• Will have acquired fundamental knowledge in the biological sciences.
• Will have acquired specialized knowledge in cellular, molecular and biochemical aspects of modern biology.
• Will have acquired knowledge in the supporting areas of math and science, including chemistry, physics and statistics or calculus.
• Will have been encouraged to participate in discovery through faculty-directed individual research projects.
• Will have pursued interests in areas of biology beyond the core curriculum through elective coursework.
• Will have demonstrated proficiency in scientific writing.
• Will have acquired the skills needed to independently attain knowledge on topics in biology through literature research.
• Will have completed an individualized plan of study that will prepare them to be competitive in applications for admission to graduate degree programs, professional programs, or technical/industrial careers.
• Will have obtained a well-rounded general education in oral and written communication, humanities and the social sciences.
• Will have been encouraged to consider historical, cultural and ethical impacts and aspects of biology.

The B.A. degree program in biology is designed to accommodate students who want a solid background in the biological sciences, but who need less rigorous studies in the supporting sciences of chemistry, mathematics and physics. It is also recommended for students who plan to pursue double majors.

Degree Requirements

In addition to meeting the general education degree requirements outlined previously, students pursuing the B.A. degree in biology must meet the following requirements:

A. Biology Course Requirements

1. The following core courses (17 credit hours):

2. One of the following biology laboratory courses (minimum 2 credit hours).

3. Biology Synthesis requirement (Choose a total of 3 credit hours.)

4. Students must complete additional biology majors coursework to total at least 38 credit hours of biology courses with grades of C- or better. At least 24 of these must be at the 300- or 400-level. One of these courses must be writing intensive.  A minimum of 21 credit hours of biology courses must be taken from the School of Biological Sciences. The UM Biology GPA must be at least 2.0.

B. Additional Science and Mathematics Course Requirements

The following courses must be completed with grades of C- or better: