Oct 06, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2020-2021 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2020-2021 Previous Edition

Biology, B.S.


The B.S. in Biology is recommended for students planning a career in an area of biology, or especially if planning to attend graduate school for a Master’s or Ph.D. degree.  B.S. students have the option of designing their course of study to emphasize one subspecialty within the Biological Sciences.  They may choose one of three concentrations:  (1) Cell Biology/Physiology  (2) Ecology/Environmental Biology  , or (3) Microbiology .   Planning for one of the options should be done in consultation with an academic advisor.

Admission Requirements


Freshmen

  • Minimum GPA:  2.0; students with GPA below 2.0 should consult with departmental advisor; students with prior credit earned at UNC Charlotte must have a minimum overall and a Biology GPA of 2.0.
  • Pre-Major/Prerequisite Courses:  Complete the following with minimum grades of C:
  • Declaration of Major: Students are eligible to declare a Major in Biology when enrolled in the above courses.

Transfers

  • Minimum GPA:  2.0
  • Pre-Major/Prerequisite Courses:  All incoming students begin as Pre-Biology and declare upper-division once requirements are met.
  • Transferable Credit Hours:  24

Degree Requirements


The B.S. in Biology requires a total of 120 credit hours.  In addition to the 32 credit hours of BIOL courses required for the B.A. in Biology degree , students working toward the B.S. degree are required to take additional credit hours in BIOL courses to reach a minimum of 44 credit hours.

General Education Courses (37-41 credit hours)


For details on required courses, refer to the General Education Program .  All Biology majors must take 3 credit hours of Writing Intensive (W) coursework in Biology at UNC Charlotte.

Foreign Language Requirement (0-8 credit hours)


For details on required courses, refer to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Foreign Language Requirement 

Major Courses


Physiology Course (3 credit hours)


Select one of the following:

Additional Biology Courses


Select additional credit hours of Biology courses to reach 44 credit hours, excluding BIOL 1110 , BIOL 1110L , BIOL 1115 , BIOL 2259 , BIOL 2259L , BIOL 2273 , BIOL 2273L , BIOL 2274 , BIOL 2274L , and BIOL 3271 .

Unrestricted Elective Courses


As needed to complete the credit hours required for graduation.

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours


Cooperative Education Program


Students majoring in Biology may obtain practical work experience while pursuing their degrees.  The Cooperative Education Program allows qualified students either to alternate semesters of academic study with semesters of full-time work experience or to combine part-time academic study and part-time work during the same semester.  Students who are in good standing with the University, have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5, and have completed 30 credit hours are eligible to apply.  Transfer students are required to complete 12 credit hours at the University prior to application. The work experience is arranged by the University Career Center and must be approved by the Department of Biological Sciences.  Placements are based on a student’s academic interests and on the availability of appropriate positions and are carried out under the supervision of a Biology faculty member who serves as co-op advisor.  Work semesters are followed by participation in the Biology Cooperative Education Seminar.

Grade Requirements


Majors must earn a C or above in BIOL 2120  and BIOL 2130  before taking other Biology courses.  Any student who earns less than a C may retake the course once, for a total of two attempts.  After twice receiving a grade below C in BIOL 2120 , BIOL 2130 , or BIOL 2140L , students may not enroll in the course again and are ineligible for continuation in bachelor degree programs in Biology.  Additionally, students who have two successive semesters with a cumulative GPA in Biology of less than 2.0 are ineligible for continuation in bachelor degree programs in Biology.

Honors Program


For details about the Honors Program in Biology, visit the program page .