Biology Undergraduate Feed
Undergraduate Program in Biology | Undergraduate
Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Biology at Howard University
Biology majors are provided the opportunity to concentrate in one of three sub-specialties: molecular and cellular biology, anatomy and physiology, or evolutionary and ecological biology. To prepare for an emphasis in one of these concentrations, all students are required to complete a core of basic biology courses. These two core courses are General Biology (101 and 102, two semesters) and Genetics (200). General Biology (101 and 102) is a prerequisite for Genetics. After completing the core courses, students are also required to take two core elective courses (one from any two of the concentration areas: molecular and cellular, anatomical and physiological, or evolutionary and ecological biology) and a minimum of 14 credit hours of advanced elective courses. Senior Seminar (493 or 494) is required of all majors, and is taken in the senior year. A student must earn a minimum of thirty-five (35) credit hours in Biology to fulfill the requirements for the major.
Courses in chemistry, mathematics and physics must also be taken as supporting courses for the departmental major. The supporting courses include: mathematics through precalculus, one year of physics, one year of general chemistry including the laboratory component, organic chemistry I, organic chemistry II, and organic chemistry laboratory.
Upon completion of the curriculum requirements, the biology major will be equipped with the necessary tools to gain access to the wide range of available career training opportunities in graduate and professional schools. Students who go on to graduate school may elect careers in academe, research institutions, industries, and government sectors, while those who go on to professional schools may choose careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health and environmental science.
Contacts
Program Details
- Degree Classification: Undergraduate
- Related Degrees: B.S.
- Program Type: Major
- Program Frequency: Full-Time
- Format: In Person
- Length: 4 years
- Tuition: 24,908 USD
- Total Students: 800 majors
Program Documents
Degree Requirements
Course title and number - Credits
Biology (101, 102) or (BIOL101/102-Honors) - 8
Genetics (200) -4
Biology Electives - 22
Senior Seminar (BIOL493/494) - 1
Total Major Requirements - 35
Course title and number - Credits
General Chemistry and Laboratory I (CHEM03/CHEM05) - 5
General Chemistry and Laboratory II (CHEM04/CHEM06) - 5
Organic Chemistry (CHEM141 and 142) - 6
Organic Chemistry Laboratory (145) - 3
General Physics and Laboratory I and II (PHYS001/PHYS002) - 10
Total Other Requirements - 29
Course title and number - Credits
†English (3 courses)) - 9
Mathematics (2 courses) - 7
Division A (3 courses) - 9
Division B (1 courses) - 3
Division C (2 courses) - 6
***Languages (4 courses) - 12
Philosophy - 3
Speech 3 - 3
Physical Education (4: 1-credit courses) - 3
Freshman Orientation - 1
Total COAS Requirements - 56
Total REQUIRED Credits - 120
†The technical writing requirement in English may be satisfied by enrolling in the writing intensive (WAC) sections of departmental or divisional courses (Look for -700 level sections in the Schedule of Classes).
* If only 7 credits are taken as core electives (e.g. taking 3 credit and 4 credit core electives), then 15 credits are required in Advanced Electives to complete the 35-credit requirement for the major.
**We recommend that the African American Cluster Courses be taken concurrently as Divisional A/B/C courses.
***Biology Majors may use the following foreign languages to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences requirement: Chinese, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian (other languages may be considered upon request and review by the faculty).