Earn a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences

Students who pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Biological Sciences can take advantage of a wide range of career opportunities.

All students pursuing the BS or BA degree complete our core courses, ensuring a breadth of knowledge in Biological Sciences. Please visit the Course Catalog for a description of these core courses, as well as all other courses offered to obtain a degree in Biology.

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Degree Information

All biological sciences students are required to take basic courses in introductory biology, biodiversity, cellular biology, evolution, genetics and ecology. The Bachelor of Science curriculum requires two semesters of higher-level math courses, including Calculus I and Biostatistics. Students will then gain a depth of knowledge by pursuing courses in one of our focus areas.

Three examples of how degree requirements may be completed in four years are shown in these sample curricula for Bachelor of Science. Actual curriculum plans may vary depending on transfer credit, math placement, and timing and availability of desired elective options. These examples do not include all options available to students for completing a degree in this program.

For further details, please consult the sample curriculum and the undergraduate catalog:

View Sample Curriculum Undergraduate Catalog

Bachelor of Arts curriculum requires College Algebra and Biostatistics. Students working on a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in pre-med are strongly encouraged, but not required, to take several human anatomy and physiology courses to prepare them for med school, while students working on a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in secondary education are required to student-teach at a public school for one semester before receiving their degree.

For further details, please consult the sample curriculum and the undergraduate catalog:

View Sample Curriculum Undergraduate Curriculum

Students who are interested in health sciences may choose, upon graduation, to pursue professional studies in a variety of rewarding health professions, such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, chiropractic, public health, or veterinary medicine, to name a few.  Upon graduation, students may also be interested in pursuing a Master's or Ph.D. degree in a health science field.

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The MLS 3+1 emphasis area is designed for students who wish to earn a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and become board certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.  Certified Medical Lab Scientists are in very high demand. Most are employed in hospitals, but private laboratories, government agencies, and industrial and pharmaceutical laboratories offer alternative career opportunities.

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Students who are interested in obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree from Missouri S&T and in pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Health Sciences in St. Louis (UHSP), may be interested in our accelerated “3 + 4” option. A student who elects to follow this option will complete a set curriculum that covers all prerequisites for the Pharm. D. program.

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You may earn a B.A. degree in biological sciences from Missouri S&T and certification to teach at the secondary level in the schools of Missouri with this emphasis area. This program can be completed in four academic years, and student teaching is arranged with public schools anywhere in the state.

Students interested in this emphasis area should consult with the advisor for biological sciences education majors in the biological sciences department.

In order to successfully complete this emphasis area, students must attain at least a 3.0 GPA average for all biology courses and professional education courses required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for teacher certification. Students must also meet all requirements listed under the teacher education website including passing the state-required assessments. 

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The GTP will offer early admission to a Non-thesis Master of Science degree program to exceptional undergraduate students. These students will be able to earn credit toward their master's degree in Biological Sciences while completing their bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. Nine credit hours of 5000 or 6000 level courses will be applied towards both the bachelor's degree and the non-thesis master's degree.

Students in Biological Sciences can apply and be provisionally accepted to the Grad Track Program between completion of the core classes and 30 days before graduation from the bachelor's program. Applicants will complete their enrollment in the GTP upon meeting the undergraduate requirements and earning their bachelor's degree. A GRE score is not required for admission into the non-thesis master's degree through the GTP. 

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