Biology, B.A.

 Overall Requirements

  • 120 credit hours, to include at least 36 credits at or above the 300 course level; note that licensure programs may require hours beyond the minimum listed.
  • Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.0 in Biology courses completed at UNC Greensboro.
  • A minimum of 30 credits of Biology course above the 100 level.
  • A maximum of 4 credits at the 200 level may be counted toward the major.

Degree Program Requirements

University Requirements
General Education Requirements (MAC)
College of Arts and Sciences Additional Requirements (CIC)

Major Requirements

Program Qualifications8
Principles of Biology I
and Principles of Biology I Laboratory
Principles of Biology II
and Principles of Biology II Laboratory
Core Courses *16
Principles of Ecology
Cell Biology
Genetics
Evolution
Ecology and Evolution Laboratory
Cell Biology and Genetics Laboratory
Related Area Requirements11-12
General Chemistry I
General Chemistry I Laboratory
General Chemistry II
General Chemistry II Laboratory
Mathematics for the Life Sciences
Precalculus II
Precalculus
Calculus for the Life Sciences
Calculus I
Calculus A
*

In meeting the requirement for hours above the 100 level, all B.A. in Biology majors must complete the following core courses; completion of at least four of these requirements is strongly recommended prior to enrollment in courses numbered 400 and higher.

Recommended

The department highly recommends the course listed below in addition to the required courses listed above.

Organic Chemistry I
Organic Chemistry II
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Calculus A
Calculus B
Fundamental Concepts of Statistics
General Physics I
General Physics II

Optional Concentration

The optional concentration as detailed following the major requirements may be added, but is not required.

  • Biology Major with Comprehensive Science High School Teaching Licensure

Electives

Electives sufficient to complete the 120 credit hours required for the degree.

Biology Major with Comprehensive Science High School Teaching Licensure Concentration Requirements

The Comprehensive Science High School Licensure (BIOL) program provides a strong background in biology as well as licensure for high school biology teaching. In addition, successful completion of this program qualifies candidates to teach other high school science subjects as well.

The Department offers a full range of courses leading to the B.A. degree. The degree may lead to further study in graduate school, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, medical technology, biotechnology, and environmental biology. See also Preprofessional Programs. Both study and laboratory facilities are available to advanced undergraduates.

Students seeking admission to the UNC Greensboro Teacher Education Program with a major in Biology must meet the following minimum requirements of the Department of Biology:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 9 credit hours in biology courses, with at least six of those hours from courses taken at UNC Greensboro

  2. A grade point average of at least 2.50 for biology courses completed at UNC Greensboro

Students already admitted to the UNC Greensboro Teacher Education Program with a major in Biology who are seeking admission to Student Teaching must meet the following requirements of the Department of Biology:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 18 credits of biology courses, with at least 15 of those credits from courses taken at UNC Greensboro

  2. A grade point average of at least 2.50 for biology courses completed at UNC Greensboro

Additional Requirements for Teacher Licensure *
Required
Introduction to Earth Science
Select one or more of the following:
Physical Geology
Environmental Change: Its Nature and Impact
Weather and Climate
Physical Geography: Landscape Processes
The following courses must be taken in a specified sequence terminating in student teaching in the spring semester of the senior year. See the online Secondary Education Handbook for more information.
Literacy in the Content Area
Assessment I: Accountability in Our Nation's Schools
Assessment II: Standardized Tests
Assessment III: Classroom Assessment
Child and Adolescent Development and Learning
Understanding and Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings
Teaching Multilingual Learners with Diverse Abilities
Human Diversity, Teaching, and Learning
Teaching Practices and Curriculum in Science
Student Teaching: Secondary School
Student Teaching Seminar
Introduction to Instructional Technology for Educational Settings (strongly recommended)
*

The Teaching Licensure program in Biology includes a diverse science curriculum in order to align with licensure requirements of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Disciplinary Honors in Biology 

Requirements

  • A minimum of 18 credit hours as defined below.
  • UNC Greensboro cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better or, for transfer students, cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better from all prior institutions.
  • A grade of B or higher in all course work used to satisfy the Honors requirements in Biology.
Required6-9
Senior Honors Project
Honors Work *
Select two 400-level Biology courses completed with Honors Contracts6
Select a third Honors Contract course in Biology at the 300 or 400 level3
Any of the Department's journal clubs1
Oral presentation of Honors Thesis to a committee of three Biology Faculty or public presentation of research at a local, regional, or national meeting is required.
*

Only 6 credits may be counted toward the 30 credit minimum in the Biology major

Recognition

Receive a Certificate of Disciplinary Honors in Biology; have that accomplishment, along with the title of the Senior Honors Project, noted on the official transcript; and be recognized at a banquet held at the end of the spring semester.

Honors Advisor

Contact John Lepri at jjlepri@uncg.edu for further information and guidance about Honors in Biology. To apply: https://honorscollege.uncg.edu/disciplinary-honors/disciplinary-honors-admissions/