Admission Requirements

Freshmen

• See University Admission Requirements  
• 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:
  • BIOL 2120  or BIOL 2130  
  • CHEM 1251  
  • CHEM 1251L  

Transfers

• See University Admission Requirements ​
• 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

Currently Enrolled Students

• Declaration of Major: Students are eligible to declare a Major in Biology when the above courses are completed with a minimum grade of C.

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.

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.

Progression 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 .