Program Overview

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Biology, B.A.

Biology is a dynamic science aimed at understanding living organisms and how they interact with the environment. Saint Louis University's biology program offers courses that emphasize concepts over facts and provide a foundation for careers in the life sciences, health professions, K-12 education, and advanced post-graduate study in various disciplines. The B.A. in biology at SLU provides maximum flexibility in selecting upper-division courses and is favored by students seeking double majors. SLU also offers a B.S. in biology.

Curriculum Overview

The undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Biology is diverse and meets a variety of interests in the rapidly expanding fields of the biological sciences. It is also designed to provide an intensive educational experience for students in other disciplines who are interested in biology. In addition to courses in Macelwane Hall, the department offers courses at the University’s Reis Biological Station, located by the Huzzah Creek in the Missouri Ozarks.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in biology provides flexibility in selecting upper-level courses and is favored by students interested in double majors.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

The benefits of SLU's biology program include several internship and career opportunities. Advanced undergraduate students with good academic records are encouraged to apply for teaching or learning assistant positions. In addition to a stipend, students gain teaching experience and the opportunity to help others become interested in biology.

Biology majors can enroll in courses that provide credit for structured internships through collaborations with various local organizations, including the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, Sigma-Aldrich, Bayer, and firms in the growing biotechnology field.

Careers

SLU's biology major develops strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills that provide excellent preparation for professional schools, such as:

• Medical school
• Veterinary science school
• Dental school
• Optometry school
• Graduate school in a broad range of disciplines

The skills biology majors gain also open the door to a wide variety of career options in health care, biotechnology, environmental management, conservation, education, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Admission Requirements

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score, or take the General Education Development (GED) test.

Tuition

Tuition Per Year Tuition | Cost Per Year ---|--- Undergraduate Tuition | $56,960

Additional charges may apply.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership, and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid, and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

Learning Outcomes

1. Graduates will be able to effectively apply core biological concepts to solve problems.
2. Graduates will be able to critically evaluate scientific information from multiple sources, including that from the primary literature.
3. Graduates will be able to apply biological principles to global societal issues.
4. Graduates will be able to draw valid conclusions from quantitative data.
5. Graduates will be able to formulate hypotheses that address research questions.
6. Graduates will be able to correctly perform common laboratory and/or field techniques.

Major Requirements

Biology students must complete a minimum total of 48 credits for the major, 25 of which must be in BIOL subject code at the 3000 level or above.

Course List Code | Title | Credits ---|---|--- University Undergraduate Core| 32-35 Major Requirements| BIOL 1240 & BIOL 1245| General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution and Principles of Biology I Laboratory| 4 BIOL 1260 & BIOL 1265| General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter and Principles of Biology II Laboratory| 4 BIOL 3010| Evolutionary Biology| 3 BIOL 3020| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology| 3 BIOL 3030| Principles of Genetics| 3 BIOL 3040| Cell Structure & Function| 3 BIOL 3070| General Ecology| 3 CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1115| General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory| 4 CHEM 1120 & CHEM 1125| General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory| 4 MATH 1510| Calculus I| 4 Statistics Course| STAT 1300| Elementary Statistics with Computers| 3 or BIOL 4790| Biometry Biology Elective Courses| 10 Choose a minimum of 10 credits of upper division elective courses (numbered BIOL 3060-BIOL 4980), including one structured laboratory course. General Electives| 37-40 Total Credits| 120

Independent Research

A total of 3 credits of BIOL 3970 Independent Research in Biology (1-3 cr), BIOL 4970 Advanced Independent Research (1-4 cr), and/or BIOL 4980 Advanced Independent Study (1-3 cr) can be counted toward the B.A. degree. These courses do not count as structured lab courses.

Continuation Standards

Students must have a 2.00 grade point average (GPA) in all courses used to fulfill major requirements. Students who fall below the 2.0 GPA in major coursework will be placed on program probation. If a student's major GPA falls below a 2.00 for two consecutive semesters, the student will be eligible for dismissal from the major.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
• Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
• Complete major requirements: minimum of 30 credits required.
• Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate, or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
• Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s), and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate or related elective credits.
• Complete department- and program-specific academic and performance requirements.
• Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.

Roadmap

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability, and sequencing are subject to change.

Plan of Study Grid Year One

Fall| Credits BIOL 1240 & BIOL 1245| General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution and Principles of Biology I Laboratory (BIOL 1240 satisfies CORE 3800)| 4 CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1115| General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory| 4 CORE 1000| Ignite First Year Seminar (Must be taken in first 36 credit hours at SLU / Cannot carry attributes)| 2-3 CORE 1500| Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community (Must be taken in first 36 credit hours at SLU / Cannot carry attributes / Must be taken at SLU)| 1 CORE 1900| Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication (Should be taken in first 36 credit hours at SLU / Cannot carry attributes)| 3 General Electives| 1 | Credits| 15-16 Spring Participation in First-year Mentoring Events| BIOL 1260 & BIOL 1265| General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter and Principles of Biology II Laboratory| 4 CHEM 1120 & CHEM 1125| General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory| 4 CORE 1600| Ultimate Questions: Theology| 3 General Electives| 4 | Credits| 15 Year Two Fall Participation in Second-year Mentoring| BIOL 3020| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology| 3 MATH 1510| Calculus I (satisfies CORE 3200)| 4 CORE 1700| Ultimate Questions: Philosophy| 3 CORE 1200| Eloquentia Perfecta 2: Oral and Visual Communication| 3 General Electives| 2 | Credits| 15 Spring BIOL 3040| Cell Structure & Function| 3 Statistics Elective| 3-4 CORE 2500| Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation| 0 General Electives| 9 | Credits| 15-16 Year Three Fall BIOL 3010| Evolutionary Biology| 3 Biology Elective| 3 CORE 3400| Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture| 3 General Electives| 6 | Credits| 15 Spring BIOL 3030| Principles of Genetics| 0-3 Biology Elective| 3 CORE 3600| Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences| 3 CORE 4000| Collaborative Inquiry| 2-3 General Electives| 7 | Credits| 15-19 Year Four Fall BIOL 3070| General Ecology| 3 Laboratory Elective| 1-5 CORE 3500| Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World| 1 General Electives| 10 | Credits| 15-19 Spring Biology Elective| 3 General Electives| 12 | Credits| 15 | Total Credits| 120-130

Program Notes

Statistics Electives

Course List Code | Title | Credits ---|---|--- MATH 1300X| Elementary Statistics with Computers| 3 BIOL 4790| Biometry| 4

Laboratory Electives

Course List Code | Title | Credits ---|---|--- BIOL 3060| Cell Structure & Function Laboratory| 1 BIOL 3100| Experiments in Genetics Lab| 1 BIOL 3260| Biology of Plants & Fungi| 4 BIOL 3420| Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates| 5 BIOL 3470| General Physiology Laboratory| 1 BIOL 3550X| Neuroscience Laboratory| 1 BIOL 4050| Molecular Techniques Lab| 2 BIOL 4090| Plant Ecology| 4 BIOL 4100| Natural History of Vertebrates| 4 BIOL 4115| Forest Park Living Lab Field Ecology Techniques| 1 BIOL 4120| Field Botany| 5 BIOL 4130| Field Mammalogy| 5 BIOL 4140| Field Ornithology| 5 BIOL 4160| Microbial Ecology and Molecular Evolution| 4 BIOL 4200| Aquatic Ecology| 4 BIOL 4260| Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles| 4 BIOL 4280| Biology of Fishes| 4 BIOL 4320| Cave Biology| 4 BIOL 4330| Spring Flora of the Ozarks| 4 BIOL 4635| Immunobiology Lab| 1 BIOL 4370| Animal Behavior Lab| 1 BIOL 4420| Antibiotic Resistance and Antibiotic Discovery| 2 BIOL 4440| Vertebrate Histology: Structure and Function of Tissues| 4 BIOL 4610| Developmental Biology Lab| 2 BIOL 4650| General Microbiology Laboratory| 2 BIOL 4760| General Ecology Laboratory| 1

2+SLU Programs

2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution.

• Biology, B.A. (STLCC 2+SLU)

Students in the biology, B.A. program can take all or part of the required courses at Saint Louis University-Madrid.

Learn More About SLU-Madrid

For additional information about this program, please contact the Office of Admission.