The bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in the biological sciences (biology, cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, neurobiology, plant sciences) is offered as a joint program between Rutgers
University–Newark and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) through
their Federated Department of Biological Sciences. The B.A. major requires
38 credits of coursework in biological sciences, plus cognate courses
in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Courses are offered at both Rutgers-Newark and NJIT.
Rutgers
students can officially declare their intention to pursue a course of
study leading to a B.A. degree in biology after completing 120:200
Concepts in Biology and one of the two Foundations course pairs (201/202 or 205/206).
To
declare their major and their preference for the bachelor of arts
curriculum, students must visit the biological sciences office in Boyden
Hall 206 to submit an application for admission to the major. At this
time the student's record will be reviewed and, if accepted into the
major, an academic major adviser will be assigned. Students should meet
with their adviser regularly, at least once a semester, to plan their
course of study.
After
completing 120:200 Concepts in Biology, students take 120:201 Foundations of
Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology (3), 120:202 Foundations
Cell and Molecular Biology
Laboratory (1), 120:205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and
Evolution (3) and 120:206 Foundations
Ecology and
Evolution
Laboratory (1)
as their core curricular requirements; together, these five courses provide
students with the necessary background to enroll in upper-division
courses. Please be aware that many upper-division courses require
completion of both the Concepts and Foundations: Cell and
Molecular Biology courses as prerequisites.
Beyond
the core courses, all students must successfully complete one course
from each of three biological concepts clusters and two courses
designated as laboratory/field experience.
Students
complete their course of study by successfully completing, with grades
of C or better, courses in biological sciences for a minimum of 38
credits.
Among
the courses successfully completed for the B.A. degree, one of those
courses must be recognized as writing intensive (WI). Students should
check the WI status of courses before registering, as the roster of WI
courses may vary from semester to semester.
All
cognate courses must be completed with grades of C or better. Cognate
courses can be completed by enrolling in the appropriate courses either
at Rutgers-Newark or at NJIT. Please note that in the case of sequential
cognate courses the entire sequence must be completed at one or the
other campus. Courses offered by NJIT are indicated as School 28 or with
the prefix NJIT.
1. Core Course Requirements (12 credits required)
28:120:200 Concepts in Biology (4)
21:120:201 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology (3)
21:120:202 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology Lab (1)
28:120:205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution (3)
28:120:206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Lab (1)
2. Concept Clusters (10 credits)
A) Ecological and Evolutionary Framework (one course required)
21:120:211 Plant Kingdom (4)
28:120:222 Evolution (3)
21:120:280 Ecology (3)
21:120:282 Animal Behavior (3)
B) The Functional Organism (four credits required)
21:120:230 Biology of Seed Plants (4)
21:120:335 General Microbiology (4)
21:120:300 Plant Physiology (4)
21:120:340 Mammalian Physiology (4)
21:120:342/343 Developmental Biology Lecture and Laboratory (4)
C) Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms (one course required)
21:120:352 Genetics (3)
21:120:355 Cell Biology (3)
21:120:356 Molecular Biology (3)
21:120:360
Biochemistry (3)
3. Laboratory/Field Experience (two courses, minimum of 6 credits)
21:120:211 Plant Kingdom (4)
21:120:230 Biology of Seed Plants (4)
21:120:285 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)
21:120:311 Flora of New Jersey (4)
21:120:325/326 Animal Parasites and Parasitology Laboratory (4)
21:120:328 Ecology of Birds (3)
21:120:330 Plant Physiology (4)
21:120:335 General Microbiology (4)
21:120:340 Mammalian Physiology (4)
21:120:342/343 Developmental Biology Lecture and Laboratory (1)
21:120:381 Ecological History of North America (3)
28:120:385 Evolution of Behavior Laboratory (3)
21:120:404 Introduction to Neuroanatomy (4)
21:120:405
Microanatomy of Tissues (4)
21:120:430 Plant Growth and Development (4)
21/28:120:451 Cell Physiology and Imaging (4)
21:120:452 Laboratory in Molecular Biotechniques (4)
28:120:475
Ecological Field Methods (3)
4. Biology B.A. Electives
28:120:315 Principles of Neurobiology (3)
28:120:320 Discovering Biological Research (3)
28:120:337 Collective Intelligence of Biological Systems (3)
28:120:338 Ecology of the Dining Hall (3)
28:120:341 Introduction to Neurophysiology (3)
28:120:344 Physiological Mechanisms (3)
28:120:345 Comparative Physiology (3)
21/28:120:350 Immunology (3)
21:120:365 Evolution of Humans (3)
28:120:368 Ecology and Evolution of Disease (3)
21:120:370 Plant Ecology (3)
28:120:375 Conservation Biology (3)
28:120:383 Neural Basis of Behavior (3)
28:120:400 Biology of Science Fiction (3)
21:120:402 Biology of Cancer (3)
21:120:422 Biological Invasions (3)
28:120:440 Cell Biology of Disease (3)
21:120:444 Cellular Neurobiology (3)
21/28:120:445 Neuroendocrinology (3)
28:120:447 Systems Neurobiology (3)
28:120:448 Neuropathophysiology (3)
21:120:455 Molecular Cell Biology (3)
21:120:491 Problems in Biology (1-3)
21:120:492 Problems in Biology (1-3)
5. Cognate Courses
21:160:115 General Chemistry I (4)
21:160:116 General Chemistry II (4)
21:160:113 General Chemistry Laboratory (1)
21:160:114 General Chemistry Laboratory (1)
21:160:335 Organic Chemistry I (4)
21:160:336 Organic Chemistry II (4)
21:160:331 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2)
21:640:135 Calculus I (4)
21:750:203 General Physics I (4) or
21:750:213 University Physics I (4)
21:750:204 General Physics II (4) or
21:750:214 University Physics II (4)
21:750:205 Introductory Physics Laboratory I (1)
21:750:206 Introductory Physics Laboratory II (1)
