2024-2025
Biology, Bachelor of Science
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Life Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Associate degree
Associate of Science: Life Science
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
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. The department also has three accelerated B.S. to M.S. degree programs, which allow Biology majors to obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees in approximately five years. For these programs, students may choose to pursue an M.S. in either Biology, Forensic Science, or Health and Movement Science.
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.
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
- 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)
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2024-2025
Biology, Bachelor of Science
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life 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
- Explore RBC financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
- Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
- Attend RBC Orientation.
- Use tutoring to get ahead.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Register to vote.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
- Review VCU's Biology Department website for course requirements and possible connections with faculty and peers.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Explore possible career opportunities for biology majors.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Use tutoring to get ahead.
- Explore the accelerated BS and MS programs.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Explore the VCU Biology department website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Biology Department.
- Participate in the STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Join a professional organization related to biology: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS).
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Biology department-related events.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
- Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
- Plan to complete at least two job experiences, (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2024-2025
Biology, Bachelor of Science
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life Science)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 101 | Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENGL 102 | Rhetoric and Research II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| Language & Ideas | Select 1: ENGL 203, 204, 205, 206, 210, 211, 214, 215, 216, PHIL 101, 201, 202, 203, 270, REL 201, 209, 210, 270, COMM 101, 102, 201. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| Fine Arts | Select 1: ART 201, 202, 231, MUS 103, MUS 123, THEA 201. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| Human Experience | Select 1: ANTH 103, PHIL 101, 121, 201, 202, 203, PSY 201-202, 217, 218, 240, 250, 292, 295, REL 201, 209, 210, SOC 201, 204, 208, 250, 253. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| U.S. & World Cultures | Select 1: ECON 201, 202, GEO 101, GEO 103, GOVT 201, GOVT 202, GOVT 203, HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 191, 192, HIST 201, HIST 202, HIST 240, REL 209, REL 210, REL 219, REL 220, REL 254. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| MATH 251 | Calculus I | MATH 200 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| MATH 217 | Statistics | STAT 210 | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| BIO 151 + Lab | Biological Science I + Lab | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| BIO 152 + Lab | Biological Science II + Lab | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Major |
| CHEM 101 + Lab | General Chemistry I + Lab | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| CHEM 102 + Lab | General Chemistry II + Lab | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| CHEM 230-231, PHYS 101-102, or PHYS 201-202 | Select one of the following two-semester sequences: CHEM 230-231 Organic Chemistry I-II or PHYS 101-102 College Physics I-II or PHYS 201-202 University Physics I-II | CHEM/Z 301-302 or PHYS 201-202 or PHYS 207-208 | 8 to 10 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Complete requirements for associate degree | VCU equivalents | 9 to 11 | Elective | |
| Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU | 60 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement). (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 6 | Major (Ancillary) | |
| 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 | Capstone requirement: select 0-3 credits from the following: BIOL 475, BIOZ 476, BIOL 477 | 0 to 3 | 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. | 17 to 20 | Major | |
| CHEM/Z 301 | Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory (or elective if CHEM 230 was taken at RBC) | 3 to 5 | Major (Ancillary) |
| CHEM/Z 302 | Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory ((or elective if CHEM 231 was taken at RBC) | 3 to 5 | Major (Ancillary) |
| PHYS | Select either PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 (or elective if PHYS 101 or PHYS 201 were taken at RBC) | 3 to 5 | Major (Ancillary) |
| PHYS | Select either PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 (or elective if PHYS 102 or PHYS 202 were taken at RBC) | 3 to 5 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 3 to 10 | Elective | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||
| VCU offers students four options for accelerated B.S. and M.S. programs: B.S. and M.S. in Biology, B.S. and M.S. in Forensic Science, B.S. and M.S. in Health and Movement Sciences, and B.S. and M.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences. These accelerated programs allow academically talented students to earn both the B.S. in Biology and M.S. degree in a minimum of five and a half years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Please consult with a VCU advisor for information about minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated programs. | |||