Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 124

Departmental Honors

The Department of  offers honors and high honors to qualified students who have a high GPA and have completed two semesters of research. The department encourages all students with a high GPA and an interest in research to apply for departmental honors. Students that intend to be considered for honors must notify their research adviser by the end of their first semester of research. 

Please see your  Department adviser about undergraduate research.   must be started no later than the first semester of the senior year.

Graduation with Honors in Biology, Urban Ecology or Pre-Medical Studies has three requirements:

1. A minimum GPA of 3.5 in biology course work, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4, and completion of no fewer than 60 credits in-residence at Hofstra, including at least 15 credits in biology.
2. Successful completion of an undergraduate research project and thesis or essay ( and either  or ).
3. Successful defense of the work in front of at least two members of the department (typically in the form of a poster presentation). 

Graduation with High Honors in Biology, Urban Ecology or Pre-Medical Studies has three requirements:

1. Excellence in all of the three requirements for Honors.
2. A GPA of 3.7 in biology course work.
3. A recommendation by the research adviser and by the team of faculty who evaluated the research project or internship and thesis, or essay and concurrence by the departmental chair.

Study Tracks within the BA and BS Majors in Biology

The  Department offers the following four specialized study tracks for students who have predetermined specific study and career goals: Cell and Molecular Biology; Ecology and Evolution; Marine Biology; and Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental and Pre-Veterinary Studies. Required courses and other suggested courses for each track are given below. Students must plan their specific schedules in consultation with their biology adviser. Please note that these study tracks do not constitute separate degrees; they are courses of study within the BA and BS majors in biology.

Dual-degree students who do not declare an undergraduate concentration are advised to substitute three out of the following courses for graduate and undergraduate credit during their senior year: BIOL 224 (Statistics) for BIOL 124, BIOL 268 (Techniques in Molecular Biology) for BIOL 168, BIOL 252 (Virology) for BIOL 152, BIOL 273 (Genomics and Bioinformatics) for BIOL 173, BIOL 253 (Endocrinology) for BIOL 153, BIOL 256 (Advanced Conservation Biology) for BIOL 156, BIOL 238 (Advanced Field Ecology) for BIOL 138, BIOL 239 (Advanced Coastal Marine Biology) for BIOL 139, and/or BIOL 307 (Internship in Marine or Freshwater Biology).

Animal Dissection Policy

Practical experience with structure and function in animals is an essential component of a biology education. This experience may include the use of living or preserved animals in some laboratory exercises and may require animal dissection. Majors in biology who object to these practices based on ethical, moral, or religious grounds need to discuss their objections with the department chairperson. A student with proper advisement from their biology adviser can select a rigorous and rewarding set of biology courses that are consistent with the student’s moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. Only two required courses in the major sacrifice animals or perform animal dissection ( and ).  For these specific courses, accommodations will be made for students whose beliefs prevent them from directly participating in animal euthanasia and dissection.  Students must inform the course instructor within the first week of class of their concerns/objections and submit to the chairperson of the written documentation that substantiates their objections.

Complete BA Requirements

 in HCLAS.

Recommended Program Sequence - Total Hours: 124