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2019-2020

Bachelor of Science: Biology

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Science

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
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

View VCU Major Map for Biology

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

Northern Virginia Community College (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
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Biology through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Take a career assessment through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and explore VCU's Career Pathways.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your math and science classes. Use tutoring resources 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, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • If interested, attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café or VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • 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.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Biology through the NOVA career planning system.
  • 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 NOVA career planning system.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and explore VCU's Career Pathways.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your math and science classes. Use tutoring resources 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, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • If interested, attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café or VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • 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.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2019-2020

Bachelor of Science: Biology

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Science)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111-112 3 General education
General Education Elective CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
MTH 167 Precalculus with Trigonometry MATH 151 5 General education
CST 110 (Select 1): CST 100, 110, 126 SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
Physical or Life Science Elective w/ Lab CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
MTH 263 Calculus I MATH 200 4 Major
HIS Elective (Select 1): HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST ___ 3 General education
Math or Physical or Life Science Elective w/ Lab BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major
Math or Physical or Life Science Elective w/ Lab PHY 201 General College Physics I PHYS 201 4 Major
MTH 245 (sub. for MTH 264) MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (Select 1): ART 101, ART 102, MUS 121, PHI 101, REL 231 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science Elective (Select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, 211, PLS 211, 241 VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Math or Physical or Life Science Elective w/ Lab BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
Physical or Life Science Elective w/ Lab PHY 202 General College Physics II PHYS 202 4 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (Select 1): CST 151, ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science Elective Select 1: ECO 201, 202, GEO 210 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Northern Virginia Credits Transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
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)
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 3 to 14 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120