About the Bachelor’s Degree in Biology
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 advisers 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, research methods, comparative anatomy and physiology, genetics, and plant biology or ecology. A range of electives covers animal behavior, aquatic biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, conservation biology, developmental biology, histology, immunobiology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and pathophysiology.
Laboratory sections generally have smaller enrollments than lecture and thus are especially good for interaction and integrative, collaborative and inquiry-based learning.
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. Credits earned through an Advanced Placement Exam or International Baccalaureate do not substitute for General Biology I or II.
Study of Biology can be combined with another field, such as Chemistry, Art, Communications or Business.
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.)
Biology and Pre-Forensic Science Programs
3+2 M.S. in Forensic Science with a B.A. or B.S. 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. Interested students must apply for admission to this accelerated program when they apply for admission to Arcadia University. Currently, enrolled undergraduates at Arcadia University may not apply 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 program 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.
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