Online Bachelor of Arts Biological Sciences

Program Completion Requirements

A total of 120 credits are required for the Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences. Students must complete all University Core Curriculum courses, and General Science Requirements (common prerequisites). Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all courses required for the major. A grade of "C-" or lower is NOT acceptable in any required course. This is a university rule as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog under the College of Arts, Sciences & Education.

In addition to the above requirements, students pursuing a B.A. in Biological Sciences must complete the following:

Lower Division Common Prereq's (Lower 60 credits)

BSC2010- General Biology l

BSC2010L- General Biology l Lab

BSC2011- General Biology ll

BSC2011L- General Biology ll Lab

CHM1045- General Chemistry l

CHM1045L- General Chemistry l Lab

CHM1046- General Chemistry ll

CHM1046L- General Chemistry ll Lab

PHY2053- Physics without Calculus l

MAC1147 Pre-calculus Algebra and Trigonometry  OR

MAC1140 Pre-Calculus Algebra  AND

MAC1114- Trigonometry

Upper Division Courses (upper 60 credits)

Other Degree Requirements: 4 credits

STA2122- Statistics for Behavioral & Social Sciences

BSC2077- Biology Career Planning

Upper Division Core Requirements: 14 credits

BSC3848- Scientific Literacy

BCH3034- Cellular Chemistry

PCB3043- Ecology

PCB3063- Genetics

PCB4674- Evolution

BSC4931- Senior Seminar

Upper Division Biology Electives- 12 credits

Students must complete 4 lecture courses from acceptable upper division biology electives maintained in the biology department. The 4 lecture courses may be chosen at the students discretion from courses in any of the distribution areas. Students are encouraged to work with their advisor in identifying courses in the distribution areas. 

Distribution area A: Ecology

Distribution area B: Organismal Diversity

Distribution area C: Physiology/Biochemistry

Distribution area D: Structure/Development

Biology Laboratory Requirements: 2 credits

Upper Division lab 

Upper Division lab 

Track Specific Courses: 18 credits

Students should work with their advisors to identify courses that may lead to a minor from a different department or courses that meet a specific track of interest. If additional credits are needed to complete a minior, students can use General Elective credits.

General Electives: 10 credits

Students may work with their advisor to identify which additional courses to take to complete the general credits requirement.

*A minimum of 45 credits must be earned in Upper Division courses (3000-4000 level)

To ensure every student’s success, we have certain admissions requirements for each of our programs. To help you through the application process, our enrollment advisors are here to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way.

Applications are accepted for Spring, Fall and Summer terms.
 

Steps to Apply

First Year Students

Please submit the following:

• Online application.
• $30 application fee.
• Official SAT, ACT and/or CLT scores.
• Official high school transcripts.
  
  

Transfer Students

 Please submit the following:

• Online application
• $30 application fee.
• Official college transcripts.
• If you have less than 60 transferable college credits, you must also submit official high school transcripts and SAT, ACT and/or CLT scores in addition to any transcripts from postsecondary schools to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

International Students

In addition to the above requirements, international applicants should submit:

• Official English Language Proficiency exam scores (TOEFL or IELTS).
• Official translations of any transcripts, if not in English.

Program Admission Requirements

Candidates must first be accepted into the university. Students admitted to Florida International University are admitted directly to their chosen major.

Program Completion Requirements

A total of 120 credits are required to complete the fully online undergraduate degree. Students must complete the University Core Curriculum, University requirements and College of Arts, Sciences & Education requirements while satisfying requirements toward their Asian Studies major and are expected to make good progress based on critical indicators, such as GPA in specific courses or credits earned. In cases where students are not making good progress, a change of major may be required. The College of Arts, Sciences & Education advisors work to redirect students to more appropriate majors when critical indicators are not met. For specific course requirements, visit the Courses tab on this program page.

Admission Documents

To complete the online undergraduate programs admissions form, select your program from the application form. You may complete the online application and submit it, even before taking any entrance exams. All supporting admission documents may be sent to:

Florida International University Office
of Undergraduate Admissions
P.O. Box 659003
Miami, FL 33265-9003
USA

FIU also accepts transcripts electronically via:

• Faster (All FL public institutions)
• Naviance (Typically used by private high schools)
• SMART/Joint Service Transcript – Military records

*Meeting the university minimum requirements does not guarantee admission

We’re thrilled that you’re considering online education and want you to know exactly what to expect for tuition and fees. Education is an investment in your future. Use the following student tuition and fees calculator to determine your costs.

With more than 50 core faculty, the department is research-intensive with funding in grants and contracts worth more than $10 million annually. Biological Sciences faculty conduct research on all seven continents and in cutting-edge research labs. Research from these labs has a global impact on some of the world’s most pressing issues.

The research interests of our faculty span many levels of biological organization from molecules to ecosystems, and include both field- and laboratory-based studies in marine, terrestrial and freshwater environments. Faculty in the department address basic biological questions about how organisms work, how they develop, how they interact with other organisms and their environments, and how they have evolved over time.

Active areas of research include cell and molecular biology, ecology, climate change, functional morphology, genetics, conservation biology and biodiversity, neurobiology and behavior, evolutionary biology and population genetics, phylogenetics and bioinformatics, physiology, virology, microbiology, and paleobiology. Many of our faculty specialize in tropical systems, including tropical ecosystems and tropical diseases.