Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology HEGIS CODE: 150401
The BA degree is intended for biology majors who may also wish to simultaneously pursue a major or minor in another discipline, or who want to take advantage of the diverse courses offered in the humanities and social sciences. Although the BA degree requires fewer biology courses than does the BS degree, it nonetheless affords a solid education in the biological sciences. Students who complete the BA degree are highly competitive for admissions to premiere medical and graduate schools.
New Eligibility Requirement to Declare the BA Degree in Biology
(effective January 1, 2012)
In order to declare the BA degree, students are required to have first completed BIOL 2010 or any 3000-level BIOL course at UVA. Students with AP or IB BIOL credit for BIOL 2010 must have completed any 3000-level BIOL course at UVA prior to declaring the BA degree. Prospective BA majors must have attained a 2.000 cumulative GPA at UVA and be in academic good standing. Incoming transfer students are exempt from the UVA Biology course prerequisite provided they matriculate with AP, IB or transfer credit for both BIOL 2010 and BIOL 2020 and have a cumulative GPA of 2.000. Incoming 3rd year transfer students can declare the BA degree during their first semester provided they are enrolled in either BIOL 3000 or BIOL 3010. Incoming 3rd year transfer students can only initially declare the BA degree in Biology.
BA Degree Declaration Process
Students seeking to declare the BA degree in Biology should first complete the “Biology B.A. Degree Requirement Checklist” and the “Biology Major Pre-declaration Form”, indicating that they have satisfied the eligibility requirements for the BA degree. Submit the "Biology Major Pre-declaration Form" form to the Biology Department’s Front Desk for review, amd retain the "Biology B.A. Degree Requirement Checklist" for your appointment with your assigned advisor. Students will then be assigned a major advisor based on their interests and academic plans.
DEADLINES
Students must enroll in either a major program offered by one of the departments or an interdepartmental program before the last day of classes in the fourth semester; the program must be approved by an official major advisor. No student is permitted to enroll as a full-time student beyond the fifth semester without being in a major.
Students who transfer as third-years must defer or declare no later than September 30. New third-year spring-term transfers must defer or declare by February 1.
BASIC DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
Introduction to Biology
The Biology Department offers a two-semester introductory sequence of courses, BIOL 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2040. These courses are required for biology majors and partially satisfy the premedical/ predental biology requirement. Biology AP Credit: Students who score at least a 4 on the AP Biology examination, or at least a 5 on upper-level examinations in the International Baccalaureate Program, will receive six credit hours for BIOL 2010 and BIOL 2020. Students who have AP credit must take BIOL 2030 and 2040 or have equivalent experiences. Students with AP credit who are missing one or both of the lab equivalent experiences must take the course/s in which they do not have equivalent experience. Students with AP credit who have equivalent experiences in both courses may move on to upper-level labs. Students who have completed BME 2104 with a minimal grade of C- are exempt from taking BIOL 2010. Note, this exemption does not provide actual credit for BIOL 2010 nor does it exempt students from having to complete BIOL 2020, 2030 or 2040. BME 2104 does not count towards the 102 credits in the College required for the degree and it does not satisfy the Natural Science and Mathematics requirement for the College.
Chemistry
Math and Physics
Majors are required to complete one course in calculus (MATH 1210, 1220, 1310, or 1320) or statistics (STAT 2559, 2120, 2020 or an equivalent or higher level course in another department). Students anticipating a career in the biological sciences are strongly advised also to take at least one additional math course as well as two semesters of physics with lab (PHYS 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2040).
Biology "Core" Course Requirement
Majors are required to complete BIOL 3000 (Cell Biology), BIOL 3010 (Genetics & Molecular Biology), and BIOL 3020 (Evolution & Ecology). It is required that two of these courses be completed by the end of the third year, but they do not need to be taken sequentially or in any specific order. Students with AP credit for BIOL 2010 and BIOL 2020, but who have not started taking introductory chemistry, are encouraged to take BIOL 3020 during the spring semester of their first year as it is the only core course that does not require CHEM 1410/1420. EXCEPTION for Transfer Students Only: Transfer students entering in their third year do not have to complete two Core courses during their third year.
Biology Laboratory Course Requirements
Majors are required to complete at least 3 hours of laboratory course work at or above the 3000 level. This lab requirement can be satisfied by a departmental course, a course taught at Mountain Lake Biological Station, or with two semesters of independent research conducted in one laboratory. Summer research, unless enrolled in BIOL 4911-4918, does not satisfy the upper-level lab requirement. Lab courses offered by other departments do not fulfill the Biology major laboratory requirement.
Upper-Level Biology Course Requirements
Majors are required to complete a total of 22 hours of upper-level (3000 or above) biology courses. The three core courses (BIOL 3000, 3010, and 3020) and the required laboratory course are included in these minimum 22 hours. Sixteen of the 22 hours of upper-level credits required for the major must be taken from courses listed by the Biology Department. Students should take the opportunity to broaden their training by taking elective courses from among several biology subdisciplines. Up to 6 of the 22 upper level credits required for majors may be taken from the following two options outside the Biology Department:
1. Students who complete both CHEM 4410 and CHEM 4420 may apply 4 credits toward the upper-level Biology courses.
2. Courses offered by the Environmental Sciences Department including EVSC 3200/3201 (Fundamentals of Ecology) and upper level (4000+) courses that have EVSC 3200 as a prerequisite may count toward the upper level Biology courses. Students may petition the Biology Undergraduate Committee to have credit for other biologically oriented courses in Environmental Sciences count toward the Biology major.
Restrictions:
Biology 3585, 3950, and 4911-4918 No more than 6 semester hours of credit toward the Biology major may be awarded for any combination of research courses, including 3585, 3950, and 4911-4918. Each semester of independent research contributes 2 credits towards the major up to a maximum of 6 credits (3 semesters). Additional semesters of BIOL 491-498 can be applied as elective college credit. Completion of two semesters of BIOL 4911-4918 under the direction of the same faculty mentor satisfies the Biology laboratory course requirement for the BA degree.
Grade Point Average
The overall GPA for courses presented for the B.A. degree must be at least 2.000. These courses consist of: BIOL 3000, BIOL 3010, BIOL 3020; the course (or two semesters of independent research) used to satisfy the laboratory course requirement; your "best" remaining 3000 level or higher elective BIOL courses up to a total of 22 credit hours.