Biology (BA)
This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2021–Spring 2022 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.
Bachelor of Arts in Biology
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Biology
Academic Plan Code(s): BIOLBA
Program Information
There are two undergraduate degree programs offered in the Biology Department, a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
The BA degree is a more general degree than the BS. It is a liberal arts degree designed for those students who desire a broad education in a variety of disciplines. This degree requires more foreign language and social science and/or humanities courses than the BS degree. It is a good degree for students interested in taking a diversity of courses outside the sciences. This degree is also suitable for someone planning to be a teacher. A student planning on applying to professional schools can do so with this degree, as long as the student takes all the prerequisites for admission to the desired program.
Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Measurement. For details, contact the department.
Degree Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 1 | 31 | |
| College/School Requirements | 22 | |
| Program/Major Requirements 1 | 37 | |
| Supporting Courses | 31 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121 | |
| 1 | Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. See the Degree Requirements tab for specific coursework. |
Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.
Accelerated BA-BS/MS in Biology
Biology majors who are considering pursuing a non-thesis master's degree (MS) in Biology can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master's degree. Students accepted into the Accelerated BA-BS/MS program take three graduate courses (9 credit hours) as an undergraduate that apply toward both the bachelor's degree and the eventual master's degree.
Early Start Program (Jointly with the College of Education and Human Development)
The Master of Arts in Teaching program in conjunction with the undergraduate programs in Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics offers a comprehensive and professionally-focused program leading to an additional degree of MAT Middle or Secondary Education. This early start program enables superior students to receive two degrees within five years. A total of 148 credits are required for the dual degrees: 121 credits of coursework devoted toward the baccalaureate degree and 36 credits toward the MAT, with nine hours double-counted. This program will be available for students who are entering their junior year. They may take graduate level courses in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) in their 4th year of study.
The current qualifications for the joint degree program have been agreed upon by discipline faculty from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education and Human Development. The criteria vary by discipline. Students enrolling in the accelerated program will be non-thesis students and must adhere to all policies pertaining to Graduate Students. All interested students must submit an application to the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) MAT program and meet the admission criteria.
Departmental Admission Requirements
Admission to the BA in Biology requires completion of BIOL 240, BIOL 241, BIOL 242, and BIOL 243 with a grade of C or better; completion of MATH 111 with a grade of C or better OR placement into a mathematics course above the level of MATH 111 on the basis of either the University of Louisville mathematics placement examination or ACT/SAT score; and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0.
The Application for Major form can be found on the Arts & Sciences Advising Center website.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 1 | 31 | |
| The following courses are required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education Requirement: | ||
| Unity of Life - S | ||
or BIOL 242 | Diversity of Life - S | |
| Experimental Biology I: Molecules and Cells - SL | ||
or BIOL 243 | Experimental Biology II: Organismal Biology - SL | |
| General Chemistry I - S | ||
or CHEM 202 | General Chemistry II - S | |
| Elements of Calculus - QR | ||
or MATH 205 | Calculus I - QR | |
All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above). Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.
College/School Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Sciences Requirements | ||
| GEN 100 | Student Success Center First Year Experience | 1 |
| or GEN 101 | Arts & Sciences First Year Experience | |
| Foreign Language 2 | 12 | |
| Electives in Humanities or Social Sciences 3 | 9 | |
| WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 4 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 22 | |
Program/Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Biology | ||
| BIOL 240 | Unity of Life - S | 3 |
| BIOL 241 | Experimental Biology I: Molecules and Cells - SL | 1 |
| BIOL 242 | Diversity of Life - S | 3 |
| BIOL 243 | Experimental Biology II: Organismal Biology - SL | 1 |
| BIOL 329 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 330 & BIOL 331 | Genetics and Molecular Biology Genetics and Molecular Biology: Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOL 363 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 409 | Evolutionary Biology - CUE | 3 |
| Biology Electives 5 | 15 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 37 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Courses | ||
| CHEM 201 | General Chemistry I - S | 3 |
| CHEM 202 | General Chemistry II - S | 3 |
| CHEM 207 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL | 1 |
| CHEM 208 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis II - SL | 1 |
| CHEM 209 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis III | 1 |
| CHEM 341 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 342 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| CHEM 344 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 2 |
| MATH 180 | Elements of Calculus - QR | 3-4 |
| or MATH 205 | Calculus I - QR | |
| BIOL 350 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| Minimum Electives 6 | 5-6 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 31 | |
Only 40 hours in the major department may be applied toward the Bachelor of Arts Degree.
At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement) | ||
| Requirement fulfilled by completing one of the following: | ||
| Undergraduate Research - CUE | ||
| Undergraduate Research (WR) - WR, CUE | ||
| Evolutionary Biology - CUE | ||
| Biology of the Cell - CUE, WR | ||
| Undergraduate Teaching Assistant - CUE | ||
| Developmental Biology - CUE | ||
| Microbial Physiology - CUE, WR | ||
| Biology Internship - CUE | ||
| Behavioral Endocrinology - CUE, WR | ||
| Medicinal Plant Biochemistry - CUE, WR | ||
| Experimental Design and Analysis - WR, CUE | ||
| 1 | Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. |
| 2 | Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language |
| 3 | In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at 300 level or above |
| 4 | May be incorporated into other degree requirements |
| 5 | BIOL 102, BIOL 104, BIOL 257, BIOL 258, BIOL 260, BIOL 261, BIOL 262 and BIOL 263 may not count toward electives in the major. A maximum of 6 hours of undergraduate research or independent study may count toward the major. Students should take all BIOL electives at the 300 level or above. |
| 6 | At least 5 hours should be at the 300-level or higher. Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree. |
Flight Plan
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| GEN 100 or GEN 101 |
Student Success Center First Year Experience or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience |
1 |
| BIOL 240 | Unity of Life - S | 3 |
| BIOL 241 | Experimental Biology I: Molecules and Cells - SL | 1 |
| MATH 180 or MATH 205 |
Elements of Calculus - QR or Calculus I - QR |
3-4 |
| Foreign Language 1 | 4 | |
| ENGL 101 | Introduction to College Writing - WC | 3 |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 242 | Diversity of Life - S | 3 |
| BIOL 243 | Experimental Biology II: Organismal Biology - SL | 1 |
| CHEM 201 | General Chemistry I - S | 3 |
| CHEM 207 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL | 1 |
| CHEM 208 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis II - SL | 1 |
| ENGL 102 | Intermediate College Writing - WC | 3 |
| Foreign Language 2 | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 329 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 3 |
| Foreign Language 3 | 4 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences US Diversity - SBD1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 330 | Genetics and Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 331 | Genetics and Molecular Biology: Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 202 | General Chemistry II - S | 3 |
| CHEM 209 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis III | 1 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 363 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| Biology Elective (300 level or above) | 3-4 | |
| CHEM 341 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH | 3 | |
| Hours | 14-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 350 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIOL 409 | Evolutionary Biology - CUE | 3 |
| Biology Elective (300 level or above) | 3-4 | |
| CHEM 342 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 344 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 2 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities Global Diversity - AHD2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 17-18 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Biology Elective - CUE | 3-4 | |
| Biology Elective (300 level or above) | 3-4 | |
| Humanities or Social Science WR course (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| Biology Elective (300 level or above) | 3-4 | |
| Humanities or Social Science WR Course (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Humanities or Social Science Course (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective (300 level or above) | 1-3 | |
| Hours | 13-16 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121-129 | |
Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan. What-if reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan. Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.
To create either report:
- Log into your ULink account.
- Click on the Academic Progress tile.
- Next, click on "View my Degree Audit" to run a Degree Audit report in the Undergraduate Advising area.
- To create a What-if report, click on "Create a What-if Advisement Report."
Click here to run a Degree Audit report, or create a What-if report.
Flight Planner
Based on your major, the Flight Planner tool may be available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan. The Flight Planner can be found in the ULink Student Center. Consult with your advisor for assistance with the Flight Planner.
