Biology

B.S. Program: This program has been designed to satisfy the admission requirements of medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, pharmacy and chiropractic schools and provides a sound preparation for many graduate programs in the sciences. Students interested in a degree in physical therapy will matriculate in a two-degree, entry-level P.T. program (B.S. in biology + D.P.T. program). Entering freshmen matriculate in and complete a B.S. in biology degree under the program administration of the math and natural sciences department. Upon completion of the B.S. in biology, qualified graduate students then move directly into the three-year doctor of physical therapy program (D.P.T.).
A total of 38 hours in biology, including BIO 101-102, 302, 303 and 312 are required. BIO 302 should be taken in the second year, 303 in the junior year and 312 in the senior year. The additional 18 credit hours must be selected from BIO 107, 108, 208/608, 218, 229, 240 or 339/639, 242, 304, 310/610, 317, 320, 342, 389-390, 403, 407-410, 479-480 and 659/660. CHE 101-102, 219-220, MAT 125-126 and PHY 101-102 are also required. It is expected that courses that have accompanying laboratory sections will be completed as well.
In addition to the above science courses, many medical schools stress the need for broadly and humanely educated applicants. After consulting their advisor, students should select courses in philosophy, ethics, history and literature that will contribute to their liberal arts education. A pre-medical advisory committee, which is chaired by Dr. Richard E. Dowds, professor of biology, gives students current information about medical schools. A faculty advisor will advise students interested in graduate school possibilities. The department also offers assistance for the student to prepare for graduate school entrance exams (e.g., GRE, MCAT, DAT and VAT).
B.A. Program: This program has fewer required courses in mathematics, chemistry and physics and a smaller requirement of biology electives than the B.S. program. It is intended for those who do not wish to pursue an advanced degree in biology or medicine or those who wish to teach high school biology, to combine biology with another concentration, e.g., nursing, preparation for physician assisting or with a structured minor. A total of 34 credit hours in biology including BIO 101-102 or its equivalent, 302, 303 and 312, are required. The additional 14 credit hours must be selected from BIO 107, 108, 208/608, 218, 229, 240 or 339/639, 242, 304, 310/610, 317, 320, 342, 389-390, 403, 407-410, 479-480 and 659/610. CHE 101-102, 219 and one semester of mathematics chosen from MAT 117, 120, 123 or 125 are also required.

Admission Requirements
The B.S. in biology is designed for students preparing for graduate school as well as for professional programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, physician assistant, physical therapy, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic and pharmacology. It includes the following admission categories: BIOBS, BIOPT, PREMED, PREDENT, PREVET, CHP, PREPHARMACY and PRECHIROPRACTIC. The B.A./health professions preparation program is designed for students preparing for graduate programs in secondary education, physician assistant and other allied health fields. Admission to the D'Youville graduate physician assistant program will require application directly to the program during the beginning of their final year of undergraduate study. Admission into the B.A. in biology and the B.A. in biology for secondary education requires a minimum SAT score of 900 (Math and Verbal), a high school average of 80 percent and a transfer G.P.A. of 2.0. Admission into the B.S. requires a minimum SAT score of 1000 (Math and Verbal) (or ACT of 21), a high school average of 85 percent or a 2.85 on a four point scale and a rank in the top 50 percent of one’s class. Transfer students are required to have a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5.
Students nearly meeting these requirements will be considered for these programs by the department. Students denied immediate acceptance into the biology B.S. will be accepted into the biology B.A. program if they meet its requirements. These students may be promoted into the biology B.S. program after they have sufficiently demonstrated competence (usually after the completion of two semesters).

Program Requirements
Students within the department must maintain a minimum 2.0 G.P.A. in courses taken at D’Youville in coursework required for their major. Students who fail to earn this G.P.A. will be placed on probation in the major. Probation may continue for a maximum of three consecutive semesters or a total of four nonconsecutive semesters. Students who exceed these limits will be dismissed from the major. If a student is dismissed from the B.S. program on account of poor performance in courses not required for the B.A. program, a student may have his/her record re-evaluated as a major in the B.A. program, and may be declared in good standing if his/her performance in the B.A. requirements justifies this.
Students may appeal these decisions on academic status by submitting, in writing, to the department chairperson, reasons why exceptional consideration may be justified.
physical therapy Students choosing the dual degree entry will complete their B.S. in biology and move directly into the graduate P.T. program provided they complete all P.T. program prerequisites at a grade of C or better with a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 and continue to meet all graduate admissions standards. Refer to the physical therapy department section, page 86, for further details about graduate P.T. programs.

Dietetics/PreMed: The dietetics program offers motivated students the options to register for courses to fulfill the prerequisites for application to most medical schools. The science emphasis includes both semesters of organic chemistry, two semesters of physics and Calculus I. Students will be able to complete these courses within their first two years in the dietetics program, which will give them the requirements needed to apply to the early assurance program at the University at Buffalo Medical School in the spring semester of their sophomore year.

For students wishing to enter the masters' program in education/certification in education: The education program will allow up to four graduate courses to be taken while the student is an undergraduate. If a student wishes to take the entire four courses, two must fall in the senior’s final semester as an undergraduate. Further, it is expected that all juniors and seniors wishing to take graduate courses show substantial evidence of academic progress toward their undergraduate degree. Students may not take graduate courses in lieu of courses required by the program.