image 1Biology Department
Undergraduate Programs B.A./B.S. in Biology

A note about recent changes to the biology major
Requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees in biology were revised in May 2007. Students already enrolled at Adelphi at that time may choose to complete their degrees by meeting either the old requirements or the revised requirements. Students who begin their studies at Adelphi after spring semester 2007 (i.e. entering summer 2007 or later) must complete the new requirements.

The revised requirements described below apply to all students who start at Adelphi in May 2007 or later; students already enrolled at Adelphi at that time may choose to complete these requirements.

The B.A. or the B.S.:
Which degree should I choose?
The B.S. degree (70 credits total) provides a rigorous foundation in biology and related areas of science and mathematics, and is recommended for students who plan to continue on to graduate school in biology or to professional schools in the health sciences (e.g. medicine, dentistry, and optometry). The B.A. degree (63 credits total) provides more flexibility in meeting the non-biology requirements, and is especially recommended for students with significant course requirements in other programs such as STEP (i.e. future high school science teachers) or the Honors College.

Invariant course requirements for the B.A. and B.S.
Both the B.A. and B.S. degrees require successful completion of 38 credits in biology, to include: 
Course Requirements: Category I
Ecology/Organismal (one course)
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Organic Evolution 3
Principles of Ecology 4
Marine Biology 4
Animal Behavior 4

Course Requirements: Category II
Anatomy/Physiology (one course)***
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Histology 4
Principles of Regulatory Physiology 4
Neurobiology 3
Environmental Pollutants and Disease 3

Course Requirements: Category III
Biochemistry, Cell, Developmental, and Molecular Biology (one course)
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Developmental Biology 4
Cell Biology I 4
Survey of Biochemistry 4
Introduction to Molecular Biology 4
Biochemistry I and II**** 4 each

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Course Requirements: Capstone Experience
(one course)
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Nutrition 3
Cell Biology II: Advanced Topics 3
Guided Research: Capstone Experience 3

Elective Courses
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Fundamentals of Microbiology 4
Botany 4
Honors Colloquium 2
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4
Biological Communities 4
Human Genetics 3
Nature of Viruses 3
Vertebrate Embryology 4
Jaws, Teeth, and Forensic Dentistry 4
Jaws and Teeth 3
Microbial Ecology 4
Special Topics (titles vary) 3/4
BIO 491*****
 Independent Reading 2/3
BIO 492*****
 Work Experience 2/3
BIO 497, 498*****
 Guided Research 2/3
Biogeography 3
Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy 4
Scanning Electron Microscopy 4
Immunology 3

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Anthropology Courses
Chemistry Requirements
18 credits, to include the following courses
Course#
 Course Title Credits
General Chemistry I 4
General Chemistry II 4
Organic Chemistry I 3
Organic Chemistry II 3
Organic Chemistry Lab I 2
Organic Chemistry Lab II 2
Total Credits
 18

Physics Requirements
8 credits, to include the following courses
Course#
 Course Title Credits
College Physics I 4
College Physics II 4
or
Physics for Science Majors I 4
Physics for Science Majors II 4
Total Credits
 8

Mathematics Requirements
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Statistics for Natural Sciences 3
or equivalent

One additional semester of mathematics drawn from MTH 110, 140, or any MTH with a number higher than 140, or one semester of computer science drawn from CSC 160, 171, or any other CSC course with a prerequisite of CSC 171 (3 or 4 credits).
Total Credits
6/7


Anthropology Courses
Chemistry Requirements
13 credits, to include the following courses
Course#
 Course Title Credits
General Chemistry I 4
General Chemistry II 4
Organic Chemistry I 3
Organic Chemistry Lab I 2
Total Credits
 13

Mathematics Requirements
Course#
 Course Title Credits
Statistics for Natural Sciences 3
or equivalent

Other Sciences and Mathematics: Variable Requirements
9 credits, drawn from any of the following courses
Course#
 Course Title Credits
CHE
 Any chemistry course with a prerequisite of CHE 112 (includes CHE 252, 254) 3/4/5
College Physics I or Physics for Science Majors I 4
College Physics II or Physics for Science Majors II 4
Pre-Calculus for Non-Majors 3
Pre-Calculus for Math and Science Majors 3
MTH
 Any math course with a prerequisite of MTH 140 3/4
Computer Programming for Non-Majors 3
Introduction to Computer Programming 4
CSC
 Any computer science course with a prerequisite of CSC 171 3/4
EAS
 Any Earth Science course  3
Total Credits
 9


Notes:

* If BIO 224 is not offered, Genetics Lab (BIO 223) may be substituted

** After the requirements are met for any category, additional courses taken in that category count as Biology electives and will be applied to the 38 total required credits.

*** The distribution requirement for Category II can be satisfied by successful completion of both BIO 203 and BIO 204 (Human Body: Scientific Perspectives on Structure and Function I and II).  Only four credits of the 38 required credits for the biology major may be derived from this sequence.  However, all eight credits will be applied toward the 120 credits required for a bachelor's degree.

**** The distribution requirement for Category III can be met through successful completion of both CHE 471 and CHE 472 (Biochemistry I and II).  All 8 credits from this sequence may be applied to the biology major.

***** A total of 4 credits may be applied toward the Biology major from BIO 491, through BIO 499.
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Contact
 For additional information, please contact:

Department of Biology
Science Building, Room 103
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY 11530
p - 516.877.4200
f - 516.877.4209

This page last modified on March 3, 2008.
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