIO-359Biology of Whales

4

BIO-503Biology Internship

4

BIO-H503Biology Internship

4

BIO-510Independent Study

4

BIO-H510Honors Biology Independent Study

4

ENVS-410Marine Biogeochemistry

4

ENVS-430Oceans & 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 Honors program 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:

BIO-203Anatomy and Physiology I

3

BIO-L203Anatomy and Physiology Lab I

1

BIO-304Comparative Animal Physiology

4

Choose one of the following courses from the Molecular/Cellular Division and its corresponding laboratory where applicable:

BIO-262Principles of Cell Culture

4

BIO-285Microbiology

3

BIO-L285Microbiology Laboratory

1

BIO-403Cell Biology

4

BIO-L403Cell Biology Lab

1

BIO-474Molecular Genetics

3

BIO-L474Molecular Genetics Lab

1

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.

BIO-203Anatomy and Physiology I

3

BIO-L203Anatomy and Physiology Lab I

1

BIO-204Anatomy and Physiology II

3

BIO-L204Anatomy and Physiology Lab II

1

BIO-233Human Nutrition

4

BIO-273Biostatistics

4

BIO-304Comparative Animal Physiology

4

BIO-360Cancer Biology

4

BIO-377Immunology

4

BIO-385Advanced Microbiology

4

BIO-475Developmental Biology

4

BIO-503Biology Internship

4

BIO-H503Biology Internship

4

BIO-510Independent Study

4

BIO-H510Honors Biology Independent Study

4

CHEM-331Biochemistry I

3

CHEM-L331Biochemical Techniques Lab

1

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 Honors program 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 Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes 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.

Learning Goals Learning Objectives
Students will... Students will be able to...
Understand the process of science - Design a scientific experiment with statistical foresight
- Assess the ethics of a proposed study
- Conduct an experiment following standard protocols
- Recognize the importance of safety protocols
- Culture, grow, or prepare specimens for study
- Collect data via quantitative and qualitative observations and measurements
- Interpret the results of an experiment
Know how science is communicated - Evaluate primary literature in biology
- Interpret visual representations of data
- Summarize the discoveries of scientific research
Know how to communicate scientific findings - Orally present findings to others in formal and informal settings
- Construct a written document in a scientific style including proper citation of sources
- Prepare visual representations of data
- Access and utilize scientific databases
Know how to work collaboratively - Conduct an experiment or gather data from the field as part of a group
- Participate in group discussions
- Formulate hypotheses in conjunction with others
- Record protocols and observations
- Provide constructive feedback to group members
- Accept feedback from group members
Understand how genetic information is transmitted and regulated - Describe how information is transferred from DNA to RNA, and from RNA to protein
- Explain some of the exceptions to the ‘central dogma’ described above
- Describe how information in DNA is transmitted during cell division
- Describe how cells maintain the integrity of their genetic information
- Explain how information is passed from parent to offspring, by both Mendelian and non-Mendelian mechanisms
- Explain how phenotypes and genotypes are related, including how this relationship is influenced by environmental factors
- Identify the levels at which gene expression can be regulated
- Explain how transcription of genes is regulated
- Explain how protein activity is regulated by intracellular and extra-cellular signaling molecules
Understand that a structure’s physical and chemical characteristics influence its interactions with other structures and therefore its function - Identify the chemical structures and physical characteristics of the molecules of life, including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and amino acids
- Explain how the structure of DNA is important for its information storage and transmission functions
- Explain how protein structure is influenced by the chemical characteristics of amino acids and the cellular environment
- Explain how protein function is related to structure, and how function can be regulated through reversible alterations of structure e. g. phosphorylation
- Explain how membrane structure allows for compartmentalization in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and how this compartmentalization contributes to cellular functions
- Explain how the structure of a cell – its shape, and polarity—relates to its function
Understand that energy can be changed from one form to another, and that chemical energy can be used by cells to drive energetically demanding activities necessary for life - Compare and contrast biologically relevant forms of energy (e. g. kinetic energy vs. potential energy, energy stored in bonds vs. potential energy of concentration gradients)
- Identify biomolecules that are commonly used to store and transfer energy in cells
- Explain how enzymes alter the energetics of biochemical reactions
- Differentiate between catabolic pathways that break down molecules in cells, and anabolic pathways that form biological molecules
- Describe the basic mechanisms of cellular metabolic function, including cellular respiration and photosynthesis
Understand the process of, and evidence for, evolution - Distinguish between the mechanisms of evolutionary change
- Evaluate how mechanisms of evolution lead to speciation and the diversity of life
- Examine how the classification of organisms reflects their evolutionary history
- Assess how stochastic events and abiotic factors have influenced the history of life on Earth
- Explain the connection between genetic inheritance and evolution
Understand the basic principles of ecology - Evaluate the importance of species interactions and trophic relationships for shaping population growth and community structure
- Identify and assess through field exercises several measures that describe an ecosystem (e.g., biodiversity, productivity, trophic dynamics)
- Explain how plant and animal communities change through time (e.g., succession) following natural environmental disturbances
- Assess how human activities affect the distribution and abundance of species and how ecosystems function
Understand organismal structure and function - Assess the environmental challenges faced by organisms and the adaptations they have to address them
- Evaluate the structural, physiological, and/or biochemical adaptations of organisms
- Appraise how the structure of an adaption and/or molecule reflects its function
Understand how to pursue a career in the biological sciences - Appraise their technical and interpersonal skills and qualities
- Effectively search for and locate pertinent internships and jobs
- Assess their qualifications in relation to an internship and/or job description
- Prepare job application materials including a resume and cover letter
- Conduct a mock interview

About the Biology Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

View the Program Page

Honors

Honors in the Major is a highly selective opportunity to complete a signature original project or thesis with the close personalized mentorship of a departmental faculty member beginning in the junior year.  Students have the opportunity to complete a junior level interdisciplinary course addressing real-world problems. In the senior year, students present research or creative works completed in their discipline at the Honors in the Major Symposium. There is special recognition at Commencement and on the Suffolk transcript. 

About the Biology Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

View the Program Page