This curriculum is designed for students who wish to prepare for admission to graduate school or intopre-professional schoosl of chiropractic, dentistry, medicine,pharmacy, podiatry, or veterinary medicine.  The program is also designed for students who want to enter the workforce.

Students should consult the catalog of the school they plan to attend in order to include in their undergraduate programs any special prerequisites not included in the biology curriculum. Our faculty advisers help students prepare for entrance into their desired professions. It should be noted that the majority of the students accepted to graduate schools have completed four years of undergraduate work.

Program Outcomes

Students majoring in Biology develop the following skills and abilities:

Ability to use the scientific method and understand its strengths and weaknesses: Clearly states a hypothesis; Identifies not only the basics of the issue, but recognizes the nuances of the issue.

Ability to research a biological topic using traditional and computer technology: Provides a thorough and relevant literature review; Considers alternate ways to approach the questions; Ability to read and evaluate professional scientific literature; Demonstrates understanding of the relationship between experiment and theory.

Ability to write and communicate science: Writing enhances the presentation; Writing is consistently well written; Writing communicates clearly using the language of biology; Writing displays an excellent command of writing mechanics; Topics are clearly organized; Topics are covered in-depth; Topics display an abundance of original ideas; APA style is used consistently and accurately without any errors.

Ability to utilize mathematical reasoning and quantitative skills in biology: Analyzes data via graphs, statistics and curve fitting as appropriate; Possess observational and technical skills; Carries out controlled experiments using the proper equipment and safety measurements; Identifies relevant constraints; Collects data carefully and with appropriate precision; Uses initial data to refine the experiment.

Possess major field knowledge: Identifies an appropriate question by using prior knowledge; Ability to successfully compete in biologically related fields; Obtains acceptance into graduate/professional schools or employment in the field.

Degree Plan

NOTE: All students are required to complete the General Education Requirements in fulfillment of their bachelor’s degree requirements.

  • Florham Campus students are required to take SPCH1107 Fundamentals of Speech and PHIL1440 Bio-Medical Ethics as part of their general education requirements.
  • During semesters 4 and 5 the Florham students will take Molecular Cell Biology before Genetics and Metro students will take Genetics before Molecular Cell Biology] 
  • Florham campus students take Applied Statistics (MATH1133) and Metropolitan campus students take Experimental Design (BIOL2300)
  • General Physics I and II can be taken with Calculus, as University Physics (Metro campus only) or without calculus on both New Jersey the Florham campuses
  • Marine Biology can satisfy Ecology requirement on the Metropolitan campus only
  • Biochemistry lecture (without lab) can count towards a chemistry minor as an elective and may be a requirement in certain tracks on both New Jersey campuses
  • Ethics in Science can count for the Moral/Ethics requirement on the Metropolitan campus only
  • Concentrations are offered in Anatomy and Physiology, Biotechnology (Metro only), Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Envronmental Biology, Forensic Biology (Florham only), Marine Biology minor (Metro only), Neuroscience (Florham only), Pre-Pharmacy (Florham only), and Quest/Education.
  • Accelerated and combined degree programs for chiropractic, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatry, and veterinary medicine may have different degree requirements. Please see those webpages for more details.

Semesters 1 and 2

Semester 3 and 4

Semesters 5 and 6

Semesters 7 and 8

  • BIOL3___/4___ Biology Elective IIBIOL3___/4___ Biology Elective III
  • BIOL4950 Biology Seminar
  • BIOL3___/4___ Biology Elective IV
  • BIOL3___/4___ Biology Elective V

Biology electives (15-20 credits)

Students must take one course from each elective area (three courses total).  The remaining two electives can be from any area or may be specified if optional concentration.

  • Elective Area I: Ecology and Environmental Biology
  • Elective Area II: Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Elective Area III: Organismal Biology

Courses for BIOL3000/BIOL4000 Elective Area I: BIOL3310, BIOL3311 Evolution

Courses for BIOL3000/BIOL4000 Elective Area II: BIOL3009, BIOL3019 Microbiology

Courses for BIOL3000/BIOL4000 Elective Area III

If three biology elective courses are selected from the same major area, a concentration in that area may be declared.

Biotechnology Concentration

(offered only at Metropolitan Campus)

Semesters 5 and 6

Semesters 7 and 8

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.

Forensic Biology Concentration

(offered only at Florham Campus)

Take all required courses in Biology degree, including:

General education and free elective classes:

  • CMLGY1306 Intro to Crime and Criminology (fulfills Behavioral Science requirement)
  • CMLGY3500 Data in Criminology (fulfills Information and Technological Literacy requirement)
  • GOVT2241 Legal Clinic (fulfills Social Science requirement)
  • CHEM3281 Biochemistry (free elective and fulfills Chemistry minor requirement)

Semesters 6, 7 and 8

Choose two Forensic Biology electives from the following list (also fulfill Biology elective requirements):

Choose one Forensic elective from the following list (free electives):

Choose three additional Biology electives (ensuring at least one each in Area I, II, and III)

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.

Neuroscience Concentration

(offered only at Florham Campus)

Take all required courses in Biology degree, including:

General education and free elective classes:

PSYC1201 General Psychology (fulfills Behavioral Science requirement)

Semesters 6, 7 and 8

Choose two Neuroscience Biology electives; one from each category listed below (also fulfill Biology elective requirements):

Category A (Organismal):

Category B (Cell and Molecular):

Choose two Neuroscience non-Biology elective from the following list (free electives):

Choose three additional Biology electives (ensuring at least one in Area I)

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.

Common Cognate Requirements

Semesters 1 and 2

Semesters 3 and 4

Semesters 5 and 6

Major Requirements:

  • Free Electives: May be chosen from any courses offered at the University after consultation with an advisor,  Free electives may not include any“1000” level Biology courses or non-major Biology courses.
  • Physical Education is recommended for students to go on to some schools of Veterinary Medicine.