Bachelor of Science in Biology

A bachelor’s degree in biology from California Baptist University is a great way to start down the path toward many exciting career opportunities including medicine, pharmacy and environmental or biotechnology research.

CBU’s team of expert biology instructors is concerned with more than just providing the coursework that is required to obtain a biology degree. They provide courses in genetics, microbiology, botany, cell and molecular biology, anatomy and physiology and truly care about you and want to help you be successful. All CBU biology majors’ courses are taught by full-time faculty members whom you will interact with in the classroom and in the lab. You will also have opportunities to work with faculty members assisting with research projects and possibly even teaching a lab or lecture as a teaching assistant—real-world experience that goes far beyond a typical classroom setting. This close interaction with faculty members will help you to choose a career goal that fits your strengths and to take the steps necessary to realize that goal.

CBU Biology majors may also elect to enhance their studies with a Pre-Medicine concentration.

Career Opportunities

A B.S. degree in biology is the entry point for many exciting careers, including 

  • Health Care (doctor, dentist, pharmacist, optometrist, physical therapist, chiropractor, podiatrist, dietician, occupational therapist, physician assistant, dental hygienist, etc.)
  • Working with animals or the environment (veterinarian, marine biologist, agricultural scientist, environmental scientist, conservation scientist, forester, zoologist, animal care worker, etc.)
  • Teaching at various levels (elementary school, middle school, high school, college, university, etc.)
  • ... and many other careers (food scientist, research scientist, pharmaceutical sales, park ranger, etc.)

 Career prospects are plentiful for biologists!

Recent CBU graduates have been accepted into many graduate and professional programs, including the following:

Biology Program Student Outcomes 

TRADITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Biology Major (68-70 units) BS

Core Courses

Lower Division Requirements

BIO 146 General Biology I with Lab

BIO 148 General Biology II with Lab

CHE 115 General Chemistry I with Lab

CHE 125 General Chemistry II with Lab

MAT 145 Mathematical Methods in the Natural Sciences OR MAT 245 Analytical Geometry and Calculus I

Lower Division Physics Requirements

Complete a two-semester sequence from the following:

PHY 114 General Physics I with Lab and PHY 124 General Physics II with Lab

OR

PHY 214 Physics for Scientists I with Lab and PHY 224 Physics for Scientists II with Lab

Upper Division Requirements

BIO 313 Genetics

BIO 330 Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab

BIO 480 Biology Research Seminar

BIO 499 Biology Capstone

CHE 351 Organic Chemistry I with Lab

CHE 352 Organic Chemistry II with Lab

Concentration Courses (12-14 units)

Students must complete all requirements in one of the following concentrations:

Environmental Science; General Biology; Mammalian; Natural Science

Environmental Science (12 units)

BIO 114 General Botany with Lab

BIO 302 Ecology with Lab

CHE 370 Environmental Chemistry with Lab*

SCI 412 Marine Science with Lab

*Students also completing a chemistry minor may not also apply CHE 370 to the minor requirements

General Biology (12 units)

BIO 114 General Botany with Lab

Complete twelve (12) additional upper division units in biology and SCI 412

Pre-Medical (12 units)

BIO 305 Microbiology with Lab

BIO 324 Developmental Biology with Lab

BIO 344 Vertebrate Physiology with Lab

Complete eight (8) additional upper division units from the following: BIO 316, 435, 440, 489, CHE 443, 444

* Additional recommended courses: BIO 153, 163

Secondary Biology Education (14 units)

BIO 114 General Botany with Lab

BIO 302 Ecology with Lab

BIO 344 Vertebrate Physiology with Lab

PHY 213 Astronomy

PSC 151 Introduction to Geosciences

This page was updated March 7, 2011.