Biology

BS in Biology

Biology, BS Major in

The department encourages interested students to speak with a biology adviser about this major before declaring a major. Students should notify the department as soon as possible after making the decision to major in biology. A departmental adviser will be assigned after the student declares the major.

Grades in biology lower than a C- do not count toward the total number of semester hours required for the biology major. Students may, but are not required to, organize their biology courses around one of the study tracks below. Students must plan their schedules in consultation with their biology adviser. All majors are required to take a comprehensive examination administered by the department in the senior year.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 124

Candidates for graduation must successfully complete the following requirements:

1. The Successful Completion of at Least 124 Semester Hours

The successful completion of at least 124 semester hours and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in overall work completed at Hofstra and in Biology courses. Military Science

001C

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,
001E

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,
002C

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,
002E

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 and associated leadership laboratories may not be counted toward this total semester hour requirement.

2. Liberal Arts

At least 60 semester hours must be completed in liberal arts courses outside the Biology Department.

3. Residence Requirements

There are two requirements that must ordinarily be completed in residence at Hofstra: 20 semester hours in the major field of specialization and the last 30 semester hours. The 20 semester hours need not be included within the last 30 hours.

4. General Requirements

English

Distribution Course Requirement

(See the listing of

Distribution Courses
for more information.)

Six (6) semester hours in humanities chosen from at least two of the following categories: Literature (LT), Appreciation and Analysis (AA), and Creative Participation (CP); 6 semester hours in social science: 3 hours in behavioral social sciences and 3 hours in history and philosophy.

Note:

Students who matriculate at Hofstra with advanced standing must complete at least 3 semester hours in humanities distribution courses and 3 semester hours in social science distribution courses in residence. In no case may distribution course requirements be taken elsewhere after matriculation at Hofstra.

5. Completion Requirements

After completion of the freshman year and each subsequent semester, all BS program majors must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all BIOL courses to remain in the BS program. If a student does not maintain the proper cumulative grade point average, he/she will be placed on one-semester probation. If, at the end of the probationary semester, his/her grade point average does not meet the requirement, the student's major will be changed from the BS major in biology to the

BA major in biology
. Students should be aware that this change in major will change biology and distribution course requirements for graduation.

6. Major and Additional Requirements

The fulfillment of the following major and additional requirements:

45 Semester Hours in Biology Including:

Required courses

Students must take either 

BIOL 111

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, 
112

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  and 
BIOL 113

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 or 
BIOL 112

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 and 
113

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.

Additional required courses

Choose at least three courses from:

One laboratory skills in biology course:

(A maximum one course allowed)

Two courses that include laboratories chosen from:

A course in biostatistics:

BIOL 124 - Biostatistics

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Research Courses

Two courses (totaling exactly 6 semester hours) of undergraduate research:

Additional Biology Courses

Additional coursework in biology for which the prerequisites have been met may be chosen to complete the 45 semester hours required for the BS major in Biology, with the exception of BIOL 004, 140, and 162.

The Following are Also Required:

Two Semesters of Mathematics with One Course Chosen from the Following

 

  • MATH 050 - (MA) Precalculus
    MATH 050 - (MA) Precalculus

    Biology, BS Major in

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  • MATH 071 - (MA) Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
    MATH 071 - (MA) Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

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  • MATH 072 - (MA) Analytic Geometry and Calculus II
    MATH 072 - (MA) Analytic Geometry and Calculus II

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  • And any other MATH course under advisement with the exception of MATH 004A, 004B, 006A, 008, 030A, 040, 061 and 061A. Students planning to pursue advanced degrees in life and health sciences are urged to take

    MATH 071

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    .
    BIOL 124

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     may be used to satisfy the Mathematics requirement at the discretion of the department.  If
    BIOL 124

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      is used to fulfill a MATH requirement,  an additional 4 credits of BIOL course work must be taken. PSY 040 and SOC 180 may not substitute as a Mathematics requirement for the Biology degree.

Departmental Honors

The Department of

Biology
 offers honors and high honors to qualified students who have a high GPA and have completed two semesters of research. The department encourages all students with a high GPA and an interest in research to apply for departmental honors. Students that intend to be considered for honors must notify their research adviser by the end of their first semester of research. 

Please see your

Biology
 Department adviser about undergraduate research.
BIOL 193

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 must be started no later than the first semester of the senior year.

Graduation with Honors in Biology, Urban Ecology or Pre-Medical Studies has three requirements:

  1. A minimum GPA of 3.5 in biology course work, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4, and completion of no fewer than 60 credits in-residence at Hofstra, including at least 15 credits in biology.
  2. Successful completion of an undergraduate research project and thesis or essay (
    BIOL 194

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     or
    195

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    ).
  3. Successful defense of the work in front of at least two members of the department (typically in the form of a poster presentation). 

Graduation with High Honors in Biology, Urban Ecology or Pre-Medical Studies has three requirements:

  1. Excellence in all of the three requirements for Honors.
  2. A GPA of 3.7 in biology coursework.
  3. A recommendation by the research adviser and by the team of faculty who evaluated the research project or internship and thesis, or essay and concurrence by the departmental chair.

Study Tracks within the BA and BS Majors in Biology

The

Biology
 Department offers the following five specialized study tracks for students who have predetermined specific study and career goals: Cell and Molecular Biology; Ecology and Evolution; Marine Biology; Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental and Pre-Veterinary Studies, and Computational Biology. Required courses and other suggested courses for each track are given below. Students must plan their specific schedules in consultation with their biology adviser. Please note that these study tracks do not constitute separate degrees; they are courses of study within the BA and BS majors in biology.

Dual-degree students who do not declare an undergraduate concentration are advised to substitute three out of the following courses for graduate and undergraduate credit during their senior year: BIOL 224 (Statistics) for BIOL 124, BIOL 268 (Techniques in Molecular Biology) for BIOL 168, BIOL 252 (Virology) for BIOL 152, BIOL 273 (Genomics and Bioinformatics) for BIOL 173, BIOL 253 (Endocrinology) for BIOL 153, BIOL 256 (Advanced Conservation Biology) for BIOL 156, BIOL 238 (Advanced Field Ecology) for BIOL 138, BIOL 239 (Advanced Coastal Marine Biology) for BIOL 139, and/or BIOL 307 (Internship in Marine or Freshwater Biology).  Other courses may be substituted with permission of the graduate director.

Study Track in Cell and Molecular Biology

Students Choosing This Track Must Take

And at Least 3 Additional Semester Hours from the Following List of Courses

Study Track in Ecology and Evolution

Students Choosing This Track Must Take

Recommended

And at Least 6 Semester Hours from the Following List of Courses:

(At least one of the courses taken must include a laboratory.)

Study Track in Marine Biology

Students Choosing This Track Must Take

And at Least 8 Additional Semester Hours from the Following List of Courses:

Footnote

* See

Graduate Courses Taken by Undergraduates
.

Study Track in Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental and Pre-Veterinary Studies

MATH 071

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 and
BIOL 124

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 are strongly recommended for fulfillment of the Mathematics requirement in this study track. Students interested in veterinary medicine should be aware that
MATH 071

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 and
072

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, microbiology, and one semester of biochemistry are prerequisites for most veterinary schools. (Students should determine the prerequisites of the schools to which they intend to apply.) Students should note that additional prerequisites apply for some post-baccalaureate programs in allied medical professions (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant - see below). Nonmajors interested in medical careers should see the requirements below. Students should take advantage of the advisement offered by the
Biology
 Department and Premedical/Prehealth Professional Studies Office in the Center for University Advising to make sure that the courses selected to complete degree requirements are appropriate for the post-bachelor's program of studies they wish to pursue.

Students Choosing This Track Must Take

And at Least 3 Additional Semester Hours from the Following List of Courses:

And at Least 3 Additional Semester Hours From the Following List of Courses:

Computational Biology

Note that

CSC 016

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 and
CSC 120

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 will require prerequisite overrides for registration (for
CSC 024

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 and
CSC 017

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, respectively). Students should take advantage of the advisement offered by the Biology Department to make sure that the computer science and biology coursework can be completed in eight semesters.
CSC 014

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 may be used to satisfy one of the two mathematics requirements.
BIOL 124

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 should be applied for biology credit and not mathematics.

Secondary Education Careers

Students interested in pursuing a Biology major who are planning careers as 7-12 science/biology teachers should consult with their Biology Faculty advisor as well as the Dr. Amy Catalano, Chair of Science Education, to discuss course selection as well as options for achieving New York State Initial Certification for Secondary Education.  There are options for pursuing a dual degree in Biology and Secondary Education, leading to a Master of Science in Education degree and B.A. or B.S. in Biology.


Pre-Allied Medical Professions

Biology majors who are planning to enter programs in physical or occupational therapy or similar programs after graduating from Hofstra need to be aware that most of these programs have prerequisites in addition to those required for a bachelor's degree in biology. The following courses are recommended to enable completion of the requirements for a

BA in biology
 as well as the additional prerequisites for entry into these programs. Students must plan their schedules in consultation with their biology adviser.

Students Interested in These Programs

Please note that students in this track will require prerequisites. Students should take advantage of the advisement offered by the Biology Department to make sure that they are able to complete the required computer science classes and biology classes within 8 semesters.  

The Following Are Also Typically Required:

(do not count toward the biology major)

The Following Are Recommended

9 semester hours in psychology chosen from:

Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Prerequisites

The following courses are required as prerequisites for physical therapy and occupational therapy programs by some schools. (Students should determine the prerequisites of the schools to which they intend to apply.):

Notes

Please note that the above recommendations would result in the completion of 45 semester hours of biology (if

BIOL 124

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is taken) without the inclusion of
HPR 050

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or
106

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. If any number of semester hours above 45 in biology are completed, a comparable number of extra total semester hours (greater than the 124 required for graduation) must be completed.

Early Assurance Admissions Program to Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM)

The Biology Department offers an Early Assurance Admission Program with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine that allows for exceptional students who are in their fourth semester in HCLAS with the opportunity to apply for provisional early acceptance into the D.M.D, program at Rutgers. Students accepted into the Early Assurance Admission Program are given provisional acceptance into RSDM, which is finalized only when students complete the requirements for their baccalaureate degree at HCLAS and meet the following program standards: 

Students must have completed or have the following courses in progress (IP):

Notes:

Students must have a cumulative science grade point average of 3.5 or higher. 

 

For more information on this program, students should reach out to the Biology Department for assistance.  

See Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Early Assurance Program  

 

Preferential Admission Program to Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine (LIU-CVM)

The Biology Department offers a priority admissions program with Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine that gives priority consideration for admission to current and former students who apply to LIU-CVM, including the guarantee of an admissions interview. 

Requirements for the program are:

Note:

For more information on this program, students should reach out to the Biology Department for assistance. 

See: LIU-CVM Preferential Admissions Program. 

 

Animal Dissection Policy

Practical experience with structure and function in animals is an essential component of a biology education. This experience may include the use of living or preserved animals in some laboratory exercises and may require animal dissection. Majors in biology who object to these practices based on ethical, moral, or religious grounds need to discuss their objections with the department chairperson. A student with proper advisement from their biology adviser can select a rigorous and rewarding set of biology courses that are consistent with the student’s moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. Only two required courses in the major sacrifice animals or perform animal dissection (

BIOL 113

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and
112

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).  For these specific courses, accommodations will be made for students whose beliefs prevent them from directly participating in animal euthanasia and dissection.  Students must inform the course instructor within the first week of class of their concerns/objections and submit to the chairperson of the
Biology Department
written documentation that substantiates their objections.

Recommended Program Sequence - Total Hours: 124

Sample Schedule: Biology, BS (124 Semester Hours)

Biology, BS Major in

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