Earn a bachelor's degree in biology
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology at St. Petersburg College prepares you to enter a range of biology careers, graduate programs or medical, dental or veterinary school. This degree offers subplans in animal sciences, biomedical sciences, cell and molecular biotechnology or ecology and organismal biology.
Our bachelor's degree in Biology is perfect if you have taken the common prerequisite classes in biology, chemistry and calculus as part of your A.A. degree or earned SPC's Biology A.A. transfer plan. Your major courses include a range of biology, chemistry, physics and math.
This academic program prepares you for the following careers. All job data is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
no occupation data
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Salary Data
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA Average
Florida Average
Projected employment for Florida
2016 Employment
5,600
2026
6,420
Percent Change
15
Projected Job Openings
630
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Salary Data
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA Average
Florida Average
Projected employment for Florida
2016 Employment
1,840
2026
2,020
Percent Change
10
Projected Job Openings
180
OTHER CAREER INFO
Our Bachelor of Science in Biology prepares you for these other careers:
Features of SPC's Bachelor of Science in Biology
- Prepares you to work in a variety of careers in biological sciences like health care, education, conservation and research
- You get to utilize your skills in creative problem-solving, critical thinking, analyzing, communication and information technology across various biological science disciplines
- Gives you a foundation for graduate degrees such as a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, or to study medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or pharmacy
Flexible by Design
We offer electives that let you focus on your interests, such as:
- Zoology
- Ecology
- Immunology
- Biotechnology
- Marine biology
- Plant biology
- Molecular biology
- Cellular biology
- Undergraduate research
Biology Bachelor of Science
BIOLOGY-BS
Effective Beginning Catalog Term: Fall 2017 (535)
The requirements shown below are valid beginning Fall 2017 (535), and may not reflect degree requirements for current students. Current students should visit My SPC and view My Learning Plan to see specific degree requirements for their effective term.
Program Leadership Information
Natavia Middleton
Dean
(727) 398-8288
middleton.natavia@spcollege.edu
Program Summary
The Bachelor of Science in Biology degree serves primarily to educate students for laboratory and field-related careers in the Biological sciences and as a transfer curriculum for graduate and professional schools.
The Academic Pathway is a tool for students that lists the following items:
o the recommended order in which to take the program courses
o suggested course when more than one option exists
o which semester each course is typically offered
o if the course has a prerequisite
o courses that may lead to a certificate (if offered in the program)
If you are starting the program this term, click here to access the recommended Academic Pathway.
If you have already started the program, click here for the archived Academic Pathways.
Please verify the Academic Pathway lists your correct starting semester.
Florida CIP Code
1102601011: BIOLOGY SCIENCES (BS)
Federal CIP Code
26.0101: Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
Job Related Opportunities
- A Biology-BS degree may lead to a career in the following fields: Biotechnology, Medical and Environmental laboratories, Field Biology, Research Biology, Aquaria and Zoo Biology.
- This degree also prepares students to pursue a graduate degree in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Optometry, Physician's Assistant, Physical Therapy and Chiropractic medicine.
Admission Rules
Admission requires completion of sixty (60) college-level credits in a related discipline, including 15 credits of transferable general education courses, and completion of the state-mandated prerequisites listed below with a grade of "C" or better.
Graduation Rules
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
If you have not completed two consecutive years of the same foreign language in high school or 8 credits in college, you will need to complete 8 credits of foreign language before completing the B.S. program.
ADMISSIONS COURSES
60 credits in a related discipline with at least 15 General Education credits
STATE MANDATED PREREQUISITES
Grade of "C" or better required
MAJOR CORE COURSES
Major Requirements (Complete 38 credits)
MAJOR ELECTIVE COURSES
Major Electives (Complete 22 credits)
TRACK
Track: Animal Sciences/Veterinary Medical (Complete up to 22 credits)
TRACK
Track: Biomedical Sciences (Complete up to 22 credits)
TRACK
Track: Biotechnology, Cell & Molecular (Complete up to 22 credits)
TRACK
Track: Ecology & Organismal Biology (Complete up to 22 credits)
a Note: Either MCB 3020 OR PCB 3023 can be used as required major courses (not both). If a student chooses to take both, one of the courses will count as an elective.
Prepare for your bachelor's degree at SPC
St. Petersburg College offers a Biology A.A. transfer plan that prepares you for our Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
To be admitted to SPC's bachelor of science in biology program, you need to complete:
- 60 credits from a regionally accredited institution, including:
- 15 credits of transferable general education courses
- ENC1101 Composition I or equivalent
- A college math course: MAT 1033, MAT 1100, STA 2023, STA 2023H or Any MAC, MGF, MTG, MAS math prefix
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.00 scale in all college classes
- All state mandated pre-requisites listed below with a grade of "C" or better
- Cellular Processes Biology I with Lab & Organisms and Ecology Biology II with Lab
- BSC 2010 & BSC 2010L
- BSC 2011 & BSC 2011L
- General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis with Lab I and II
- CHM 2045 & CHM 2045L
- CHM 2046 & CHM 2046L
- Calculus with Analytic Geometry
- MAC 2311 (or MAC 2233)
- Elementary Statistics
- STA 2023 (or MAC 2312 or 2234)
- 8 credits of Organic Chemistry I and II OR Physics I and II, OR General Physics I and II with labs, from the following options. Please choose ONE:
- Cellular Processes Biology I with Lab & Organisms and Ecology Biology II with Lab
- Organic Chemistry
- CHM 2010 Organic Chemistry I
- CHM 2010L Organic Chemistry I Lab
- CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry II
- CHM 2211L Organic Chemistry II Lab
- Physics
- PHY 2048 Physics I
- PHY 1048L Physics I Lab
- PHY 2049 Physics II
- PHY 1049L Physics II Lab
- General Physics
- PHY 1053 General Physics I
- PHY 1048L Physics I Lab
- PHY 1054 General Physics II
- PHY 1049L Physics II Lab