2019-2020
Bachelor of Science: Biology
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Arts & Sciences: Science, Biology Track (Germanna Community College)
Associate degree
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
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
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
Requirements
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)
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2019-2020
Bachelor of Science: Biology
Germanna Community College (Associate of Arts & Sciences: Science, Biology Track)
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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Explore | Year 1 |
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Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100.
- Be prepared for academic challenges and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
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
- Browse careers related to biology through the career coach.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
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."
- Work with career services to build resume.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Research scholarship opportunities and 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
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing for next year.
- Join a professional organization related to biology: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Biological Sciences, Ecological Society of America.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- 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 Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
- Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
- Run for leadership in your student organization.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- ake advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2019-2020
Bachelor of Science: Biology
Germanna Community College (Associate of Arts & Sciences: Science, Biology Track)
Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
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SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
CHM 111 | General Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major |
MTH 167 | Precalculus with Trigonometry | MATH 151 | 5 | General education |
HLD/PED | Health/Physical Education | VCU equivalent | 2 | Elective |
ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
CHM 112 | General Chemistry II | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | Major |
MTH 263 | Calculus I | MATH 200 | 4 | Major |
Social/Behavioral Science | Social/Behavioral Science (select 1): ECO 201, 202, GEO 210, PSY 200, SOC 200, 211, PLS 211 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
HIS 101 | History of Western Civilization I | HIST 101 | 3 | General education |
BIO 101 | General Biology I | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major |
PHY 201 | General College Physics I | PHYS 201 | 4 | Major |
MTH 245 | Statistics I | STAT 210 | 3 | Major |
PHI | Humanities/Fine Arts : Select any PHI (Philosophy) course | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
Social/Behavioral Science | Social/Behavioral Science (select 1): ECO 201, 202, PSY 200, SOC 200, 211, PLS 211 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
BIO 102 | General Biology II | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Major |
Science Capstone | Science Capstone Presentation | VCU equivalent | 1 | Elective |
Humanities/Fine Arts | Humanities/Fine Arts (select 1): ART 101, 102, 106, HUM 100, or REL | VCU equivalent | 3 | Major |
ITE 115 | Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts | INFO 160, 161, 162 | 3 | Elective |
Germanna credits transferred to VCU | 60 |
Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
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Foreign language through the 102 level. (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 (not waived by associate degree) | |
PHYS 202 | General Physics II | 4 | Major |
CHEM 301 + CHEZ 301 | Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory | 5 | Major |
CHEM 302 + CHEZ 302 | Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory | 5 | 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 |
Select 1-4 credits from the following: BIOL 475, BIOZ 476, BIOL 477 | 1 to 4 | Major | |
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. | 6 to 9 | Elective | |
Open electives | 0 to 12 | Elective | |
Minimum number of credits completed at VCU | 60 | ||
Bachelor's degree total | 120 |