Information about majoring in biology
All Advisees Read This Before Contacting Your Faculty Advisors
Contact your advisors via email if you need to reach them
Our program has numerous degree options
Note that tracks and concentrations are specific courses of study but only a concentration is mentioned on a diploma.
- BS in Biology & BS in Biology with Concentration in Biotechnology
- BA in Human Biological Sciences (this degree is for students interested in a career as a Physician's Assistant and is not for pre-medical students)
- Biology Minor
- MS in Biology (Thesis and Non-Thesis Options)
- Biology Course Descriptions
Roadmaps for Graduation
- Program Pathways Mapper
- Four-year Roadmap for BS Biology
- Four-year Roadmap for BS Biology with Biotechnology Concentration
- Four-year Roadmap for BA Human Biology
Concentration Outlines
A useful tool for viewing remaining course requirements, both general education and major's courses, is available in your MyCSUB account. On the Student center page, there is a box labelled my academics: click on this and then on View Advisement report. This will pull up a page that shows what requirements have been met, which are in progress, and which have not been met.
- BS Biology Catalog 2018-present
- BS Biology Biotechnology Concentration 2018-present
- BA Human Biology Catalog 2018-present
Tracks
Tracks are unofficial groups of courses suggested by the department for individuals interested in specific areas of Biology. Tracks do not appear on your transcript, and all still require satisfaction of the basic BS degree structure: all required courses are the same as in the "standard" BS degree, the tracks consist of suggested upper division courses and in some cases additional cognate coursework -- remember that regardless of track, you will still be required to have at least 20 units of upper division Biology electives, at least 12 of which must come from 4-unit, lab-based courses, and one of which must be at the 4000-level. The additional 8 units may be satisfied by any combination of lab-based or non-lab-based courses acceptable for the major.
Advising Links and References
- Course Descriptions
- General Education Requirements
- Class Schedule Search
- Academic Calendars
- Campus Catalogs
- Testing Center
- Course substitutions: Please contact an advisor if you feel you qualify for a course substitution.
- M.S. in Biology Graduate Guide
- MS Biology Thesis Proposal Guidelines
- MS Biology Thesis Format Guidelines
Pre-medical Students
Biology is an ideal major for students interested in applying to medical school after
graduation. A degree in Biology will prepare you to succeed on the Medical College Admissions
Test (MCAT). A good score on this exam is important for getting into medical school.
Here is a link to MCAT information:
https://students-residents.aamc.org/taking-mcat-exam/taking-mcat-exam. An additional reason majoring in Biology will help you in your medical studies is
that when you attend medical school you will take many classes that cover topics in
biology, thus you will have a head start to succeeding in medical school.
Registration is available for the MCAT in the CSUB Testing Center.
The testing center is located in the Modular Building next to the University Police
Department. Suggested parking lots to the Testing Center are Lot H and I.
Find building #60 on the CSUB Campus Map.