Biology
Application Deadline
- Spring: December 8
- Summer: April 12 (early sessions)
- Fall: July 19
Class Begins
- Spring: January 8, 2024
- Summer: May 6, 2024 (early sessions)
- Fall: August 19, 2024
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science
in Biology
WSU College
College of Arts and Sciences
Explore the Complexities of Life
Life is all around us. From the intricate complexities of DNA and microscopic organisms, to the immense diversity of flora and fauna on planet earth, living things surround us every day and make up the fabric of our lives.
Degree Completion Program
Note: This program requires credit from science courses to be transferred in from outside of WSU Global Campus.
Why Study Biology?
Biology, the study of life, is a wide-ranging discipline that encompasses molecular, cellular, and physiological processes, evolutionary diversity, ecological relationships, and global systems. Biologists seek to understand life from prehistoric times, study organisms alive today, and model how life may change in the future. A background in the biological sciences is necessary for a wide variety of career fields, especially those requiring expertise in human anatomy, wildlife biology, or applied biology.
What You’ll Learn
WSU’s biology degree completion program combines transferred courses with WSU Global Campus courses to instill a broad base of knowledge in the biological sciences. Global Campus courses, delivered 100% online, cover molecular and cell biology, physiology, and the development of animals and plants. You will gain expertise in a wide variety of biological fields, including human anatomy, genetics, taxonomy, disease biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. You will also become well versed in research design, data analysis, scientific writing, and professional communications.
Graduates will be prepared to advance their current careers or pursue employment in medical support professions, wildlife-related careers, and other jobs requiring biological expertise. A biology degree can also be a stepping stone to graduate education in biology.
WSU Online Biology Degree Program Strengths
- WSU’s Global Campus biology program is one of only a handful of online biology degrees available, as demand for graduates with science degrees is increasing in the US workforce.
- This degree completion program gives students a convenient and flexible option to complete biology degrees started at a community college or campus-based university.
- Students get the opportunity to learn from experienced College of Arts and Sciences faculty members with expertise in a wide variety of fields in the biological sciences.
Program of Study
All WSU courses are available online
All WSU undergraduates must complete a minimum of 120 semester credits of which 40 credits must be at the 300 – 400 level. Students must also complete the University Common Requirements (UCORE). These can generally be satisfied with a direct transfer degree. For a list of direct-transfer agreements, visit WSU’s Transferring an Associate Degree page.
Students must also fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences graduation requirements and the program requirements of the degree.
A student may certify a major in biology upon completing 24 credits with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Biology requires a minimum of 18 semester credit hours of core BIOLOGY courses (BIOLOGY 106, 107, 301, 372 and 405 or 403). An additional 21 semester credit hours of biological sciences coursework selected in consultation with your biology academic advisor is required. The 21 semester credit hours must include 15 upper division credits, six of which must be BIOLOGY courses taken in residence at WSU.
This is a degree completion program. The program requires credit from science courses to be transferred in from outside of WSU Global Campus.
The following courses must be taken before coming to WSU Global Campus:
- CHEM 105 [PSCI] – Principles of Chemistry I
- CHEM 106 – Principles of Chemistry II
- PHYSICS 101 – General Physics
- PHYSICS 102 – General Physics
If you need assistance finding courses from other institutions that are equivalent to the courses listed above please visit Transfer Credit or email online.admissions@wsu.edu. Our admissions counselors are here to assist you.
- MATH 171 [QUAN] – Calculus I
- Statistics: Choose from STAT 212 [QUAN], STAT 412, or PSYCH 311 [QUAN]
- BIOLOGY 106 [BSCI] – Introductory Biology: Organismal Biology
- BIOLOGY 107 [BSCI] – Introductory Biology: Cell Biology and Genetics
- BIOLOGY 220 – Medical Terminology
- BIOLOGY 251 – Introductory Human Physiology (requires one weekend on Pullman campus)
- BIOLOGY/MBIOS 301 – General Genetics
- BIOLOGY/MBIOS 303 – Introductory Biochemistry
- BIOLOGY 307 [DIVR] – Biology of Women
- BIOLOGY 330 – Principles of Conservation
- BIOLOGY 333 — Human Nutrition and Health
- Choose from BIOLOGY 352 – Cells or MBIOS 401 – Cell Biology
- BIOLOGY 353 – Advanced Human Physiology
- BIOLOGY 354 — Human Anatomy for Health Occupations
- BIOLOGY 372 [M] – General Ecology
- BIOLOGY 393 [M] – Professional Communications in Biology
- BIOLOGY 401 [CAPS]/[M] — Plants and People
- BIOLOGY 405 – Principles of Organic Evolution
- BIOLOGY 408 [CAPS]/[M] – Contemporary Genetics
- BIOLOGY 475 – Systems Biology of Reproduction
- BIOLOGY 476 – Epigenetics and Systems Biology
- CHEM 345 – Organic Chemistry
Students must complete the University Writing Portfolio, and two Writing in the Major courses. For online students, the Writing in the Major requirement will be fulfilled with BIOLOGY 372 and BIOLOGY 393 unless an alternative course taken at a different WSU campus is transferred in.
All students, including community college transfer students with an approved transferable AA degree from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona or Hawaii, or students pursuing a second major in the College of Arts and Sciences, will be held to the following additional requirements:
- Foreign Language: Complete 2 years of high school or 1 year of college in a single foreign language
- Additional 3 semester credits of [SSCI], [HUM], or [ARTS] for a total of 12 semester credits of UCORE
- Additional 1 lab credit of [BSCI], [PSCI] for a total of 8 semester credits and 2 labs.
Please review the online WSU Catalog for additional information about specific degree requirements.
Related Certificates
Global Campus offers these related undergraduate certificate programs that you can consider pairing with your biology degree.