Saint Joseph’s University’s environmental science major offers a strong foundation in the natural sciences. You will develop skills in experimental design, surveying scientific literature, data collection, data reduction and the presentation of scientific conclusions to a range of audiences.
Biology
A biology degree from Saint Joseph’s University exposes you to all levels of biological organization, from the sub-cellular to the broad ecosystem. Our program is built with core courses covering the fundamentals of biology, a distribution of upper-level course across the major areas of biology and free electives.
What Sets Our Program Apart
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You will experience a hands-on, experimental approach in all your courses. Saint Joseph’s University has outstanding equipment and facilities available for student use, including:
- An animal biodiversity lab
- Greenhouse
- Plant growth chambers
- Confocal and electron microscopes
- Equipment for molecular biology research
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Areas of teaching and research cover an extensive range of topics including cell and molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, plant biology, evolution, physiology, ecology, neurobiology, bioinformatics, biophysics and animal behavior. All upper level courses are taught by full-time faculty who are specialists in their fields.
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While participating in research is not required, opportunities abound year-round for motivated students and are highly recommended. The experience of doing original research has far-reaching benefits in and beyond the field of biology.
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Saint Joseph's offers a Masters of Art and a Masters of Science in Biology. Undergraduate students enrolled at SJU with majors in biology or environmental science may be able to complete a combined 5-year B.S./M.A. or B.S./M.S. degree.
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As a biology major, you will work closely with faculty members, all of whom have varied backgrounds and unique expertise, and who will encourage you to join them as a co-investigator, giving you the opportunity to present your work at local and national scientific meetings. It is not unusual for a student’s work to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
What Can I Do with a Biology Degree?
A biology degree prepares you for a wide range of career options and success. Many of our graduates enter medical and health profession schools, graduate schools for M.S. or Ph.D. degrees, K-12 education or industry jobs.
Additionally, the five-year B.S./M.S. biology-education program is designed for students who wish to become certified secondary school (grades 7-12) science teachers. The program incorporates the four-year B.S. degree in biology with additional work during the summer and a fifth year to complete the M.S. in secondary education and become certified. Given the numerous course requirements for the dual degrees and the certification, it is important that you speak with your biology education adviser about this program early on if you are interested to ensure you are taking appropriate courses.
Program Details
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View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.
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Affordable tuition rates can be found on our tuition and fees website.*
*Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our tuition & fees page for a detailed breakdown.
Admission Information
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To apply for this program, complete an application online. SAT and/or ACT scores are optional but you can submit them if you think they’ll strengthen your application.
Learn more about admissions requirements and how to apply as a first-year student, transfer student or international student.
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First-Year Students
Applications for high school students are available beginning August 1 of your senior year. Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision options are available. For a full timeline of deadlines, visit our admission page.Transfer Students
Applications to transfer to Saint Joseph’s are accepted on a rolling basis for fall and spring start terms. -
1. To be considered for admission, you must have graduated from an approved secondary school (or be on track to graduate), received a diploma from an accredited home school association or earned a GED.
2. A high school transcript with an official school stamp or an official GED transcript is required. High school transcripts must include courses completed through your junior year as well as courses in progress during your senior year. If you’ve attended any post-secondary institutions, official transcripts for those institutions are required as well.
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Transfer credit may be awarded for previous coursework. A course must meet the following requirements to be considered for transfer to Saint Joseph’s University:
- Undergraduate courses with a grade of “C” or above
- Graduate courses with a grade of “B” or above
- Pass/Fail grades are not eligible for transfer credit
- Must be from a regionally or programmatically accredited institution
- The coursework must match the course offered at Saint Joseph's
- Some programs have a time limit for specific courses
- Earned credit may be submitted for review based on a timeline of less than or equal to 5 to 10 years between completion of course and enrollment at SJU
*Visit the transfer page for a detailed breakdown of courses and institutions eligible for transfer.
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If you are not a United States citizen, you must show proof of permanent resident visa status. Students educated in another country may be admitted if they:
- Satisfy general admission requirements
- Earn a minimum of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey
Students from English-speaking countries may choose to take the SAT or ACT as an option to the TOEFL exam. An evaluation of foreign transcripts by the World Education Service or other approved agency is required.
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Saint Joseph’s is a military-friendly institution and offers assistance and services to veterans and their dependents who are utilizing educational benefits. Benefits include:
- Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill®
- Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
- Chapter 33 Post 911 GI Bill®
- Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Assistance
- Chapter 1606 National Guard or Reserves
- Chapter 1607 National Guard or Reserves (REAP) (*if eligible, must be utilized by November 25, 2019)
- Pennsylvania National Guard Educational Assistance Program (EAP)
- Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
Explore Other Degree Programs
The chemical biology major at Saint Joseph’s University, offered by the departments of biology and chemistry, will provide you with the tools needed to understand the chemical processes that occur at the molecular level.
The chemistry major at Saint Joseph’s introduces students to all of the major sub-disciplines in chemistry: analytical, biochemical, inorganic, organic and physical. Emphasis is placed on chemistry as a laboratory science.