Undergraduate Requirements

Biology Major Requirements (B.S.) - Quick Guide

All Biology majors must complete  the following requirements to earn a B.S. in Biology.

  1. Core Biology Courses

Students must complete six required core Biology courses, each with a grade of C or better:

  • BIO 10100 - Biological Foundations I

  • BIO 10200 - Biological Foundations II

  • BIO 20600 - Introduction to Genetics

  • BIO 20700 - Organismic Biology

  • BIO 22800 - Ecology & Evolution

  • BIO 22900 - Cell & Molecular Biology

      2. Supporting Science & Math Core Requirements

 In addition to core Biology coursework, students must complete the following supporting   sequences:

Chemistry:

  • CHEM 10301 - General Chemistry I (C or better)

  • CHEM 10401 - General Chemistry II (C or better)

  • CHEM 26100 - Organic Chemistry I (D or better)

Physics:

  • Typically PHYS 20300 & PHYS 20400, or an approved calculus-based sequence (D or better).

Mathematics: 

  • One approved calculus and statistics pathway, most commonly MATH 20500 (C or better) & MATH 209 (D or better).

      3. Biology Electives

  • A minimum of 15 credits of approved Biology electives is required.

  • Electives are typically BIO 300-400 level courses, as well as select Non- Biology electives, as specified in the Biology Major Advising form.

  • A grade of D or better is required.

  • Electives should generally be taken after completing core Biology courses.

      4. Credit, Residency & GPA Requirements

To graduate, students must:

  • Earn 120 total credits.

  • Complete 39 Biology major course credits (24 Biology core credits AND 15 elective credits) as well as required non-Biology core credits from Math, Chemistry, and Physics.

  • Complete at least 24 Biology residency credits in CCNY Biology courses:

    • Residency credits must be earned through CCNY BIO courses only

    • Transfer and ePermit credits do not count toward Biology residency

    • Some non-BIO electives (e.g., Biochemistry, Biomedical Ethics) may count toward elective credit but not Biology residency

  • Maintain minimum Biology GPA of 2.0

      5. Advising Requirement

Each semester, students must:

  • Accurately complete the Course Record & Plan on the Biology Advising Form, listing all completed, in-progress, and planned coursework

  • Meet with their assigned Biology faculty advisor to review the form

  • Obtain advisor approval before registration and for final graduation clearance

      6. Major Graduation Check

  • Required during your final semester, must apply on Cunyfirst

  • Once contacted by the Head Biology Advisor, must submit a fully updated advising form showing all completed and pending coursework to receive major certification

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: 02/20/2026 15:42