Biology, A.S.

CIP Code: 26.0101

NOVA Code: 6550

Offered through AL, AN, LO, MA, NOL, WO

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program with a major in one of the following fields: agriculture, biology, botany, pre-dentistry, forestry, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pre-pharmacy, pre-physical therapy, pre-medicine, science education, pre-veterinary, or zoology.

Two Years

1st Semester

CHM 111 - General Chemistry I (4 CR.)
ENG 111 - College Composition I (3 CR.)
HIS ___ - Elective (3 CR.) ¹
MTH 167 - PreCalculus with Trigonometry (5 CR.) ² OR
MTH 263 - Calculus I (4 CR.)
SDV 100 - College Success Skills (1 CR.) OR
SDV 101 - Orientation to (a Specific Discipline) (1 CR.)

Total 15-16 credits

2nd Semester

BIO 101 - General Biology I (4 CR.) ³ OR
BIO 110 - General Botany (4 CR.)
CHM 112 - General Chemistry II (4 CR.)
ENG 112 - College Composition II (3 CR.)
___ ___ - Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (3 CR.) ⁴
MTH 263 - Calculus I (4 CR.) ² OR
MTH 264 - Calculus II (4 CR.) OR
MTH 245 - Statistics I (3 CR.)

Total 17-18 credits

3rd Semester

BIO 102 - General Biology II (4 CR.) ^{3, 5} OR
BIO 120 - General Zoology (4 CR.)
CST 100 - Principles of Public Speaking (3 CR.) OR
CST 110 - Introduction to Communication (3 CR.) OR
CST 126 - Interpersonal Communication (3 CR.)
MTH 264 - Calculus II (4 CR.) ² OR
MTH 245 - Statistics I (3 CR.) OR
___ ___ - Physical or Life Science Elective w/Lab (4 CR.)
___ ___ - Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective (3 CR.) ⁷

Total 13-14 credits

4th Semester

BIO 206 - Cell Biology (4 CR.)
MTH 245 - Statistics I (3 CR.) OR
___ ___ - Physical or Life Science Elective w/Lab (4 CR.) ⁶
___ ___ - Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (3 CR.) ⁴
___ ___ - Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective (3 CR.) ⁷

Total 13-14 credits

Total credits for the A.S. Degree in Biology: 60-61 credits

(62 credits if students decide to take MTH 161+162 instead of MTH 167)

¹Select any HIS courses listed under social/behavioral sciences in General Education Electives . Elective should be selected with advice of a counselor or academic advisor to meet requirements of the transfer institution.

²Students may begin the Biology AS with different levels of math preparation and so may start with Precalculus or Calculus. The following are possible sets of options for mathematics courses in the program:

Option 1- MTH 263 Calculus I + MTH 264 Calculus II + MTH 245 Statistics + lab science elective, for a total of 60 degree credits. Some universities do not require Calculus II; in this case students should take an additional lab science instead.
Option 2- MTH 167 Precalculus with Trigonometry + MTH 263 Calculus I + MTH 264 Calculus II + MTH 245 Statistics. Students who begin with MTH 167 will take a total of 61 degree credits.
Option 3- MTH 161 Precalculus I and MTH 162 Precalculus II + MTH 263 Calculus I + MTH 264 Calculus II + MTH 245 Statistics. Students who take MTH 161-162 will have to take MTH 264 and MTH 245 in the last semester, for a total of 62 degree credits.

³Students transferring to George Mason University may take BIO 110 and BIO 120 , for certain concentrations in place of BIO 101 and BIO 102 .

⁴See humanities/fine arts courses listed under General Education Electives . Elective should be selected with advice of a counselor or faculty advisor to meet the requirements of the transfer institution.

⁵May substitute PHY 201 , or GOL 105 only if advisable by your transfer institution.

⁶See physical and life science courses listed under General Education Electives . Electives should be selected with advice of a counselor or academic advisor to meet the requirements of the transfer institution.

⁷See social/behavioral science courses listed under General Education Electives . Elective should be selected with advice of a counselor or faculty advisor to meet the requirements of the transfer institution.

Regardless of the combination of math and science courses, students must complete at least 60 credits applicable to this program.