School of Science & Engineering

Biology Department

Undergraduate Programs Leading to the BA or BS in Biology

» Independent Study
» Organismal/Environmental Biology
» Cellular/Molecular Biology
» Health Professions
» BA or BS Degree

The New Paltz Department of Biology focuses on the undergraduate student. Introductory courses allow for individual attention in small recitation and lab sections taught by faculty members. The small class size of upper-division courses encourages close interaction with faculty and other students. The Coykendall Science Building provides state of the art biology laboratory and classroom facilities. There are two undergraduate tracks within the liberal arts biology curriculum, both leading to the BA or BS: Organismal/Environmental Biology and Cellular/Molecular Biology. Each track requires a year of general biology and appropriate chemistry, physics, and mathematics courses. Although the tracks differ in their course requirements, all lead to the BS or BA degree in biology. Each track includes electives which allow for specialization in the student's field of interest and are selected in consultation with the student's faculty advisor.

Independent Study, Internships and Scholarships

Qualified seniors have an opportunity to work on independent research projects under the direction of a faculty member. Internships with area research facilities such as the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Cornell Agricultural Station and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation provide specialized training and experience in areas of ecosystem analysis and management, environmental studies, and plant science. The Brian Parson's Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has been accepted to either a graduate or professional school for continuing studies in the biological and health sciences. The Thomas Santoro Memorial Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding junior or senior biology major with an interest in microbiology.

Organismal/Environmental Biology

I. Required Biology Core Courses

  • BIO201 General Biology I
  • BIO202 General Biology II
  • BIO320 Genetics

II. Required Track Core Courses

  • BIO340 Ecology

AND one of the following:

  • BIO307 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, BIO305 Plant Morphology, BIO417 Animal Physiology OR BIO425 Plant Physiology

III. Track Elective with Lab (choose 1 course):

  • BIO307 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, BIO305 Plant Morphology, BIO417 Animal Physiology OR BIO425 Plant Physiology

IV. Track Elective without Lab (choose 1 course):

  • BIO418 Animal Behavior OR BIO412 Evolutionary Theory

V. Three Upper Division Biology Electives, one of which must be at the 400 level or above (minimum - 9 credits):

VI. Required Cognate Courses

  • CHM201 General Chemistry I
  • CHM211 General Chemistry I Lab
  • CHM202 General Chemistry II
  • CHM212 General Chemistry II Lab
  • CHM318 Organic Chemistry I
  • CHM306 Organic Chemistry I Lab
  • MTH241 Introduction to Statistics
  • MTH251 Calculus I OR MTH245 Basic Calculus
  • PHY221 Fundamental Physics I AND PHY231 Fundamental Physics I Lab OR PHY201 General Physics I AND PHY211 General Physics I Lab
  • Either CHM319 Organic Chemistry II AND CHM309 Organic Chemistry II Lab OR BIO318 Biological Chemistry (Note: BIO318 cannot be used as an upper division Biology elective if taken to satisfy this cognate requirement).

NOTE: Organic Chemistry II with lab as well as a second semester of Physics with lab and a second semester of Calculus are generally required for students planning to apply to graduate, medical, dental, optometry or veterinary schools. There may be additional courses required for admission to graduate or professional school. For graduate study in animal behavior or behavioral ecology, BOTH BIO 418 Animal Behavior AND BIO412 Evolutionary Theory are recommended. In all cases, course selection should be made under advisement from a member of the department faculty.

Cellular/Molecular Biology

I. Required Biology Core Courses

  • BIO201 General Biology I
  • BIO202 General Biology II
  • BIO320 Genetics

II. Required Track Core Courses

  • BIO309 Basic Cell Biology
  • BIO308 Basic Molecular Biology

III. Track Elective with Lab (choose 1 course):

  • BIO331 Developmental Biology, BIO350 Microbiology, BIO311 Developmental Plant Anatomy

IV. Track Elective without Lab (choose 1 course):

  • BIO318 Biological Chemistry OR BIO412 Evolutionary Theory

V. Three Upper Division Biology Electives, one of which must be at the 400 level or above (minimum - 9 credits)

VI. Required Cognate Courses

  • CHM201 General Chemistry I
  • CHM211 General Chemistry I Lab
  • CHM202 General Chemistry II
  • CHM212 General Chemistry II Lab
  • CHM318 Organic Chemistry I
  • CHM306 Organic Chemistry I Lab
  • MTH241 Introduction to Statistics
  • MTH251 Calculus I OR MTH245 Basic Calculus
  • PHY221 Fundamental Physics I AND PHY231 Fundamental Physics I Lab OR PHY201 General Physics I AND PHY211 General Physics I Lab
  • Either CHM319 Organic Chemistry II AND CHM 309 Organic Chemistry II Lab OR BIO318 Biological Chemistry (Note: BIO318 cannot be used as an upper division Biology elective or as a Cell/Molecular Biology track elective (section IV above) if taken to satisfy this cognate requirement).

NOTE: Organic Chemistry II with lab as well as a second semester of Physics with lab and a second semester of Calculus are generally required for students planning to apply to graduate, medical, dental, optometry or veterinary schools. There may be additional courses required for admission to graduate or professional school. For graduate study in cell or molecular biology, a full year of biochemistry is recommended. In all cases, course selection should be made under advisement from a member of the department faculty.

Education

The Biology Department also supports the undergraduate degree programs in Secondary Education and Elementary Education.

Eight Semester Study Plans

Each Major Track in Biology is designed to be completed in four years. There are a number of options for planning your eight semesters here at New Paltz. See your advisor to develop a plan adapted for your specific background and future plans.

Health Professions

Pre-Health, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Vet, etc.

Pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant, and physical therapy are available. Students should consult with the pre-health professions advisor (Patrick Saxe: saxep@newpaltz.edu) and their major advisor to plan a program best suited to their career goals. New Paltz pre-med graduates have been accepted in all the public medical schools in New York State as well as such schools as Albany Medical Center, Georgetown, Tufts, Duke, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the University of Virginia. New Paltz pre-dental students have found comparable success, being accepted at such schools as NYU, Georgetown, University of Maryland and Northwestern.

A health professional is any person who works in the healing arts. Individuals make different contributions to this profession, from the medical technician in a hospital laboratory to the physician who performs highly technical procedures on patients. Each individual in the profession requires different skills, knowledge and training. Students who wish to enter such fields as doctors of medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, osteopathy, or veterinary medicine must begin their preparation during high school by pursuing a strong college preparatory program, emphasizing mathematics and laboratory science. New Paltz has several companion programs (osteopathic medicine, optometry) for exceptionally well prepared entering freshman.

It should be understood that few colleges offer a true "pre-med" program leading to a degree. What all colleges offer is the opportunity to prepare for admission to a health profession school by taking selected courses guided by a knowledgeable faculty advisor.

New Paltz provides a strong undergraduate preparation in mathematics and science, offering all the necessary and appropriate courses needed for admission to any health profession school. Additionally and most importantly, New Paltz offers the expertise of a faculty advising enabling interested students to receive guidance and information about their health care professions, the faculty advisor will aid in the preparation for the national admissions exams, assembling application materials for the health profession schools, reviewing the student's academic record and level of achievement, and looking at all of the other factors that will hopefully lead to a successful health profession school application.

There is no specific major required by the health profession schools. Students may major in any degree program offered at New Paltz (there are 104 undergraduate degree programs offered), in addition to completing the aforementioned course requirements. Most pre-health profession students, however, opt for a major in the sciences since the majority of the health profession school course requirements also fulfill substantial portions of a biology, chemistry, or physics major. It is important to note that the national entrance exams include substantial material dealing with the sciences.

Many health profession schools may also look for additional course work in biology, chemistry or physics; consulting with the pre-health advisor will inform students of this information.

For more information about pre-health programs of study at SUNY New Paltz, see the Pre-Health Careers Advising Webpage.

BA or BS Degree

The BA degree often connotes a broad Liberal Arts background. All Biology majors are eligible for the BA degree. Students opting for the BA often are oriented toward careers in which a broad Biology background is useful (e.g., Law, Public Policy, Environmental Advocacy). The BS often connotes more depth in the field and is appropriate for students considering graduate school (including medicine) and/or research careers. Students opting for the BS degree in Biology generally take two semesters of Organic Chemistry with labs, two semesters of Physics with labs and two semesters of Calculus, chosen in consultation with their advisor.

Minor in Biology

Students may minor in Biology by completing General Biology I and II (BIO201 & BIO202) and ten additional Biology course credits, chosen in consultation with their advisor.

Minor in Evolutionary Studies

Check out our new interdisciplinary Evolutionary Studies Minor.

Minor in Environmental Studies

Check out the interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Minor.