Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences

The Bachelor of Arts is recommended only for those students who plan careers in business or secondary education careers related to the Biological Sciences. A minimum of 32 S.H. in Biological Sciences is required for the BA degree.

All biological sciences majors must take the courses as listed for the BA degree in the curriculum sheet.

The BA degree in biological sciences requires a minimum of 32 semester hours from within the Department of Biological Sciences. (Courses at the 1000 level are not applicable to a Bachelor of Arts degree.)

All biological sciences majors must take the following courses for the BA degree:

COURSE TITLE S.H.
FIRST YEAR STUDENT EXPERIENCE
YSU 1500Success Seminar1-2
or SS 1500 Strong Start Success Seminar
or HONR 1500 Intro to Honors
General Education Requirements
ENGL 1550Writing 13-4
or ENGL 1549 Writing 1 with Support
ENGL 1551Writing 23
CMST 1545Communication Foundations3
Mathematics Requirement (met through MATH in major)
Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.)6
Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) (6-7 s.h.) Met through science courses in the major
Social Science (6 s.h.)6
Social and Personal Awareness (6 s.h.)6
Foreign Language Requirement8
FNLG 1550: Elementary Foreign Language (or FNLG 1505)
FNLG 2600: Intermediate Foreign Language (or FNLG 1506)
Major Requirements
BIOL 2601General Biology 1: Molecules and Cells 14
BIOL 2602General Biology 2: Organisms and Ecology 14
CHEM 1515
1515L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
CHEM 1516
1516L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4
Select one course from two of the following groups:7-8
Group A
Microbiology
Microbiology Laboratory
Cell Biology: Fine Structure
Group B
Mammalogy
Human Physiology
Group C
Plant Diversity
Animal Diversity
Select 16 semester hours of courses in the Department of Biological Sciences at the 3000-5000 level. At least two of these courses must have a laboratory component.16
Capstone Course
BIOL 4861Senior Biology Capstone Experience2
Electives
Select 32 s.h. of Biological Science credit.32
Strongly recommended:
Organic Chemistry 1
and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
Organic Chemistry 2
and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory
Fundamentals of Physics 1
and Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory 1
Fundamentals of Physics 2
and Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory 2
Additional electives to meet 120 11-14
Total Semester Hours120-126
1

The general biology courses are prerequisites for genetics and all core and upper-division courses.

Students seeking admission to medically related professional schools should complete the BS program.

The mathematics, physics and chemistry courses may not be taken under the credit/no credit option. 

Recommended core curriculum meeting science requirements of medically related and other professional schools.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallS.H.
YSU 1500 Success Seminar 1
BIOL 2601 General Biology 1: Molecules and Cells 4
CHEM 1515R Recitation for General Chemistry 1 (opt) 1
CHEM 1515
1515L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
ENGL 1550
Writing 1 (electives may be substituted if excused based on results of Placement Test)
or Writing 1 with Support
3-4
GER AL/SS/SPA 3
 Semester Hours16-17
Spring
BIOL 2602 General Biology 2: Organisms and Ecology 4
CHEM 1516R Recitation for General Chemistry 2 (opt) 1
CHEM 1516
1516L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4
ENGL 1551 Writing 2 (electives may be substituted if excused based on results of Placement Test) 3
GER elective (COMM 1545 recommended) 3
 Semester Hours15
Year 2
Fall
Biology Core Course
Select one of the following: 3-5
Human Physiology
Cell Biology: Fine Structure
Plant Diversity
MATH 1570
Applied Calculus 1
or Calculus 1
4
GER Elective (AL) 3
General Electives 3
Select an additional 3 s.h. 3
 Semester Hours16-18
Spring
Biology Core Course
Select one of the following: 3-5
Human Physiology
Genetics
Animal Diversity
Introductory Foreign Language 4
GER Elective (SI) 3
General Electives 6
 Semester Hours16-18
Year 3
Fall
BIOL 3700-5800 course w/ lab 4
Intermediate Foreign Language 4
GER electives (PS), (SI) 6
General Elective 3
 Semester Hours17
Spring
BIOL 3700-5800 course w/ lab 4
BIOL 3700-5800 course 3-4
GER electives (AL), (PS) 6
General Elective 3
 Semester Hours16-17
Year 4
Fall
BIOL 3700 course 3-4
General Electives 9
 Semester Hours12-13
Spring
BIOL 3700-5800 course 4
BIOL 4861 Senior Biology Capstone Experience 2
General Electives 9
 Semester Hours15
 Total Semester Hours123-130

Learning Outcomes

The department's learning outcomes for the BA in biology are as follows:

  •  Students will be fluent in the terminology of the biological sciences.
  •  Students will be competitive for entry into the workplace.
  •  Students will be familiar with the scientific process and the process of hypothesis testing.
  •  Students should be able to reason critically, both individually and in collaboration with other students.