A Bachelor’s degree in Biology prepares students in the major areas of the life sciences as well as in the cognate areas of Chemistry, Mathematics, and/or Physics.
Faculty advisors work closely with each student to plan a series of required and elective courses based on individual interests and career goals.
A core of basic science courses includes general biology, evolution and population biology, reading and writing in biology, comparative anatomy and physiology, genetics. A range of electives covers animal behavior, aquatic biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, conservation biology, developmental biology, histology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, pathophysiology and more.
Laboratory sections generally have smaller enrollments than lecture and thus are especially good for interaction with faculty and other students and for integrative, collaborative and inquiry-based learning.
Requirements
It is the policy of the Biology Department that General Biology I and II must be taken in the Biology Department at Arcadia or transferred in from an accredited four- or two-year college. The Biology Department will now accept AP credit with an exam score of 4 or 5 to count as General Biology I/General Biology I Lab (BI101/BI101 Lab) and BI186. These students who transfer would still recieve 8 credits as in the form of BI185 and BI186. We will also accept a score of 3 to transfer as count for credit (the court will transfer as BI185) but these students must take BI101 + BI101 Lab. All students must still take General Biology II/General Biology II Lab (BI102/BI102L). Students enrolled in the Biology major at Arcadia are expected to take their biology courses at Arcadia or at an approved study abroad site.
Part of promoting excellent biology teaching is instruction that develops and fosters an understanding of biological concepts. The biology major at Arcadia University requires the examination and dissection of animal tissues, organs, and bodies and the use of animals in biological research. Animal use is a cornerstone of biology instruction. We follow all federal and state statutes in labs to fulfill clearly-defined educational objectives. Ethical treatment of animals used in teaching and research is ensured by oversight by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
Study of Biology can be a major, minor, or concentration in another field, such as Business, Chemistry, or Psychology.
The Bachelor’s degree in Biology has the greatest degree of overlap with the Pre-Physical Therapy program requirements and the Pre-Physician Assistant program requirements of any major in the University (See assured admission requirements for these programs).
Bachelor of Arts in Biology Requirements
Nine courses in Biology
- BI 101 General Biology I
- BI 102 General Biology II
- BI 190 Careers in Biology
- BI 201 Evolution and Population Biology
- BI 204 Genetics
- BI 211 Comparative Anatomy and Physiology
- BI 242 Reading and Writing in Biology
- BI 290 Junior Seminar in Biology
- BI 490 Senior Seminar in Biology
Two courses in Chemistry
- CH 101 General Chemistry I and
- CH 102 General Chemistry II
or
- CH 111 Conceptual Chemistry I and
- CH 112 Conceptual Chemistry II
Two Cognate Courses
Two cognate courses in Mathematics:
- MA 141
- MA 201
- MA 202 or MA 203
or
- CH 201 or higher
or
- PH 201
- PH 202
- PH 211
- PH 212
For some career goals, students may need to take more than two cognate courses.
Four Biology electives
Four Biology electives at the 300 level, at least one of which must be a Molecular, Cell and Organismal biology elective
and at least one of which must be an Ecology, Evolution, and Population biology elective
One course from the Molecular, Cell, and Organismal grouping and one course from the Ecology, Evolution, and Population biology grouping must have a lab. These courses must be taken at Arcadia University or an approved study abroad course may be substituted.
Internship or Independent Research
Practical experience in the form of BI 370 Internship in Biology, BI 380 Faculty Sponsored Research, or BI 389 Independent Study is encouraged, but cannot be used to meet the requirements for four 300 level elective courses.
Bachelor of Science in Biology Requirements
Nine courses in Biology
- BI 101 General Biology I
- BI 102 General Biology II
- BI 190 Careers in Biology
- BI 201 Evolution and Population Biology
- BI 204 Genetics
- BI 211 Comparative Anatomy and Physiology
- BI 242 Reading and Writing in Biology
- BI 290 Junior Seminar in Biology
OR two semesters of BI380/Faculty Sponsored Research by the end of the junior year
- BI 490 Senior Seminar in Biology
Two courses in Chemistry
- CH 101 General Chemistry I and
- CH 102 General Chemistry II
or
- CH 111 Conceptual Chemistry I and
- CH 112 Conceptual Chemistry II
Six Cognate courses in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics
- MA 141 Elementary Statistics
- MA 201 Calculus I
- CH 201 Organic Chemistry I
- CH 202 Organic Chemistry II
- PH 201 Fundamental Concepts of Physics I
- PH 202 Fundamental Concepts of Physics II
or
- PH 211 Conceptual Physics I
- PH 212 Conceptual Physics II
Four Biology electives
Four Biology electives at the 300 level, at least one of which must be a Molecular, Cell and Organismal biology elective
- BI 317
- BI 318
- BI 325
- BI 327
- BI 333
- BI 335
- BI 336
- BI 337
- BI 338
- BI 339
- BI 340
- BI 345
and at least one of which must be an Ecology, Evolution, and Population biology elective
- BI 322
- BI 326
- BI 328
- BI 329
- BI 330
- BI 331
- BI 332
- BI 334
- BI 341
- BI 355
One course from the Molecular, Cell, and Organismal grouping and one course from the Ecology, Evolution, and Population biology grouping must have a lab.
These courses must be taken at Arcadia University or an approved study abroad course may be substituted.
Internship or Independent Research
Practical experience in the form of
- BI 370 Internship in Biology
- BI 380 Faculty Sponsored Research
or
- BI 389 Independent Study is encouraged, but cannot be used to meet the requirements for four 300 level elective courses.
Biology Concentrations
Students who want certain career paths may choose to specialize in one of the following concentrations. For some career goals, additional coursework may be required.
Biology Concentrations and Requirements
Biomedical
Required Biology courses:
- BI206 Human Physiology
- BI340 Biochemistry
- BI323 Microbiology
At least one of the following Biology elective courses:
- BI345 Cancer Biology
- BI337 Immunobiology
- BI335 Neurobiology
- BI327 Histology
- BI333 Molecular Biology
- BI336 Pathophysiology
- BI325 Cell Biology
- BI317 Developmental Biology
Cognate courses:
- CH 201 Organic Chemistry I
- MA141 Statistics
Conservation Ecology Concentration
Required Biology Course
-
BI 329 Ecology
or
-
BI 330 Conservation Biology
-
BI 322 Plant Biology
-
BI 326 Fire & Disturbance Ecology
-
BI 328 Marine Biology
-
BI 331 Aquatic Biology
-
BI 332 Animal Behavior
-
BI 341 Plant Physiology
Cognate Courses
- MA 141 Elementary Statistics
- CH 201 Organic Chemistry I
- MA 201 Calculus I
Additional Recommendations
- FA 104 Drawing I
-
FA 208 Photography I
-
EC 330 Natural Resource Economics
-
PS 225 Politics of the Developing World
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Concentration
Required Biology courses:
- BI 333 Molecular Biology
- BI 340 Biochemistry
At least one of the following Biology elective courses depending on career interests:
- BI 323 Microbiology
- BI 325 Cell Biology
- BI 345 Cancer Biology
Additional Recommendations
- PH 201 Fundamental Concepts of Physics I
- PH 202 Fundamental Concepts of Physics II
or
- PH 211 Conceptual Physics I
- PH 212 Conceptual Physics II
Cognate Courses
- CH 201 Organic Chemistry I
- CH 202 Organic Chemistry II
Certification for Secondary Teaching
Students interested in secondary certification should consult with their disciplinary adviser and their School of Education adviser as early as possible, preferably freshman year. All Arcadia undergraduates seeking certification must declare Secondary Education as a minor and formally apply into the teacher certification preparation program during the spring semester of their sophomore year.
Pre-Professional Programs
3+2 MS in Forensic Science with a BA or BS in Biology (Accelerated)
Students completing the 3+2 B.A. or B.S. in Biology and the M.S. in Forensic Science will complete all degree requirements in five years. Eligible students will be invited to apply for admission to this accelerated program when they apply for admission to Arcadia University. Currently, enrolled undergraduates at Arcadia University are not eligible for this program.
4+2 M.S. in Forensic Science Assured Admission Program
This program entails four years of study leading to a bachelor’s degree, plus two years of graduate study leading to the Master of Science in Forensic Science degree from Arcadia University. Students choosing the 4+2 option must pursue an undergraduate major in Biology or Chemistry. This program will ensure that students meet all required prerequisite and recommended coursework for the master’s program in Forensic Science. In the fourth year, students have the option of taking FS515 (Research Methods) with approval of the Director of the Forensic Science program and the Chair of the Biology Department. Assured admission into Arcadia’s master’s pro gram in forensic science is available for select qualified students from the 4+2 program each year.
See the catalog sections on Forensic Science for additional information.
4 + 2 Occupational Therapy program
This program offers four competitive seats in the 2-year full-time Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at Salus University to students who meet the criteria, according to agreement between the two universities. Additional Arcadia applicants will be considered along with all other non-Arcadia applicants for admissions to the MSOT program.
Occupational Therapy is based on the principle that people can improve their health and well-being by engaging in a self-directed, personally-initiated, goal-directed and organized dynamic process.
Advisor: Dr. John Daley
Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science from Arcadia University.
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Salus University. For information about the MSOT program, see Salus University website.