Course of Study

A Bachelor’s degree in Biology prepares students in the major areas of the life sciences as well as in the cognate areas of Chemistry, Mathematics, and/or Physics.

Faculty advisors work closely with each student to plan a series of required and elective courses based on individual interests and career goals.

A core of basic science courses includes general biology, evolution and population biology, reading and writing in biology, comparative anatomy and physiology, genetics. A range of electives covers animal behavior, aquatic biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, conservation biology, developmental biology, histology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, pathophysiology and more.

Laboratory sections generally have smaller enrollments than lecture and thus are especially good for interaction with faculty and other students and for integrative, collaborative and inquiry-based learning.

It is the policy of the Biology Department that General Biology I and II must be taken in the Biology Department at Arcadia or transferred in from an accredited four- or two-year college. The Biology Department will now accept AP credit with an exam score of 4 or 5 to count as General Biology I/General Biology I Lab (BI101/BI101 Lab) and BI186. These students who transfer would still recieve 8 credits as in the form of BI185 and BI186. We will also accept a score of 3 to transfer as count for credit (the court will transfer as BI185) but these students must take BI101 + BI101 Lab. All students must still take General Biology II/General Biology II Lab (BI102/BI102L). Students enrolled in the Biology major at Arcadia are expected to take their biology courses at Arcadia or at an approved study abroad site. 

Part of promoting excellent biology teaching is instruction that develops and fosters an understanding of biological concepts. The biology major at Arcadia University requires the examination and dissection of animal tissues, organs, and bodies and the use of animals in biological research.  Animal use is a cornerstone of biology instruction. We follow all federal and state statutes in labs to fulfill clearly-defined educational objectives. Ethical treatment of animals used in teaching and research is ensured by oversight by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Study of Biology can be a major, minor, or concentration in another field, such as Business, Chemistry, or Psychology.

The Bachelor’s degree in Biology has the greatest degree of overlap with the Pre-Physical Therapy program requirements and the Pre-Physician Assistant program requirements of any major in the University (See assured admission requirements for these programs). 

Students who want certain career paths may choose to specialize in one of the following concentrations. For some career goals, additional coursework may be required. 

Students interested in secondary certification should consult with their disciplinary adviser and their School of Education adviser as early as possible, preferably freshman year. All Arcadia undergraduates seeking certification must declare Secondary Education as a minor and formally apply into the teacher certification preparation program during the spring semester of their sophomore year.

Students completing the 3+2 B.A. or B.S. in Biology and the M.S. in Forensic Science will complete all degree requirements in five years. Eligible students will be invited to apply for admission to this accelerated program when they apply for admission to Arcadia University. Currently, enrolled undergraduates at Arcadia University are not eligible for this program. 

This program entails four years of study leading to a bachelor’s degree, plus two years of graduate study leading to the Master of Science in Forensic Science degree from Arcadia University. Students choosing the 4+2 option must pursue an undergraduate major in Biology or Chemistry. This program will ensure that students meet all required prerequisite and recommended coursework for the master’s program in Forensic Science. In the fourth year, students have the option of taking FS515 (Research Methods) with approval of the Director of the Forensic Science program and the Chair of the Biology Department. Assured admission into Arcadia’s master’s pro gram in forensic science is available for select qualified students from the 4+2 program each year.

See the catalog sections on Forensic Science for additional information.

This program offers four competitive seats in the 2-year full-time Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at Salus University to students who meet the criteria, according to agreement between the two universities. Additional Arcadia applicants will be considered along with all other non-Arcadia applicants for admissions to the MSOT program. 

Occupational Therapy is based on the principle that people can improve their health and well-being by engaging in a self-directed, personally-initiated, goal-directed and organized dynamic process. 

Advisor: Dr. John Daley 

Degrees