Georgia College & State University
Biology B.S.
Milledgeville, USA
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Find Your Place in the Biological World
We focus on providing opportunities for students to make connections with the faculty and each other while challenging students to reevaluate the world they thought they knew. With two concentrations in biomedical science and marine science, our students graduate with a well-trained, broad perspective on current biological science topics and have field and laboratory experience that will make them competitive in the job market or prepared to continue their education.
Our Degrees & Programs
Biology B.S.
All undergraduate biology majors will receive thorough instruction in the scientific process and interpretation of scientific data along with experimental design and experience with modern instrumentation. The Bachelor of Science in Biology will provide students with a sound understanding of cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, evolution, and ecology.
Biology B.S. (Biomedical Sciences Concentration)
All undergraduate biology majors will receive thorough instruction in the scientific process and interpretation of scientific data along with experimental design and experience with modern instrumentation. Students in the Biomedical Sciences concentration gain an understanding of living organisms. along with information in physiology, virology, immunology, pharmacology animal development, chemistry, and other related areas.
Biology B.S. (Marine Sciences Concentration)
Students pursuing Marine Science gain an advanced understanding of living organisms and the ecosystems with which they interact through competitive research and scholarship and build public understanding and community engagement of the living world by collaborating with local community, state, regional, and international entities.
Key Benefits of this Degree
- Science on Display - study in our new Integrated Science Center or get hands-on experience with our Aquatic Science Center.
- Choose to participate in our Pre-Med Mentorship program which has a 100% student application success rate to med school since 2009.
- Engage in high-level research through the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program as a transformative approach to enhancing training by engaging undergraduates in ambitious, long-term, large-scale, multidisciplinary project teams that are led by faculty
- The department offers a wide variety of research opportunities that allow students to have an immersive experience with biology, including, Microbiology, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Botany, Geology, Ecology, Entomology, and Paleontology, among others.
Core Areas A-E
Satisfactorily complete core Areas A-E, as listed in the Core Curriculum section of this catalog.
Core Curriculum
Georgia College, in cooperation with other institutions of the University System of Georgia, has adopted a core curriculum to allow the transfer of credit from one University System institution to another without penalty to the student. The University System's core curriculum is comprised of five areas: Areas A - E.
Students successfully completing an Area A-E course at one University System institution will receive full credit in Areas A-E for the course upon transfer to another System institution, even if the area has not been completed, as long as the course is within the area hour limitations of either the sending institution or the receiving institution and the student does not change from a non-science major to a science major.
Georgia College's approved core curriculum courses for Areas A, B, C, D, and E are listed below. Courses not listed here are not approved for these areas.
In this section
- Area A: Communication Skills
- Area A2: Quantitative Skills
- Area B: Institutional Options
- Area C1: Humanities and Ethics
- Area C2: Fine Arts
- Area D: Natural Sciences, Math, and Technology for Non-Science Majors
- Area D: Natural Sciences, Math, and Technology for Science Majors
- Area D: Natural Sciences, Math, and Technology for Health Professions Majors
- Area E: Social Sciences
- Area F: Courses Appropriate to the Student's Major Field
Area F
Satisfactorily complete the following courses:
- BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology I
- BIOL 1107L: Principles of Biology I Lab
- BIOL 1108: Principles of Biology II
- BIOL 1108L: Principles of Biology II Lab
- BIOL 2100: Genetics
- BIOL 2800: Ecology
2 Credit hours from 1000 or 2000 level courses that are relevant to the major
Total Credit Hours: 18
Note: Any transfer student who has not completed the courses in Area F, or their equivalents, must take these courses at GC.
Major Requirements
Satisfactorily complete the following courses:
- BIOL 3000: Seminar
- BIOL 3200: Cellular/Molecular Physiology
- BIOL 3400: Organismal Physiology
- BIOL 3700: Evolution
Total Credit Hours: 11
Upper Division Courses
Any 3000-4000 level BIOL course except BIOL 3000, BIOL 3200, BIOL 3400, BIOL 3700, and Senior Capstone Courses.
No more than 3 credit hours of any one of these courses may be counted without permission of the chair: BIOL 3999, BIOL 4940, BIOL 4960, BIOL 4980, and BIOL 4999.
Total Credit Hours: 18
Cognate Requirements
Satisfactorily complete the following courses:
- CHEM 1211: Principles of Chemistry I
- CHEM 1211L: Principles of Chemistry Lab I
- CHEM 1212: Principles of Chemistry II
- CHEM 1212L: Principles of Chemistry Lab II
- CHEM 3361: Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 3361L: Organic Chemistry Lab I
- PHYS 1111: Introductory Physics I
- PHYS 1111L: Introductory Physics Lab I
- PHYS 2211: Principles of Physics I
- PHYS 2211L: Principles of Physics Lab I
Total Credit Hours: 16
Note: Two of the courses listed above may be taken in Area D for Science Majors. Additional hours are required.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate competence in a foreign language at the level of the second university course (1002).
For students who must take the 1001 and/or 1002 foreign language courses, these courses will be applied to electives and will reduce the total number of elective credits available.
Total Credit Hours: 0-6
Senior Capstone
Satisfactorily complete one of the specified courses.
- BIOL 4890: Capstone: Methods of Biodiversity Study
- BIOL 4910: Origins: Scientific Views
- BIOL 4920: Origins: Philosophical/Political Controversy
- BIOL 4952: Special Topics Capstone
- BIOL 4953: Special Topics Capstone with Lab
- BIOL 4961: Internship Capstone
- BIOL 4980: Study Abroad
- BIOL 4996: Capstone Research
Total Credit Hours: 3
Note: BIOL 4961 and 4996 must be arranged with the supervising professor.
Any semester or year-long study abroad experience within the major can also fulfill the capstone requirement. The student should discuss this choice with their faculty mentor.
Total Credit Hours: 120
Grade Requirement
- Minimum grade of C in Principles I and II (BIOL 1107 and BIOL 1108) is a prerequisite to all Biology 2000 level courses and higher.
- A grade of C or better must be earned in Area F, Cognate area, and 2000/3000 courses required for the major.
- Unless otherwise noted, courses may not be repeated for additional academic credit. Courses may be repeated to raise a grade, but the hours credited will only count once toward the total hours earned.
Additional Degree Requirements
- A minimum of 39 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level.
- Complete First Year Academic Seminar with a satisfactory grade.
- Seniors must take and obtain a minimum score of 140 on the ETS Biology Major Field Test during their senior year. Students who fail the exam must retake and pass it before they will be allowed to graduate.
Many Biology graduates have successfully applied to medical school, dental school, veterinary school, and pharmacy school programs.
Recent graduates have furthered their education in graduate programs at UAB, the University of Iowa, Georgia Tech, UGA, Emory, The Mayo Clinic, the University of Tennessee, the University of Bern (Switzerland), University of Helsinki (Finland), among others.
Graduates of our program are also successfully employed in the biopharmaceutical industry, education fields, and state, and federal government.