2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Biology
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
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
2020-2021
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 | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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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.
- Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
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
- Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Get involved with a student or professional organization.
- Browse careers related to biology through the career coach
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- 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 VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
- 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
- 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.
- Join a professional organization related to biology: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Biological Sciences, Ecological Society of America
- Participate in the STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
- 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
- Find out about VCU REAL.
- 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.
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
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.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Biology
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)
| 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 Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | 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 (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) | 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 (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) | 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 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 | |||
| 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). Students who complete MTH 263 at John Tyler have fulfilled this requirement. | 0 to 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 | ||