About
Undergraduate
Graduate
Courses
Faculty and Staff
- Doctoral Students
News and Events
Research Funding
Facilities
Student Opportunities
Contact

Undergraduate

On This Page:

Major
Minor
Honors Work
BA/MA Programs
Program Learning Outcomes
BA Degrees in Biological Sciences
Accelerated BA/MA Degrees in Biological Sciences

Major

The Department of Biological Sciences Major program is for students who intend to prepare for graduate study, medicine, dentistry, secondary school teaching, biotechnology and industry. Students planning to pursue a Major are strongly encouraged to declare their major as soon as possible after completing one semester of Principles of Biology. Declared majors are assigned a permanent faculty adviser who will assist in individual curriculum planning. Students are required to meet with their adviser at least once each semester throughout their undergraduate career to discuss their program and progress.

CR/NC Policy
Only a letter grade (A, B, C, D, including + or -) will be accepted by the department in the required science and mathematics courses for the biology Major.

Current Advising Schedule

This plan consists of 9 credits of introductory biology (BIOL 100-102) and a 24.5-credit concentration in biology at the 200-level and higher. The biology concentration consists of an 13.5-credit core - BIOL 203, 300, 303 - and 11 credits of electives. Together, introductory biology and the concentration (33.5 cr) satisfy the major requirement for certification as a teacher of biology in grades 7-12. Additional science and math requirements for Major I: CHEM 102, 104, 106, 222, 223, 224; PHYS 110, 120 (or 111, 121); MATH 150; MATH 155 or STAT 213.

Concentrations Within Major
Students also have the option of pursuing concentrations in Behavioral Neurosciences, Bioinformatics and Biophysics. These concentrations are slightly more rigorous than the basic Major 1. Interested students should speak with a biology adviser as soon as possible to plan their courses accordingly.

Electives (11 credits minimum)

Students select the remainder of their credits toward Major I from advanced courses in the biological sciences so as to create a core area of study. Eleven credits are required to complete the major. A minimum of two upper-level lecture courses must be taken, with at least one course at the 300 level, in addition to BIOL 300 and 303, for a minimum of six credits. For the remaining elective credits, at least one special-topics course must be taken (BIOL 470 or 471; various topics offered each semester) in addition to other lecture or research courses. Students with strong interdisciplinary interests may select advanced course offerings in other departments after approval by their advisor. Four credits of laboratory research are recommended and can count towards the total elective credits either from a laboratory elective course or from research within an approved research laboratory. Laboratory research credits are taken as a BIOL480 research course for a maximum of two credits per semester and require a written report for each semester.

Download the graphical Curriculum Guide

Year	Fall	Spring
Year 1	MATH 125 CHEM 102	BIOL 100 *CHEM 104,106
Year 2	BIOL 102 CHEM 222,223 MATH 150	BIOL 203 CHEM 224 MATH 155 or STAT 213
Year 3	BIOL 300 300-Level BIOL Elective *PHYS 110 or 111	BIOL 303 300/400-Level BIOL Electives *PHYS 120 or 121
Year 4	300/400-Level BIOL Electives	300/400-Level BIOL Electives

*We recommend that math, physics and chemistry courses be completed as early as the students schedule allows. Note that CHEM 222, 223 must be taken prior to BIOL 300; otherwise, instructor permission is required. Students who are behind in the chemistry sequence are urged to take advantage of the summer session, during which these chemistry courses are usually offered.

Minor

The minor in Biological Sciences gives students a basic understanding of biology from the molecular and cellular to the organismal and population level. This includes both theoretical aspects presented in lecture as well as practical aspects presented in lab. Flexibility is built into the minor to allow students to select courses corresponding to their interests.

In order to minor in Biological Sciences a student must pass four courses resulting in a minor GPA of 2.0 or higher. All students who want a Minor in Biological Sciences must take:

BIOL 100 - Principles of Biology I
BIOL 102 - Principles of Biology II or BIOL 100 - Principles of Biology I
BIOL 160 - Honors Principles of Biology II or the equivalent
Two additional courses in Biological Sciences, one of which must be at the 200 level or higher

Number of Credits: A minimum of 12 credits. Transfer credits may be applied. At least 2 courses must be taken at Hunter College.

Students who wish to undertake a research project under the supervision of a faculty member must first obtain written permission from that faculty member and then register for BIOL 480-483. Research opportunities for undergraduates at Hunter are available in cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, neuroscience, cancer biology, AIDS, microbiology and a variety of other contemporary areas. In some cases students may be permitted to work at one of the several neighboring research institutions. Synopses of faculty research interests can be obtained from the faculty pages of this site. Please note that to qualify for departmental honors at graduation, there is a research requirement (see below).

Honors Work

In order to qualify for departmental honors, students must have a departmental GPA of at least 3.5 and an overall GPA of at least 2.8. They must also satisfy a research requirement consisting of either:

At least 2 credits of BIOL 480-483
At least one course chosen from among BIOL 390, or 410

The research requirement includes a written report resulting from work in any of these courses.

BA/MA Programs

In this five-year program, qualified biology majors begin graduate work as seniors and receive the MA one year after completing BA requirements. Students are provided with theoretical knowledge and skills in molecular biology and a foundation for application of these skills in careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, academic research, or public health. Successful completion of the biotechnology workshop (BIOL 410/610), an essential program component, entitles students to a summer internship in an industrial or private research laboratory. Interested biology majors should contact Dr. Patricia Rockwell, rockwell@genectr.hunter.cuny.edu, departmental adviser as early as possible.

For more information refer to the college catalog.

Hunter College Catalog

The changing landscape of biological and clinical research often requires students to be fluent in topics from a number of disciplines. Biophysics is a field that combines Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Computational tools. Our cross-departmental faculty offer a number of interdisciplinary coursework and research opportunities to complete a Biophysics specialization in either the Biological Science or Physics BA programs of study.
Classically, Biophysics entailed the study of the structure and function of biological molecules. Many of these discoveries required the development of novel microscopy and spectroscopy technologies. Today, the same is true, as we have entered an age of sequencing entire genomes, or capturing information from millions of genes simultaneously. Both the design and analysis of these experiments requires a host of skills from many disciplines. Your strong foundation in a number of scientific fields will prepare you for the diversity of today’s job market.

More information in the brochure.

This is an accelerated program leading to a BA in biology and an MS in environmental and occupational health sciences in five years. Biology majors admitted to the program start graduate work in their senior year. Interested students should contact a departmental adviser early in their undergraduate studies, as well as the office of the director of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Program at the Brookdale Campus. The program provides biology majors with a career option in public health.

See the Medical Laboratory Sciences section of the college undergraduate catalog.

Undergraduate Catalog

This is an accelerated program leading to a BA in Biological Sciences and an MA in Adolescent Education: Biology. Undergraduates admitted to the program start graduate courses during their senior year and will be able to complete the MA degree one year after they complete the requirements for the BA degree. Interested students should contact a Biology Department adviser early in their undergraduate career.

More information in the brochure.

Program Learning Outcomes

Biology Undergraduate (B.A.) general major and all interdisciplinary concentrations

Recognize, critique, design and carry out experiments according to the scientific method
Synthesize and integrate abstract and practical concepts to address biological problems
Discuss mechanisms of life at the organismal level, at the cellular level and molecular/genetic level
Perform quantitative analyses in Biology

BA/MA in Biological Sciences

Majors Offered	Options in Degree	Number Credits	Recommended/ Required GER	Prereq
BA in Biological Sciences	Major I – for students preparing for graduate study, medicine, dentistry, secondary school teaching , biotechnology and industry	7 plus 33.5-36.5 credits in required additional science and math courses (total 70.5 to 73.5 credits)	1/B: Math 150 2/E: BIOL 100,102 PD (/C, /D): BIOL 100, 102	MATH 101 or equiv. MATH 125/126 or equiv
	Major I – Biophysics Concentration	22.5 to 27.5 plus 15 credits in Chemistry, 12 - 16 credits in Math and 23 credits in Physics (total 77.5 to 79.5)	1/B: Math 150 2/E: BIOL 100,102 PD (/C, /D): BIOL 100, 102	MATH 101 or equiv. MATH 125/126 or equiv. PHYS 111 and 121
	Major I – Behavioral Neurobiology Concentration	29 to 31 credits plus 4 credits in Math, 9 credits in Physics, 15 credits in Chemistry and 17 to 19 credits in Psychology (total 76 to 78)	1/B: Math 150 2/E: BIOL 100,102 PD (/C, /D): BIOL 100, 102	MATH 101 or equiv. MATH 125/126 or equiv. PSYCH 100
	Major I – Bioinformatics Concentration	23 credits plus 11 to 14 credits in Math, 9 credits in Physics, 15 to 18 credits in Chemistry and 6 credits in Computer Science (total 69 to 71 credits)	1/B: Math 150 2/E: BIOL 100,102 PD (/C, /D): BIOL 100, 102	MATH 101 or equiv. MATH 125/126 or equiv

Majors Offered	Description
BA/MA in Biological Sciences with specialization in Biotechnology	Five-year program. Begin graduate work as seniors and receive the MA one year after completing BA requirements. Successful completion of the biotechnology workshop (BIOL 410/610), entitles students to a summer internship in an industrial or private research laboratory. Interested biology majors should contact a departmental adviser as early as possible.
BA/MS in Biological Sciences/Environmental and Occupational Health	Opportunity for biology majors to have a career option in public health. Consult a departmental adviser as well as the office of the Director of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Program at the Brookdale Campus, early in undergraduate studies.
BS/MA in Medical Laboratory Sciences with specialization in Biotechnology	Qualified seniors majoring in medical laboratory sciences (see p. 229) may apply to the BS/MA collaboration between MLS and biological sciences. An intensive techniques workshop (BIOL 410) is taken prior to graduation and upon successful completion, students may continue with professional internship, and MA program, allowing MLS graduates to complete the degree at an accelerated pace.