Bachelor Degree (B.A. or B.S.) in Biology
THE STUDY OF LIFE, THE PURSUIT OF THE GOOD
As a Biology student at Belmont Abbey College, you’ll join a department with an outstanding acceptance rate into medical, dental, veterinary, graduate schools, and other pre-professional programs. As you study the structure and function of organisms, their genetics, development, and interrelationships, you will be prepared for a variety of careers in the life sciences. And with a foundation in the Catholic Benedictine liberal arts tradition, you will be able to make informed decisions about ethical concerns in the field of science today.
We aim for the study of Biology to help students assess the many issues that face today’s world, enabling them to become responsible citizens and to promote the common good. A degree in Biology is an ideal path for students following the pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-pharmacy, physical therapy/physician assistant, or pre-veterinary track.
Possible career paths:
Medical school, veterinary school, dental school, physical therapy, teaching, environmental protection, forensic medicine, graduate school
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$59k
Average Salary of Biology Majors
Curriculum
In addition to the specific requirements listed in the section below, all students at the Abbey are required to earn credits in our core liberal arts curriculum.
B.A. in Biology
In addition to the other Core Curriculum requirements, the following are specific core requirements:
BI 101: General Biology
MA 151: College Algebra
PY 201: Physics I
Major requirements:
BI 201: Cell Biology
BI 215: Research Methods in Biology
BI 231: Organismal Diversity
BI 300: Genetics
BI 310: Animal Physiology or BI 361 Human Physiology
BI 326: Plant Ecology or BI 403 Ecology
BI 407 and 408: Coordinating Seminars I, II
CH 105 and 106: General Chemistry I, II
Other Courses:
300-400 level Biology electives – 12 hours
Students must have at least a “C” average in all of their biology courses to graduate with a degree in Biology.
Credits earned through internships are not counted toward the major. They are counted as elective hours toward graduation and are graded on a pass/fail basis.
*It is the student’s responsibility to verify that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
B.S. in Biology
In addition to the other Core Curriculum requirements, the following are specific core requirements:
BI 101: General Biology (required)
PY 201: Physics I (required)
Major requirements:
BI 201: Cell Biology
BI 215: Research Methods in Biology
BI 231: Organismal Diversity
BI 300: Genetics
BI 310: Animal Physiology or BI 361: Human Physiology
BI 407 and BI 408: Coordinating Seminars I and II
BI 326: Plant Ecology or BI 403: Ecology
CH 105 and CH 106: General Chemistry I and II
CH 221 and 222: Organic Chemistry I and II
MA 208: Statistics
PY 102: Physics II
Electives:
300-400 level biology electives – 12 hours
Credits earned through internships are not counted toward the major. They are counted as elective hours toward graduation and are graded on a pass/fail basis.
To graduate with a degree in Biology, students must attain a “C” average calculated over all of their Biology courses and must pass a Department comprehensive examination given in their senior year.
*It is the student’s responsibility to verify that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Genetics
It’s hard to think of any area of modern biology that does not require an understanding of the structure and functions of DNA. Our Genetics course explores how the bases in DNA produce the many characteristics of living organisms and their relationships. Genetics is used today for everything from designing new medical treatments to doing a census of animals living in an area.
Animal and Human Physiology
Animals have common ways to maintain body function and respond to stress in both the internal and external environment. Our physiology courses focus on the commonality of function across animals, with an emphasis on the human body.
Students pursuing a biology degree at Belmont Abbey College are strongly encouraged to pursue summer internship and research opportunities to broaden their base of knowledge and experience.
Here are a few other degrees available if you are interested in this field of study:
More about the experience
CONLI SCHWARZ ‘20
“The biology department is so welcoming and wants to see you succeed. They push you to be your best even though you might not recognize it when you are struggling in Cell Biology. Every professor is so helpful and always willing to spend extra time with you outside of class to assist you in any way. By the end of my senior year, all the seniors along with the professors felt like one big family and everyone wanted to see each other succeed. Some of my favorite classes included Microbiology, Anatomy and Histology.”
EMMA CAMP ‘09
Biology/Environmental Science; minor Chemistry
DECRA & UTS Chancellor’s Research Fellow
United Nations Young Leader SDGs
Marine Biologist, University of Technology, Sydney
“The science department at BAC provided me with the fundamental information and skills I required to begin my career as a Marine Biologist. The small class sizes combined with the enthusiasm and support of the teaching staff made it a very enjoyable and supportive learning experience.”
TriBeta Honors Society
The Biology Department maintains the Tau Upsilon Chapter of Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honorary Society, commonly known as TriBeta. Students who meet the criteria are inducted in a ceremony each year. TriBeta sponsors speakers, a road clean-up twice a year as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program, and other activities. The department has a scholarship fund to offer support to outstanding Biology juniors and seniors.
