Biology, B.S. (Science)

Biology is the scientific study of life: the diversity and organization of organisms, from single-celled bacteria to multi-cellular plants and animals, including humans. These different levels of biological organization range from the molecules and cells that compose an organism, to the interacting organisms that make up an ecosystem. Hands-on experiences, from designing and conducting lab experiments to making field observations, using many different procedures and instruments, play an important role in gaining biological knowledge. Basic research in biology provides many benefits. Faculty in the Department of Biology at Penn State are exploring ways to cure neurological diseases, to conserve coral populations in tropical oceans, to discover more efficient ways to use plants for food and bioenergy, to develop vaccines for infectious diseases, and investigating many other facets of biology, all with the goal of positively impacting humans and the environment.

You Might Like This Program If.

• You are interested in learning about aspects of the biology of organisms that live on Earth.
• You enjoy a dynamic field of study, with new discoveries being made every day.
• You are interested in hands-on experiences, including courses with integrated laboratories and conducting research with faculty.
• You plan to pursue a career in biology research, education or outreach, or attend professional school in areas including medicine and dentistry.

Entrance To Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to the Biology major, a student must have:

1. attained at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average;
2. completed BIOL 110 , CHEM 110 , MATH 140 , and earned a grade of C or better in each of these courses; and
3. completed at least one of the following courses with a grade of C or better: BIOL 220W , BIOL 230W , or BIOL 240W .

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a minimum of 124 credits is required:

15 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses.

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)

Requirements for the Option

Ecology Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: Altoona, Schuylkill, University Park

General Biology Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Brandywine, Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley, Schuylkill, Scranton, University Park, York

Genetics and Developmental Biology Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: Abington, Berks, Harrisburg, Schuylkill, University Park, York

Neuroscience Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: University Park

Plant Biology Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: University Park

Vertebrate Physiology Option (46-51 credits)

Available at the following campuses: Abington, Altoona, Brandywine, Schuylkill, University Park

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Arts (GA): 3 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 3 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

• Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

• GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
• GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Integrated B.S. in Biology and M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction

Available at the following campuses: University Park

Requirements for the Integrated B.S. in Biology and M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to describe how heritable changes can lead to differences in populations over time that might result in speciation; trace energy/matter transformation, storage, and mobilization; explain how information is exchanged and stored; recognize how changes in biological structures can have varying effects on function; and/or describe the interactions and interconnections among systems across biological scales and over evolutionary time scales.
2. Students will be able to apply the elements of the process of science such as posing questions, generating novel hypotheses based on the scientific literature; developing appropriate technical skills for research; designing/conducting experiments to test hypotheses in laboratory and/or field settings; summarizing/interpreting data; integrating/evaluating findings in the broader scientific field to construct new knowledge; and/or participating in the peer review/revision process.
3. Students will be able to discriminate among scientific claims presented in a variety of sources based on the strength of evidence; find appropriate published scientific literature; and/or analyze and critically evaluate data/conclusions from the scientific peer-reviewed literature.
4. Students will be able to apply basic quantitative competencies such as algebra, probability, statistics, unit conversions, and fundamental biological equations; organize, summarize, and interpret quantitative data; use modeling/simulation to approach problems from across various scales; and/or find and analyze large databases using statistical methods and/or other approaches.
5. Students will be able to integrate knowledge among biological subfields and between biology and other disciplines.
6. Students will be able to engage with diverse communities and leverage the skills in the community to pose and solve biological questions; demonstrate the ability to work in teams to solve biological problems; and/or communicate in a variety of formal and informal ways in the discussion of biological research.
7. Students will explore the impacts of scientific research on society and the environment and how society influences/relies on research to inform decision-making; evaluate the ethical implications of biological research; recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings; and/or describe how different perspectives and the resulting alternative approaches might be evaluated using ethical principles to identify a solution to an issue.
8. Students will be able to communicate in a professional manner and learn/use professional behaviors in all aspects of college and career building activities, including participation in opportunities such as research, internships, cooperative education, teaching and tutoring, study abroad, and/or volunteer work.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

University Park

Barbara DeHart
Director, Undergraduate Biology Advising
227 Ritenour Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-2329
bioadvising@psu.edu

Abington

Les Murray
Program Chair
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
ldm12@psu.edu

Altoona

Corien Bakermans
Professor of Microbiology
Hawthorn Building 204
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
814-940-3313
cub21@psu.edu

Beaver

Stephanie Cabarcas-Petroski
Associate Teaching Professor
100 University Drive
Monaca, PA 15061
724-773-3562
smc1088@psu.edu

Berks

Maureen Dunbar
Program Coordinator, Associate Professor
Luerssen 101H
Reading, PA 19610
640-396-6328
BKBiology@psu.edu

Brandywine

Elizabeth Dudkin, Ph.D.
Associate Teaching Professor, Biology
Main Building, 312 A
25 Yearsley Mill Road
Media, PA 19063
610-892-1459
ead9@psu.edu

Harrisburg

Sairam V. Rudrabhatla, Ph.D.
Program Chair
Science and Technology Building, TL 174
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6560
svr11@psu.edu

Lehigh Valley

Brenna Traver, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biology
2809 Saucon Valley Road
Center Valley, PA 18034
610-285-5000
bet12@psu.edu

Schuylkill

Lee Silverberg
Division Coordinator, STEM
200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
ljs43@psu.edu

Scranton

Megan Van Etten, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Biology
Dawson Building 212A
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2528
mlv18@psu.edu

York

Anne Vardo-Zalik
Associate Professor of Biology
1 Elias Science Building
York, PA 17403
717-718-6705
amv12@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

General Biology Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Genetics and Development Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Neuroscience Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Plant Biology Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Vertebrate Physiology Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Ecology Option: Biology, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H / CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T / CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15 / ENGL 30H and CAS 100A / CAS 100B / CAS 100C . Each course is 3 credits.

Biology, B.S. at Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

Career Paths

A Biology BS degree provides an excellent foundation and the skills required for a wide range of technical careers. While many majors use a Biology degree to prepare for entrance into health professional schools, others follow career paths in research, education, and business. Students also pursue graduate study at universities both across the U.S. and internationally.

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
228 Ritenour Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-2329
bioadvising@psu.edu

Abington

DIVISION OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
ldm12@psu.edu

Altoona

DIVISION OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
814-940-3313
cub21@psu.edu

Beaver

100 University Drive
Monaca, PA 15061
724-773-3562
smc1088@psu.edu

Berks

DIVISION OF SCIENCE
Luerssen Science Building
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6328
BKBiology@psu.edu

Brandywine

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
25 Yearsley Mill Rd
Media, PA 19063
610-892-1459
ead9@psu.edu

Harrisburg

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
Science & Tech Building, TL 177
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-4387
mrr53@psu.edu

Lehigh Valley

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
2809 Saucon Valley Road
Center Valley, PA 18034
610-285-5000
bet12@psu.edu

Schuylkill

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
ljs43@psu.edu

Scranton

Dawson Building 212A
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2528
mlv18@psu.edu

York

1 Elias Science Building
York, PA 17403
717-718-6705
amv12@psu.edu