BA in Biology

Area of Study Overview

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The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program in Biology prepares adults for career change, advancement, or graduate education, while providing personal enrichment. The program enables students to develop an understanding of biological principles that underlie all living things and instills a sense of inquiry and sharpens analytical-thinking skills. Students develop a broad general knowledge of the traditional liberal arts disciplines while developing a greater depth of knowledge in biology.

Degree Requirements:

• A minimum of 18 credits must be upper level, 300 level or above, within the area of study.

NOTE:

Calculus is recommended, but not required.

Courses that are devoid of a course code can be accepted in transfer if completed at colleges and universities accredited by the six regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, the University offers a host of ways to earn credit for knowledge obtained in non-collegiate settings. Examples include:

• Courses and examinations approved through National College Credit Recommendation Service National CCRS and the American Council on Education ACE College Credit Recommendation Service.
• Military service
• License and certifications
• Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Credit Distribution

I. General Education Featured Courses (45 Credits)

TESU Featured Courses are listed as a guide. Other courses may satisfy the areas and can be viewed on our website under General Education Courses.  For more information see About Our General Education Program.  To plan your program please contact an Advisor.

A. Intellectual and Practical Skills (15 Credits)

ENC-101	English Composition I	3
ENC-102	English Composition II	3
COM-209	Public Speaking	3
MAT-121	College Algebra	3
SOS-110	Critical Information Literacy	3

For all TESU course options that will satisfy this area of the degree, go to Intellectual and Practical Skills.

B. Civic and Global Leadership (9 Credits)

SOC-101	Our Changing World An Introduction to Sociology	3
ETH-230	Ethics in the Digital Age	3
POS-110	American Government	3

For additional TESU course options that will satisfy this area of the degree, go to Civic and Global Leadership.

C. Knowledge of Human Cultures (15 Credits)

SOC-210	Marriage and the Family	3
HIS-113	American History I	3
FIL-110	American Cinema	3

Select two featured courses from the list below

SOC-291	Criminology	3
HIS-114	American History II	3
HIS-121	Introduction to World History I	3
HUM-103	Introduction to the Humanities III: Music	3
PHI-130	Introduction to Critical Reasoning	3

For additional TESU course options that will satisfy this area of the degree, go to Knowledge of Human Cultures.

D. Scientific Knowledge (6 Credits)

EAS-101	General Earth Science	3
BIO-208	The Science of Nutrition	3

For additional TESU course options that will satisfy this area of the degree, go to Scientific Knowledge.

Il. Area of Study (60 Credits)

A. Required Courses (44 Credits)

BIO-251	Introduction to Microbiology with Lab	4
MAT-129	Precalculus	3
CHE-121	General Chemistry I with Lab	4
CHE-122	General Chemistry II with Lab	4
PHY-115	Physics I with Lab	4
PHY-116	Physics II with Lab	4
-TRSFR REQ.	General Biology I with Lab	4
-TRSFR REQ.	General Biology II with Lab	4
-TRSFR REQ.	Cell Biology	3
-TRSFR REQ.	Genetics	3
-TRSFR REQ.	Organic Chemistry I with Lab	4
-TRSFR REQ.	Organic Chemistry II with Lab	4

B. Biology Electives (13 Credits)

BIO-211	Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab	4
BIO-212	Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab	4
BIO-310	Man's Best Friend: The Biology and Behavior of Dogs	3
RPT-271	Radiation Biology	3

C. Capstone

LIB-495

Liberal Arts Capstone

3

III. Electives (15 Credits)

For TESU course options, go to Elective Courses.

TRANSFER REQUIREMENT: TESU accepts credits in transfer from accredited institutions as well as non-collegiate providers. View information and resources on where you may find additional learning experiences.

Total Credit Hours: 120

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Biology program will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method, including the formation of hypotheses and the design and implementation of laboratory experiments;
• demonstrate the ability to read, understand, and critically review scientific papers;
• recognize the relationship between structure and function at the molecular, cellular, and organism levels;
• explain the principles of evolutionary biology and identify the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the major groups of organisms;
• define the historical development of theories and laws, the nature of science, and the relationship between science, technology, and society;
• recognize the ecological relationships between organisms and their environment; and
• demonstrate a working knowledge of equipment, technology, and materials appropriate for research in the biological sciences.