Department of Biology

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

Susan Swensen, Associate Professor and Chair

The biology department offers a liberal arts education with a major in biology, giving a strong foundation for continued study at the graduate level. This curriculum also provides preparation for entering the health professions (dentistry, medicine, optometry, osteopathy, podiatry, and veterinary medicine) and paramedical fields. Other career opportunities exist in laboratories, pharmaceutical and chemical companies, governmental and environmental agencies, and other organizations that require personnel with a biology background.

The curriculum also allows for preparation and certification in secondary teaching in biology with either a major or a minor in biology.

Biology, B.A.
Biology, B.A. with Teaching Option
Biology, B.S.
Minor in Biology

Biology-Optometry 3-1 Program

This joint program with an optometry college is available to biology majors and enables students to enter optometry college after three years of undergraduate study. Ithaca College requirements for graduation, as well as most of the biology requirements, must be fulfilled during the first 90 credits of this program. After acceptance by the optometry college, and upon successful completion of the first year of optometry college, the bachelor's degree in biology is awarded by Ithaca College. This program must be carefully planned with the student's adviser.
Optometry 3-1 Program

Requirements for Honors in Biology

Students with a minimum GPA in biology courses of 3.50 and an overall GPA of 3.30 may apply for honors after they have completed (or are currently enrolled in) BIOL 30200 Research in Biology but no later than the end of the junior year. Application must be made to the Biology Curriculum Committee for admission to honors. The application must include current GPAs (in biology and overall) and a one-page summary of the proposed research project. The curriculum committee reviews the qualifications of the applicants, certifies that faculty sponsorship has been obtained, and then makes its recommendations to the department. The faculty of the biology department votes on acceptance or rejection of the curriculum committee's recommendation.

When a student is accepted for honors, an honors committee is formed, consisting of the faculty sponsor (project director) and two other faculty members, one of whom must be from the biology department. The student designs the yearlong honors project in consultation with the faculty sponsor and must write up a proposal describing this project, which is then submitted to the honors committee. The honors committee monitors the progress of the project and the academic performance of the student.

The student must write a paper summarizing their research and give an oral presentation to the department at the end of the second semester of the project. The honors committee will make the determination whether or not to grant honors in biology.

A detailed description of the honors requirements and deadlines is available from the faculty adviser.

Courses for Nonmajors

The biology department offers several courses of interest to the nonmajor. These courses have numbers between BIOL 10000 and BIOL 12000.

Requirements for the Major in Biology -- B.A.

Biology, chemistry, and mathematics:

Biology

Courses that do not count as biology electives include any courses listed as required; any level-1 courses; BIOL 20500; BIOL 21000; BIOL 40000; BIOL 40100; and BIOL 40200. Biochemistry I and II (BIOC 35300 and BIOC 35400) and BIOC 48100 Special Topics: Biochemistry may count as biology electives.

Chemistry

Mathematics

Required courses outside biology, chemistry, and mathematics

Electives

Advanced placement (AP) credit in biology is accepted under the following policy:

1. A student with an AP test score of 5 may receive course-specific credit (e.g., BIOL 11900, BIOL 12000 or BIOL 12100, BIOL 12200) provided there is evidence in the AP course of a laboratory component and a passing score on an exam administered by the department. If a student receives course-specific AP credit, he or she cannot also receive credit for taking the course.
2. A student with an AP test score of 3, 4, or 5 will receive elective credit without particular designation. Students with AP test scores below 3 will not receive credit.

Requirements for the Major in Biology -- B.A. with Teaching Option

Biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics

Biology

Courses that do not count as electives include any courses listed as required; any level-1 courses; BIOL 20500; BIOL 21000; BIOL 40000; BIOL 40100; and BIOL 40200. Biochemistry I and II (BIOC 35300 and BIOC 35400) may be used as biology electives, but no other courses in biochemistry may count.

Chemistry

Physics or chemistry

Mathematics

Core education requirements

Additional Requirements

• All teaching-option students must successfully complete a year of college-level study in a language other than English. Students may test out of this requirement by taking the language placement test and placing at level 2.

• All teaching-option students must successfully complete a writing course numbered WRTG 10600 or above.

• All teaching-option students must successfully complete the second-year review and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 in their subject. If a student receives an unsuccessful review or a review with stipulations, the student must participate in and successfully pass a second review the following year. Unsuccessful reviews and reviews with stipulations will be accompanied by a written statement outlining what must be done before the second review is completed.

• Students must earn a grade of B or better in EDUC 40810 and EDUC 41010 to qualify for student teaching. A grade of B- does not qualify.

• EDUC 49810 Professional Semester in Education and EDUC 41210 Seminar in Reflective Practice constitute a full course load during the student-teaching semester. No additional courses may be taken.

• All candidates for initial certification must successfully complete all three sections of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations: the liberal arts and sciences test, the assessment of teaching skills-written, and the content area exam.

• The student's department chair and the coordinator of teacher education must approve any exceptions to the above requirements.

Electives

Requirements for the Major in Biology -- B.S.

Required courses within the department

Courses that do not count as biology electives include any courses listed as required; any level-1 course; BIOL 20500; BIOL 21000, BIOL 40000; BIOL 40100; BIOL 40200. Biochemistry I and II (BIOC 35300 and BIOC 35400) and Special Topics: Biochemistry (BIOC 48100) may count as biology electives.

Two of the three biology electives must have a lab or discussion component (a fourth hour).

One of the three biology electives must be at level 3 or above.

Required courses outside the department

Chemistry

Physics

Mathematics

Electives

Summary

Minor in Biology

The biology minor program provides an option for nonmajors who wish to take a substantial number of biology courses and receive recognition for their studies.

Requirements for the Minor

Off-Campus Study in Marine Biology

Students can participate in our cooperative programs with the Duke University Marine Lab (North Carolina and Bermuda) or the Sea Education Association of Wood's Hole (with a variety of cruise tracks). For more information on these programs, see "National Affiliated Programs in Marine Biology" in the "International Programs" section.
National Affiliated Programs in Marine Biology