Biology, BA

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The BA in biology program is designed to allow students to seek training in biology and in another field. Careers and graduate programs benefiting from this cross-disciplinary approach include physical therapy, genetic counseling, law, technical writing, and management in the biomedical sciences.

Students pursuing the BA will design a curriculum of 18–24 credits in some area of specialization outside of biology that supports their professional goals. This coursework must be approved by the biology faculty and should include at least 12 credits at an advanced (200 or above) level. Suggestions for achieving this objective are to minor in areas such as a modern language, anthropology or sociology (pre-PT), psychology (pre-PT, counseling), legal studies and analysis (pre-law), professional writing, and economics. Student-designed curricula are strongly encouraged. To facilitate this increase in course requirements, BA students have reduced requirements in their science coursework. A minimum of 12 credits used to satisfy the BA in biology coursework must be outside of those used to satisfy social science or humanities general education requirements. Students enrolled in the BS in biology program may switch to the BA in biology provided they have 12 credits or more remaining until graduation.

Curriculum Sequence

First Year

Fall (14.5 Credits)

BIOL 161 - Biological Concepts I—Principles of Evolution and Ecology 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 165 - Lab for Biological Concepts I 0 Credit(s)
CHEM 175 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 177 - General Chemistry I Lab 1 Credit(s)
ASC 101 - Thinking Through 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 101 - Reading, Thinking and Writing 3 Credit(s)
Physical Education Elective 0.5 Credit(s)

Spring (14.5 Credits)

BIOL 162 - Biological Concepts II—Plant and Animal Structure and Function 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 176 - General Chemistry II 3 Credit(s) ++
CHEM 178 - General Chemistry Lab II 1 Credit(s) ++
ENGL 102 - Literature and Critical Writing (W) 3 Credit(s)
or
ENGL 115 –ENGL 124 3 Credit(s)
HUM/SSCI Elective 3 Credit(s)
Physical Education Elective 0.5 Credit(s)

Sophomore

Fall (15-16 Credits)

BIOL 261 - Biological Concepts III—Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 255 - Organic Chemistry I 4 Credit(s) ++
CHEM 257 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s) ++
MATH 118 - Elementary Calculus I (Q) 3 Credit(s)
or
MATH 131 - Calculus With Review I (Q) 4 Credit(s)
or
MATH 120 - Precalculus (Q) 4 Credit(s)
HUM/SSCI/FLEX Elective 3 Credit(s)

Spring (17-22 Credits)

BIOL 262 - Principles of Modern Genetic Analysis 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 299 - Research Methods and Statistics (W) 4 Credit(s)
BA Coursework 6-9 Credit(s) ⁺
HUM/SSCI/FLEX Elective(s) 3-6 Credit(s)

Junior

Fall (16 Credits)

PHYS 141 - College Physics I 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 143 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
BIOL Electives 8 Credit(s)*
HUM/SSCI/FLEX Elective or BA Coursework 3 Credit(s) +

Spring (16 Credits)

PHYS 142 - College Physics II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 144 - College Physics II Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
BIOL Electives 8 Credit(s)*
HUM/SSCI Elective or BA Coursework 3 Credit(s) ⁺

Senior

Fall (16 Credits)

ASC 401 - Transformations Capstone 3 Credit(s)
BIOL Elective 4 Credit(s)*
BA Coursework 6 Credit(s) ⁺
HUM/SSCI/FLEX Elective 3 Credit(s)

Spring (16 Credits)

BIOL Elective 4 Credit(s)*
BA Coursework 6 Credit(s) ⁺
HUM/SSCI Elective 3 Credit(s)
Free Elective 3 Credit(s)

Total Credits: 123

⁺Coursework (18–24 credits) must be approved by the biology faculty. This coursework should serve the student’s educational objectives and include at least 12 credits at an advanced (200 or above) level. Student-designed curricula are strongly encouraged. Coursework satisfying the BA in biology coursework category may also satisfy social science or humanities general education requirements.

++The chemistry sequence of Chem 175-178 and Chem 255 and Chem 257 is recommended. Alternative chemistry coursework for the BA in Biology: Chem 101 and 103 and Chem 102 and 104. In addition, if Chem 175 and 177 were taken first, they may be followed by Chem 102 and 104.

*Six biology electives are required and must include at least one from each of the following lists of courses:

A. Organismal Biology: 303, 305, 307, 308, 309, 311, 315, 317, 324, 325, 327
B.  Cell & Molecular Biology: 302, 306, 310, 314, 316, 319, 320, 326, 419**
C. Interorganismal Biology: 301, 312, 313, 318, 340/342, 345, 401, 419**

Students may take one 300 level course without a lab, unless it is the sole course taken in category A, B, or C.

**BIOL 419 may count as a category C or B elective but not as both.

Students with a Science GPA of at least 2.3 may take BIOL 498 or BIOL 499 (at least 3 semester hours on one project with additional specifications - see your advisor) as one of their four unspecified biology electives. BCH 452/BCH 454 may also be taken as an unspecified biology elective. ENVR 261 may be considered for an unspecified biology elective (with additional requirements-see your advisor). For students with a strong interest in biology, it is recommended that additional advanced biology courses be considered for free electives.

The program of study that appears here applies to students who were admitted for the summer session of this catalog year and later. Students admitted prior to that term should select the appropriate catalog year of their admission. Choose previous catalogs from the Home, Graduate, or Undergraduate Catalog Page at http://Catalog.widener.edu.

Occupational Therapy Pathway

Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway

Majors who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate occupational therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

BIOL 299 - Research Methods and Statistics (W) 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 303 - Comparative Animal Physiology 4 Credit(s)
or
BIOL 325 - Human Physiology 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 307 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 Credit(s)
or
BIOL 327 - Functional Anatomy of Mammals 4 Credit(s)
PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 211 - Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s)
PSY 212 - Adulthood and Aging 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
SOC or ANTH Elective (1 Course) 3 Credit(s)

Please Note:

Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway

Biology

BIOL 299 - Research Methods and Statistics (W) 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 303 - Comparative Animal Physiology 4 Credit(s)
or
BIOL 325 - Human Physiology 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 307 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 Credit(s)
or
BIOL 327 - Functional Anatomy of Mammals 4 Credit(s)

Chemistry

CHEM 176 - General Chemistry II 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 178 - General Chemistry Lab II 1 Credit(s)
CHEM 255 - Organic Chemistry I 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 257 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
or
CHEM 175 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 177 - General Chemistry I Lab 1 Credit(s)
CHEM 102 - Introduction to Chemistry II 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 104 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory II 1 Credit(s)
or
CHEM 175 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 177 - General Chemistry Lab I 1 Credit(s)
CHEM 255 - Organic Chemistry I 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 257 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)

Physics

PHYS 141 - College Physics I 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 143 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 142 - College Physics II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 144 - College Physics II Laboratory 1 Credit(s)

Social Sciences

Two PSY Electives 6 Credit(s)*
One Anth or SOC Elective 3 Credit(s)

*PSY 105 is an acceptable option