Major map compass icon
2019-2020

Bachelor of Science: Biology

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Program description
The Department of Biology offers programs leading to baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees; the doctoral degree is offered through the Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences program. Students may specialize 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 graduate study in biology and for admission into schools of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, and into allied health programs.   
Bachelor-level job titles
  • Biological Technician
  • Clinical Research Coordinators
  • Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
  • 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
  • Attorney
  • Medical Doctor
  • Researcher
  • Scientific Publication Journalist or Editor
Contact information


VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2019-2020

Bachelor of Science: Biology

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Tyler Orientation
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway
  • Register for SDV course
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG, CHM, and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Understand how you will fund your education
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Create Linkedln profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Browse careers related to biology through the career coach
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor
  • Use Navigate to remain on your pathway
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant
  • Reflect on your academic preparation for VCU by completing the MINDSET Inventory
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities
  • Attend a career event on campus
  • Plan to complete a research opportunity, internship, service learning course or other experience before your senior year of college.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Tyler Orientation
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway
  • Register for SDV course
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG, CHM, and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Understand how you will fund your education
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Create Linkedln profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Browse careers related to biology through the career coach
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor
  • Use Navigate to remain on your pathway
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant
  • Reflect on your academic preparation for VCU by completing the MINDSET Inventory
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend a career event on campus
  • Plan to complete a research opportunity, internship, service learning course or other experience before your senior year of college.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2019-2020

Bachelor of Science: Biology

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 or SDV 101 College Success Skills or SDV 101 Orientation to STEM UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111-112 3 Major
MTH 161 Precalculus I (or MTH 263 Calculus I) MATH 141 3 General education
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking (or FRE 101 or SPA 101) SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 162 Precalculus II (or MTH 264 Calculus II) MATH 151 3 Major
CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Social/Behavioral Science elective (select 1):  PSY 200, PSY 230, SOC 200, SOC 211, ECO 201, ECO 202 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Humanities elective Select 1: PHI 111, PHI 220 or foreign language (101), SPA 102, REL 230, PHI 101, REL 100, or FRE 102 VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
PHY 201 or PHY 241 General College Physics I or University Physics I PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 4 Major
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Social/Behavioral Science elective (select 1):  PSY 200, PSY 230, SOC 200, SOC 211, ECO 201, ECO 202 VCU equivalent 3 General education
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
PHY 202 or PHY 242 General College Physics II or University Physics II PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 4 Major
BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
HIS ___ History elective (select 1): HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST ___ 3 General education
Elective Students who are interested in pursuing a teaching career in science secondary education should take EDU 200.  Additonal options: HLT 160, ART 101, ART 102, ITE 115, ITE 119 VCU equivalent 3 Elective
John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level (if not completed at JTCC).   (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school.  Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
CHEM 301 + CHEZ 301 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 302 + CHEZ 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory 5 Major
MATH/STAT MATH 200 (Calculus I) or any STAT course (numbered 314 or above) 4 Major
BIOL 200 Quantitative Biology 3 Major
BIOL 300 Cellular and Molecular Biology 3 Major
BIOL 310 Genetics 3 Major
BIOL 317 Ecology 3 Major
BIOL 318 Evolution 3 Major
BIOL/Z Select 1-4 credits from the following: BIOL 475, BIOZ 476, BIOL 477 1 to 4 Major
BIOL/Z Select from all biology (BIOL and BIOZ) courses applicable to the biology major and biochemistry (CHEM 403). All majors must complete at minimum three additional upper-level biology lab courses. The laboratory experiences may be fulfilled by a separate laboratory section (BIOZ) or by laboratory hours included in a lecture-based (BIOL) course. Not all courses are offered each semester. 13 to 16 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 5 to 13 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120