The BA degree in Biology is offered as a joint program between Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) through their Federated Department of Biological Sciences. The BA major requires 38 credits of coursework in biological sciences, plus cognate courses in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Courses are offered on both the Rutgers and NJIT campuses.
Rutgers students can officially declare their intention to pursue a course of study leading to a BA degree in Biology after completing 8 credits: 120:200 Concepts in Biology and one of the two Foundations course pairs: 120:201 and 120:202 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology lecture and laboratory or 120:205 and 120:206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution lecture and laboratory.
To declare their major and their preference for the bachelor of arts curriculum, students must visit the Biological Sciences Office in Boyden Hall 206 to submit an application for admission to the major. At this time the student’s transcript will be reviewed and, if accepted into the major, an academic major advisor will be assigned. Students should meet with their advisor regularly, at least once a semester, to plan their course of study.
Among the courses successfully completed for the BA degree, one of those courses must be recognized as Writing Intensive (WI). Students should check the WI status of courses before registering, as the roster of WI courses may vary from semester to semester.
All cognate courses must be completed with grades of C or better.
1. CORE COURSES (12 credits)
21:120:200 Concepts in Biology (4)
21:120:201 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology (3)
21:120:202 Foundations of Biology: Cell Mol Biol Laboratory (1)
21 (or 28):120:205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution (3)
21 (or 28):120:206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Laboratory (1)
2. BIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS CLUSTERS.
Students must complete one course from each of the three clusters listed below.
A) Ecological and Evolutionary Framework
21:120:211 Plant Kingdom (4)
28:120:222 Evolution (3)
21:120:280 Ecology (3)
21:120:282 Animal Behavior (3)
B) The Functional Organism
21:120:230 Biology of Seed Plants (4)
21:120:330 Plant Physiology (4)
21:120:335 General Microbiology (4)
21:120:340 Mammalian Physiology (4)
21:120:342 Developmental Biology Lecture (3) and 21:120:343 Developmental Biology Lab (1)
C) Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms
21:120:352 Genetics (3)
21:120:355 Cell Biology (3)
21:120:356 Molecular Biology (3)
21:120:360 Biochemistry (3)
3. LABORATORY/FIELD EXPERIENCE
Majors must complete one course from the list below. The course used for requirement 2A or 2B above cannot be used again here.
21:120:211 Plant Kingdom (4)
21:120:230 Biology of Seed Plants (4)
21:120:285 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)
21:120:325 Animal Parasites (3) and 21:120:326 Parasitology Laboratory (1)
21:120:328 Ecology of Birds (3)
21:120:330 Plant Physiology (4)
21:120:335 General Microbiology (4)
21:120:340 Mammalian Physiology (4)
21:120:342 Developmental Biology (3) and 21:120:343 Developmental Biology Lab (1)
21:120:380 Field Ecology (3)
21:120:381 Ecological History of North America (3)
28:120:385 Evolution of Behavior Lab (3)
21:120:404 Introduction to Neuroanatomy (4)
21:120:451 Cell Physiology and Imaging (4)
21:120:452 Lab in Molecular Biotechniques (4)
28:120:475 Ecological Field Methods (3)
4. ADDITIONAL COURSE OFFERINGS
This is not an additional requirement, but rather a list of elective courses that can be used to complete the 38 course credits needed for the biology major.
21:120:305 Vertebrate Evolution (3)
21:120:342 and 342 Developmental Biology (3)
21:120:343 Developmental Biology Lab (1)
21:120:345 Comparative Vert Physiology (3)
21/8:120:350 Immunology (3)
28:120:368 Ecology and Evolution of Disease (3)
28:120:375 Conservation Biology (3)
28:120:383 Neural Basis of Behavior (3)
21:120:402 Biology of Cancer (3)
21:120:411/412 Teaching Internship in Biology (1/1)
21:120:422 Biological Invasions (3)
21:120:444 Cellular Neurobiology (3)
21:120:445 Neuroendocrinology (3)
28:120:447 Cell and Systems Neurobiology (3)
28:120:448 Neuropathophysiology (3)
21:120:454 Epigenetics (3)
21:120:455 Molecular Cell Biology (3)
21:120:491 Problems in Biology (1-3)
21:120:493 Seminar in Biology (1)
21:120:492 Problems in Biology (1-3)
21:120:494 Seminar in Biology (1)
5A. COGNATE COURSES
These courses do not count toward the 38 credits in Biology, but are prerequisites for several Biology courses and are all required for the Biology degree.
21:160:115, General Chemistry (4)
21:160:116, General Chemistry (4)
21:160:113, General Chemistry Lab (1)
21:160:114, General Chemistry Lab (1)
21:160:335, Organic Chemistry I (4)
21:160:336, Organic Chemistry II (4)
21:160:331, Organic Chemistry Lab (2)
21:750:203, General Physics I (4)
21:750:204, General Physics II (4)
21:750:205, Intro Physics Lab I (1)
21:750:206, Intro Physics Lab II (1)
21:640:135, Calculus I (4)