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Biology - B.A.

Explore the fascinating world of biology with 91²Ö¿â's Biology B.A. program. Gain a deep understanding of the complexities of life, from the molecular level to the ecosystem level, through engaging coursework and hands-on experience. Our program prepares you for a variety of career paths, from healthcare to research and beyond. Enroll now for endless opportunities in biology.

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Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology

Discover the intricacies of life, from molecules to ecosystems, through dynamic coursework and practical experience. 91²Ö¿â’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology equips you with the skills for diverse careers in healthcare, research, and more. Prepare for your future with a comprehensive education in biological sciences.

Program Information for Biology - B.A.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology is for students who are interested in the biological sciences, but who also want a degree with a strong liberal arts component. The program provides a basic background in biology while offering the opportunity to take a wide range of classes in other disciplines.

The Biology major includes the following optional concentration:

  • The Animal Ecology concentration focuses on animals and their environment. Students choose electives from several categories, including zoology, conservation and environmental management and botany.

Biologists work in a variety of settings, and career opportunities are available in government agencies, privately owned companies and non-profit groups. Graduates may also choose to further their education beyond a bachelor's degree by attending graduate or professional school. The Department of Biological Sciences has several mechanisms to help students prepare for their future careers.

Admissions for Biology - B.A.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to 91²Ö¿â’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former 91²Ö¿â students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since 91²Ö¿â may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's .

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Understand fundamental biological principles.
  2. Acquire the foundational skills necessary for laboratory and field investigations.
  3. Conduct proper experimental design, analyze biological data and communicate research results.
  4. Know and appreciate the role that biology plays in societal issues, such as those related to the environment, biodiversity, ethics and human health and disease.

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BSCI 10110BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 10120BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 30105CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY 1
BSCI 30156ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
BSCI 40163EVOLUTION 3
BSCI 40600WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 11
CHEM 10060GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4
CHEM 10062GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
MATH 11010ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) 3
Biology (BSCI) Electives 25
Biology (BSCI) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) 210
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below)14-16
6
9
6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)22
Additional Requirements or Concentration
Choose from the following:23
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

2

Students should consult with a biology advisor to determine the most appropriate courses given their disciplinary interests and career aspirations. A maximum 6 credit hours of any combination of BSCI 40192, BSCI 40196 and BSCI 40199 may be used to fulfill electives.

Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
CHEM 10061GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4
CHEM 10063GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
MATH 11022TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR) 3
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)15
Minimum Total Credit Hours:23

Animal Ecology Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BSCI 30360GENERAL ECOLOGY 4
Botany Elective, choose from the following:3-4
BSCI 30267
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
BSCI 30270
GENERAL PLANT BIOLOGY
BSCI 30274
FORESTRY
BSCI 30275
LOCAL FLORA (ELR)
BSCI 30277
ECONOMIC BOTANY
BSCI 40270
PLANT ECOLOGY
Conservation and Management Elective, choose from the following:3-4
BSCI 30362
INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY OF THE TROPICS
BSCI 30370
CLIMATE CHANGE BIOLOGY
BSCI 40170
STREAM BIOLOGY
BSCI 40364
LIMNOLOGY
BSCI 40368
WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (ELR)
BSCI 40374
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (ELR)
BSCI 40375
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
General Animal Ecology Electives, choose from the following:6-7
BSCI 30361
BIOGEOGRAPHY
BSCI 30560
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
BSCI 40430
ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
BSCI 40515
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
BSCI 40556
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
Zoology Electives, choose from the following:6-7
BSCI 30580
ENTOMOLOGY
BSCI 30582
ORNITHOLOGY
BSCI 40360
ICHTHYOLOGY
BSCI 40558
MAMMALOGY
BSCI 40560
HERPETOLOGY
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
1
Minimum Total Credit Hours:23

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000

The following Biological Sciences (BSCI) courses may NOT be used in the elective category for majors or minors in the Department of Biological Sciences:

BSCI 10001HUMAN BIOLOGY (KBS) 3
BSCI 10002LIFE ON PLANET EARTH (KBS) 3
BSCI 10003LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN BIOLOGY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
BSCI 10005SMALL ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS 4
BSCI 11010FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 3
BSCI 11020FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) 3
BSCI 16001HORTICULTURAL BOTANY 3
BSCI 20019BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 4
BSCI 20021BASIC MICROBIOLOGY 3
BSCI 20022BASIC MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY 1
BSCI 21010ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 21020ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II 4
BSCI 26002ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF PEST MANAGEMENT 3
BSCI 26003PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION I 3
BSCI 26004PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION II 3
BSCI 30050HUMAN GENETICS 3
BSCI 40020BIOLOGY OF AGING 3

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.1
To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options2:

  1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
  2. Elementary I and II of a second language
  3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:
  • Intermediate I of the same language
  • ARAB 21401
  • ASL 19401
  • CHIN 25421
  • MCLS 10001
  • MCLS 20001
  • MCLS 20091
  • MCLS 21417
  • MCLS 21420
  • MCLS 22217
  • MCLS 28403
  • MCLS 28404
1

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the programs offered by 91²Ö¿â; or (3) demonstrating comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

2

Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Roadmaps

Roadmaps

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Roadmaps

Biology Major (No Concentration)

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Note: Placement in MATH courses may require additional coursework before the spring semester during first year of enrollment  
!BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 30105 CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY 1
MATH 11010 ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Two
!BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
MATH 11022 TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR) 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Three
!CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4
!CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Four
!BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
!CHEM 10061 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4
!CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
General Electives 7
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1
Biology (BSCI) Electives 5
Foreign Language 4
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Semester Six
Biology (BSCI) Upper-Division Elective (30000 or 40000 level) 3
Foreign Language 4
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours16
Semester Seven
BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3
Biology (BSCI) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) 4
Foreign Language 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours16
Semester Eight
Biology (BSCI) Upper-Division Elective (30000 or 40000 level) 3
Foreign Language 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Animal Ecology Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
BSCI 10110 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 30105 CAREER PATHWAYS IN BIOLOGY 1
MATH 11010 ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Two
BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
!CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4
!CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 1
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
General Electives 12
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
!BSCI 30360 GENERAL ECOLOGY 4
BSCI 40600 WRITING IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (WIC) 1
Biology (BSCI) Elective 3
Concentration Elective 3-4
Foreign Language 4
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
Concentration Electives 6-7
Foreign Language 4
General Electives 5
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
BSCI 40163 EVOLUTION 3
Biology (BSCI) Elective 2
Concentration Electives 6-7
Foreign Language 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Eight
Biology (BSCI) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) 10
Concentration Elective 3-4
Foreign Language 3
 Credit Hours16
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus (major and optional concentration)
    • Stark Campus (major only)

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Biology - B.A.

Students completing the Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology can work in research laboratories, support scientific investigations, educate future generations in secondary education, and more, leveraging their expertise in biology across various fields.

Biological scientists, all other

2.2%

slower than the average

44,700

number of jobs

$85,290

potential earnings

Biological technicians

4.9%

about as fast as the average

87,500

number of jobs

$46,340

potential earnings

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

3.8%

about as fast as the average

1,050,800

number of jobs

$62,870

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' . Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
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