Bachelor of Arts in General Biology
The curriculum in general biology provides students with exposure to a broad spectrum of biological sciences including genetics, cell biology, physiology, ecology, and organismal and evolutionary biology. Since basic principles of physical science are central to many biological concepts, coursework in physics and chemistry is included in the lower-division requirements. The B.A. program is suited for students preparing for professional schools, including teacher credentialing programs, or careers that require students to be versed in diverse areas of biology.
Students preparing to become teachers should note that additional science preparation beyond the major is required (geosciences breadth: meteorology, astronomy, geology, and oceanography). It is important to consult early and often with a credential advisor in the Biology department to plan the major and keep abreast of any state-mandated changes in requirements.
The department does not permit multiple concentrations within the Biology degree program. All of the curricula require preliminary work in physics and chemistry because many important biological concepts are based squarely upon principles in the physical sciences. Also, each curriculum includes upper-division coursework in the biological sciences so that students will receive reasonable breadth and depth in their degree program. Because of the sequential arrangement of courses, students are urged to consult the descriptions for the prerequisites of all their courses.
Although course electives are listed for most of the majors, new electives are always being added to various programs. Therefore, we highly recommend that students seek advisement prior to enrolling in elective courses in their major.
General Information and Requirements
- Candidates entering the bachelor’s programs in Biology should have completed three years of high school mathematics and one year of high school chemistry to allow completion of the curriculum in a timely fashion (see Undergraduate Admission Requirements).
- To remain enrolled in a biology course, students must be prepared to provide copies of transcripts demonstrating completion of prerequisite courses with a grade of C- or better.
- Early in the first semester, and at regular intervals thereafter, students must consult with a biology advisor to plan a program of study. For the most current advising information, go to biology.sfsu.edu.
Program Learning Outcomes
Core Competencies
- Understanding the Process of Science: Students will demonstrate how a theory is supported or can be rejected based on data from experiments.
- Quantitative Reasoning: Students will be able to create graphs and perform simple statistical tests to determine whether or not differences between groups are significant.
- Relationship Between Science and Society: Students will be able to explain a biological process or phenomenon as it relates to a societal issue.
Core Concepts
- Evolution: Students will be able to understand the fundamental concepts of evolution, role of selective pressures, and how genes change.
- Relationship Between Structures and Function: Students will be able to describe how variation in the structure of an organ in a plant or animal contributes to variation in its function.
- Information Flow and Storage: Students will be able to explain the transmission of heritable traits.
General Biology (B.A.) — 58 units
- Students must take at least one GWAR course and earn a C- or better in a GWAR course to satisfy the GWAR requirement. GWAR courses are listed in upper-division categories and electives in the program. Contact a departmental advisor for further information.
- All major coursework must be completed with letter grades (CR/NC is not acceptable).
- A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework is required.
- At least 12 units in biology must be completed at SF State.
General Education Requirements Met in the Major
The requirements below are deemed “met in the major” upon completion of the courses listed (even though the courses and their prerequisites are not approved for GE). This is true whether or not the student completes the major.
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Area B2 (Life Science) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 240.
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Upper-Division General Education, Physical, and Life Sciences (UD–B) is satisfied upon completion of BIOL 355.
Lower-Division Requirements (22 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 230 | Introductory Biology I | 5 |
| BIOL 231 | Advising for Success as a Biology Major | 1 |
| BIOL 240 | Introductory Biology II | 5 |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Select One: | 3 | |
| General Organic Chemistry | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| PHYS 111 | General Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS 112 | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
Quantitative Reasoning (4-6 units)
Select One:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 197 & MATH 198 | Prelude to Calculus I and Prelude to Calculus II | 6 |
| MATH 199 | Pre-Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 226 | Calculus I | 4 |
Upper-Division Requirements (16-23 units)
Upper-Division Core (6 units):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 337 | Evolution | 3 |
| BIOL 355 | Genetics | 3 |
One Physiology or Cell Biology Course (3-4 units):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 328 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 350 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 357 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 382 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 401 | General Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOL 435 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOL 442 | Microbial Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 446 | Microbial Genomics | 4 |
| BIOL 453 | General Parasitology | 3 |
| BIOL 525 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 612 | Human Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 630 | Animal Physiology | 3 |
| CHEM 349 | General Biochemistry | 3 |
One Physiology or Cell Biology Laboratory Course (1-4 units):
Take a GWAR course if not already taken to meet requirements in another area.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 351GW | Experiments in Cell and Molecular Biology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 402GW | General Microbiology Laboratory - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 436 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 443 | Microbial Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 454 | Parasitology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 526 | Plant Molecular Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 613GW | Human Physiology Laboratory - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 631GW | Animal Physiology Laboratory - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 638 | Bioinformatics and Sequence Analysis | 4 |
Two Ecology, Evolution, or Organismal Biology Courses (6-9 units)
Take a GWAR course if not already taken to meet requirements in another area.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 380 | Evolutionary Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 425 | Emerging Diseases | 3 |
| BIOL 460 | General Entomology | 4 |
| BIOL 470 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 4 |
| BIOL 475GW | Herpetology - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 478GW | Ornithology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 482 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 490 | Ecology of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
| BIOL 500 | Evolution and Diversity of Plants | 4 |
| BIOL 502 | Biology of the Algae | 3 |
| BIOL 504 | Biology of the Fungi | 4 |
| BIOL 505 | Plant Structure and Function | 4 |
| BIOL 514 | Plant Biodiversity and California Field Botany | 5 |
| BIOL 529GW | Plant Ecology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 532 | Restoration Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 534 | Wetland Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 555 | Marine Invertebrate Zoology | 4 |
| BIOL 570GW | Biology of Fishes - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 580 | Limnology | 3 |
| BIOL 582 | Biological Oceanography & Limnology | 4 |
| BIOL 585 | Marine Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 586GW | Marine Ecology Laboratory - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 600 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
Upper-Division Electives (7-16 units)
Students should take as many units as needed to reach a total of 58 units in the program. Elective courses can be additional courses listed above not used to satisfy requirements in those categories. Take a GWAR course if not already taken. Only one of the following courses can be used as an elective: BIOL 317, BIOL 327, BIOL 330, or BIOL 349. Up to 3 units of BIOL 699 can also be used towards the total units. Other biology courses that have BIOL 230 and/or BIOL 240 as prerequisites can also be used as electives. Advisor approval is needed IN ADVANCE for any substitutions to elective courses.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AA S 587 | Asian Americans and Environmental Justice 1 | 3 |
| AA S 591 | Asian American Community Health Issues 1 | 3 |
| AFRS 370 | Health, Medicine, and Nutrition in the Black Community 1 | 3 |
| AIS 450 | American Indian Science 1 | 3 |
| AIS 520 | Before the Wilderness: American Indian Ecology 1 | 3 |
| ANTH 630 | Medical Anthropology 1 | 3 |
| BIOL 315 | Field Methods in Ecology and Evolution | 1 |
| Select a Maximum of One: | 3 | |
| Ecology of California | ||
| AIDS: Biology of the Modern Epidemic | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| BIOL 318 | Our Endangered Planet | 3 |
| BIOL 328 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL/RRS 331 | Research with Communities | 3 |
| BIOL 332 | Health Disparities in Cancer | 3 |
| BIOL 350 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 351GW | Experiments in Cell and Molecular Biology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 357 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 358 | Forensic Genetics: Math Matters | 4 |
| BIOL 360 | Cancer Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 380 | Evolutionary Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 382 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 401 | General Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOL 402GW | General Microbiology Laboratory - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 425 | Emerging Diseases | 3 |
| BIOL 435 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOL 436 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 442 | Microbial Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 443 | Microbial Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 453 | General Parasitology | 3 |
| BIOL 454 | Parasitology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 458 | Biometry | 4 |
| BIOL 460 | General Entomology | 4 |
| BIOL 470 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 4 |
| BIOL 475GW | Herpetology - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 478GW | Ornithology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 482 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 490 | Ecology of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
| BIOL 500 | Evolution and Diversity of Plants | 4 |
| BIOL 502 | Biology of the Algae | 3 |
| BIOL 504 | Biology of the Fungi | 4 |
| BIOL 505 | Plant Structure and Function | 4 |
| BIOL 514 | Plant Biodiversity and California Field Botany | 5 |
| BIOL 525 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 526 | Plant Molecular Physiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 529GW | Plant Ecology - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 530 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 532 | Restoration Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 534 | Wetland Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 555 | Marine Invertebrate Zoology | 4 |
| BIOL 570GW | Biology of Fishes - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL/ERTH 577 | Climate and Ecological Interactions | 4 |
| BIOL 580 | Limnology | 3 |
| BIOL 582 | Biological Oceanography & Limnology | 4 |
| BIOL 585 | Marine Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 586GW | Marine Ecology Laboratory - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 600 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BIOL 612 | Human Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 613GW | Human Physiology Laboratory - GWAR | 3 |
| BIOL 617 | Environmental Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 630 | Animal Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 631GW | Animal Physiology Laboratory - GWAR | 4 |
| BIOL 638 | Bioinformatics and Sequence Analysis | 4 |
| BIOL 644 | LEADerS Service Learning Course: Learners Engaged in Advocating for Diversity in Science | 4 |
| BIOL/CHEM 667 | Optical Engineering for the Biological Sciences | 3 |
| BIOL 670GW | Ecology and Evolution of Marine Systems I - GWAR | 6 |
| BIOL 671 | Ecology and Evolution of Marine Systems II | 6 |
| BIOL 694 | Cooperative Internship in Biology | 2-4 |
| BIOL 699 | Independent Study in Biology | 1-3 |
| CHEM 343 | Biochemistry I Laboratory | 3 |
| CHEM 349 | General Biochemistry | 3 |
| CSC 306 | An Interdisciplinary Approach to Computer Programming | 3 |
| CSC 408 | Machine Learning and Data Science for Personalized Medicine | 3 |
| CSC 411 | Introduction to Machine Learning for Interdisciplinary Data Scientists 1 | 3 |
| CSC 509 | Data Science and Machine Learning for Medical Image Analysis 1 | 3 |
| I R/ENVS 331 | Global Environmental Crisis 1 | 4 |
| LTNS 500 | Latina/o Community Mental Health 1 | 3 |
| RRS 303 | Health and Wellness among Pacific Islanders 1 | 3 |
| RRS 304 | Decolonize Your Diet: Food Justice and Gendered Labor in Communities of Color 1 | 3 |
| ENVS 460 | Energy, Justice, and Sustainability 1 | 3 |
| ENVS 480 | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice 1 | 3 |
| ERTH 330 | California Water 1 | 3 |
| ERTH 335 | Global Warming 1 | 3 |
| ETHS 500 | Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Health 1 | 3 |
| FIN/ECON/ENVS 651 | Student Managed Fund in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Investments 1 | 3 |
| GEOG/USP 433 | Urban Transportation 1 | 4 |
| GEOG 435 | Geography of Global Transportation 1 | 4 |
| PH 414 | Women's Health 1 | 3 |
| PHIL 383 | Ethics in Medicine 1 | 3 |
| USP 514 | Sustainable Development in Cities 1 | 4 |
| WGS 593 | Gender, Health, and the Environment 1 | 3 |
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Classes can only account for 6 units of upper-division elective courses.
Note: A minimum of 30 upper-division units must be completed for the degree (including upper-division units required for the major, General Education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper-division units required for graduation. In this case, additional upper-division courses will be needed to reach the required total.
Complementary Studies
Students in the B.A. Biology program will satisfy the Complementary Studies requirement with the completion of courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer science that are required for the major.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AS-T in Biology.
BIOL ADT Roadmap
This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Biology
California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T).
Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.
An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.
Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.
Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.
A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:
- How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.
Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.