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What does it cost?

Tuition waivers and stipends are offered on a competitive basis. Otherwise, check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

The program can be completed in four years.

Where will I take classes?
Atlanta Campus

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

Students may enter the program in the fall, spring or summer.

VIEW ADMISSIONS DEADLINES

Biology, B.S.

The career possibilities are endless with a Georgia State University bachelor’s degree in biology. A strong foundation in life science is a strong foundation for almost any career path.

While students can choose to stay on the General Studies track, we offer concentrations in:

  • Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
  • Neurobiology
  • Pre-Medical/Pre-Health

Undergraduate students can get involved in research and two interdisciplinary areas of focus — The Molecular Basis of Disease program and The Brains and Behavior program — provide competitive fellowships, seminars and symposia to support Biology undergraduate and graduate researchers. The Department also offers students the unique opportunity to participate in community outreach through the Bio-Bus program, which sends a mobile teaching laboratory to primary and secondary schools throughout metro-Atlanta.

Program Highlights

Georgia State’s Department of Biology is home to the Program for Undergraduate Research in the Life Sciences. In spring 2020, the department will offer five Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences. Each of these laboratory courses will focus on a specific research area in which undergraduates conduct experiments in molecular parasitology, microbial ecology, behavioral endocrinology, urban water quality, and vertebrate development. Thanks to our innovative and talented faculty, offerings may vary each semester. Previous topics have also included metagenomics and microbes, fermentation ecology, and flow cytometry.

LEARN MORE ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Students, faculty, and staff in the Biology Department are passionate about community outreach.  This commitment is highlighted by our participation in the Atlanta Science Festival-affiliated events each year as well as our enduring Bio-Bus program that has generated enthusiasm for science and educate students in K-12 classrooms.

Program Details

High School Seniors and Recent Graduates
If you’re a senior in high school or if you graduated from high school within the last two years, you’ll apply to begin your bachelor’s degree program using Georgia State’s Common Application.

Find out more about applying

International students
International applicants are those students who are in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa (B-1, H-1, J-1, etc.), students who are living outside the U.S. and who will require an F-1 visa to study in the United States, students who are in the process of applying for Permanent Residency status but have not yet received the Permanent Residency card or students who have been educated outside the U.S.

Learn more about the application process

Transfer students
If you’re already in college but need a change, transferring to Georgia State can provide you with the opportunities you need to succeed — in school and after graduation.

View the details

To fulfill the requirements for a degree in Biology, students are required to complete 18 hours of courses appropriate to the field including the introductory sequences: Principles of Biology and Principles of Chemistry.

Thirty-five hours of major coursework are also required and include Molecular Cell Biology, Animal Biology, Microbiology and Genetics. Students are required to complete a Critical Thinking through Writing course associated with the Molecular Cell Biology laboratory.

Students will complete six credit hours in Math, eight credit hours in Physics, eight credit hours of Organic Chemistry and 17 credit hours in additional courses of the student’s choice (from a designated list that includes classes from Anthropology, Geology, Computer Science and more). View the course catalog for more information.

The goals of the undergraduate program in Biology are for students to:

  • develop scientific literacy skills, including the ability to critically read peer-reviewed literature and understand data presented in a variety of media
  • become civically-engaged learners, cognizant of problems facing the local community and the world that can be addressed with an understanding of science and society
  • demonstrate the professionalism and work ethic necessary for young scientists to be successful in the pursuit of their desired career paths

Students in our program will achieve these goals by using metacognitive practices to understand how they best learn and therefore will improve their reading, studying and communication skills.

Description

Careers

Our ability to customize curriculum to the goals of our students and unique opportunities for internships in Atlanta and throughout the country prepare our graduates for career options in academia or industry, including: laboratory management research science – microbiology, environmental sciences, biochemistry, biomedicine, neuroscience, quality assurance and control, public health sciences, forensic science data analytics and bioinformatics.

Many graduates pursue government positions at the federal, state or local levels such as careers in county and state health departments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Students interested in educating others in biology at the K-12 level may pursue certification through the College of Education and Human Development.

Our graduates are also successful in obtaining admission into professional schools, including schools of dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary, law, public health and physician’s assistant programs. Our alumni also go on to pursue master’s and doctoral studies in biology or other related disciplines.

Contacts

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Jonathan Sylvester
284 Petit Science Center
[email protected]
404-413-5350

College of Arts & Sciences Lockup25 Park Pl NE #2500
Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.