For best results, print using Chrome.
 Jump to the major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2026-2027

Biology

College of Humanities and Sciences

 
Program description
The Biology program is housed in the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability within the College of Humanities and Sciences. The program offers four accelerated B.S. to M.S. degree programs, which allow Biology majors to obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees in approximately five years.

Biology students may specialize their study within many areas, such as molecular and cellular biology, genetics, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, systematics, physiology, neurobiology, and developmental biology. Students also may develop an interdisciplinary focus to their degree program, for example within areas such as bioinformatics, cancer biology, forensic science, and environmental science.
Career opportunities
The four-year curriculum in biology prepares students for employment in laboratory or field programs in private industry or government agencies and for teaching in secondary schools. This curriculum also prepares students for graduate study in biology and for admission into schools of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, and into allied health programs.
Change of major requirements

Submit a change of major form to declare. Schedule an advising appointment with an academic advisor in biology by emailing bioadvising@vcu.edu prior to major approval.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Biological Technician
  • Clinical Research Coordinators
  • Environmental Scientist
  • Fish and Game Wardens
  • Food Science Technician
  • Health Educator
  • Museum Technician and Conservator
  • Park Naturalist
  • Secondary School Teacher
  • Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products 
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Environmental Health Specialist
  • Epidemiologist
  • Medical Doctor
  • Researcher
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
Transfer Maps

Contact information

Department name:
Department of Biology
Contact name:
Biology Advising
Building/room location:
Eugene P. and Lois E. Trani Building School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, 1000 West Cary Street, Suite 111, Box 842012, Richmond, VA 23284
Phone:
(804) 828-1562
Email:
bioadvising@vcu.edu
https://slss.vcu.edu/undergraduate/bs-in-biology/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Explore What Can I Do With This Major? to learn about career paths, employers, and strategies for building experience related to your field of study.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship. Register for the VCU Globe Program and begin tracking your global leadership growth!
  • Join a student organization like Beta Beta Beta Nat'l Honor Society, National Science Teachers Association, Women in Science, STEM at VCU, Black Women in STEM, or a pre-professional health track club.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Join the Biology Internship Preparation Program Canvas page to learn more about preparing for and applying to Biology internships.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ website.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Discuss options for fulfilling your capstone like research, internship, service-learning, or study abroad and begin to plan accordingly.
  • Work with a professor as a preceptor or through a directed/independent study.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Design a community-engaged research project.
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
  • Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Follow VCU Biology (@VCU BIOLOGY) on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Attend a program through the Wellness Resource Center.    
  • With careful planning, a study abroad semester works well during junior or senior year.   
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Develop tangible skills in internships that you can demonstrate to employers.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Apply to CHS Scholarships in the Scholarship Hub and view Biology-specific scholarships.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Apply for a Department of Biology Award.
  • Gain biological experiences that offer real-world learning by doing through internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Consider Peace Corps Prep, or scholarship opportunities through the National Scholarship Office.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Consider jobs in the nonprofit sector.
  • Enhance your networking skills and practice your “elevator speech” when presenting.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Attend career fairs, employer events, and workshops to interact with employers.
  • Join the American Institute of Biological Sciences or the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Follow VCU Biology on Linkedin.
  • Meet with a career advisor to finalize a resume to start searching for job opportunities after graduation.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2026-2027

Biology

College of Humanities and Sciences

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
  • Explore What Can I Do With This Major? to learn about career paths, employers, and strategies for building experience related to your field of study.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
Experience Year 2
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship. Register for the VCU Globe Program and begin tracking your global leadership growth!
  • Join a student organization like Beta Beta Beta Nat'l Honor Society, National Science Teachers Association, Women in Science, STEM at VCU, Black Women in STEM, or a pre-professional health track club.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Join the Biology Internship Preparation Program Canvas page to learn more about preparing for and applying to Biology internships.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ website.
Year 3
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Discuss options for fulfilling your capstone like research, internship, service-learning, or study abroad and begin to plan accordingly.
  • Work with a professor as a preceptor or through a directed/independent study.
  • Design a community-engaged research project.
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
  • Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Follow VCU Biology (@VCU BIOLOGY) on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Attend a program through the Wellness Resource Center.    
  • With careful planning, a study abroad semester works well during junior or senior year.   
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Develop tangible skills in internships that you can demonstrate to employers.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Apply to CHS Scholarships in the Scholarship Hub and view Biology-specific scholarships.
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Apply for a Department of Biology Award.
  • Gain biological experiences that offer real-world learning by doing through internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Consider Peace Corps Prep, or scholarship opportunities through the National Scholarship Office.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Consider jobs in the nonprofit sector.
  • Enhance your networking skills and practice your “elevator speech” when presenting.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Attend career fairs, employer events, and workshops to interact with employers.
  • Join the American Institute of Biological Sciences or the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Follow VCU Biology on Linkedin.
  • Meet with a career advisor to finalize a resume to start searching for job opportunities after graduation.