Bachelor of Science in Biology (Pre-Physician Assistant)
Our bachelor's degree in Biology (pre-Physician Assistant track) is your first step toward a career as a Physician Assistant (PA). PAs are medical providers who are licensed to diagnose and treat illness and disease and to prescribe medication for patients. They work in physician offices, hospitals, and clinics in collaboration with a licensed physician. During our four-year program, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, molecular biology, and cellular biology. The broad background provided by our bachelor's degree provides excellent preparation for those seeking admission into PA programs. The curriculum is designed to meet all course prerequisites for PA school. Students on this track are encouraged to visit the Pre-Health Resources site to learn more about medical school admissions procedures, shadowing and internship opportunities, writing your personal statement, and other valuable guidance and information.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Written and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrate critical thinking by using logic and reasoning to interpret scientific results.
- Ability to design and conduct properly controlled experiments.
- Utilize modern scientific instruments and methods.
- Work collaboratively as part of a team to perform, analyze, and present research.
- Ability to understand and comply with laboratory safety guidelines.
- Appreciate the requirements for a career as a Physician Assistant.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120
Major: 27-28 SCH
Program Code: BIOLOGY.BS.PREPA; CIP Code: 26.0101.00
Lecture and lab must be taken concurrently. A minimum grade of C is mandatory in all required courses for Biology majors.
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | |
| Creative Arts | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CAO: Women's Studies | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ZOOL 3243 & ZOOL 3241 | Systemic Anatomy and Systemic Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
| ZOOL 4243 & ZOOL 4241 | Medical Physiology and Medical Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BACT 3113 & BACT 3111 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 4813 & BIOL 4811 | Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 4823 & BIOL 4821 | Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 4681 | Biology Seminar | 1 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Immunology and Immunology Laboratory | ||
| Virology | ||
| Biology Elective from BACT, BIOL, or ZOOL | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 27-28 | |
Departmental Requirements
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 1113 & BIOL 1111 | Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 1123 & BIOL 1121 | Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
| Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
| CHEM 2213 & CHEM 2211 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 4 |
| CHEM 3223 & CHEM 3221 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 |
| MATH 1303 | College Algebra | 3-4 |
| or MATH 2014 | Calculus I | |
| MATH 1703 | Elementary Statistics I | 3 |
| PSY 1013 | Introduction to General Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI 1013 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| HS 3033 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics Laboratory I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics Laboratory I | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics Laboratory II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics Laboratory II | ||
| Electives - Choose 12 SCH from the following | 12 | |
| Biochemistry I and Biochemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Developmental Sexuality | ||
| Health Aspects of Human Sexuality | ||
| Psychosocial Aspects of Mental Health | ||
| Trigonometry | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Introduction to Nutrition | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| Total SCHs | 59-60 | |
Students must satisfy the 3 SCH global perspectives graduation requirement.
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| BIOL 1113 & BIOL 1111 | Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Laboratory | BIOL 1406 & BIOL 1106 | 4 |
| CHEM 1113 & CHEM 1111 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1111 | 4 |
| MATH 1303 | College Algebra | MATH 1314 | 3 |
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| UNIV 1231 | Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 |
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| BIOL 1123 & BIOL 1121 | Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Laboratory | BIOL 1407 & BIOL 1107 | 4 |
| CHEM 1123 & CHEM 1121 | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | CHEM 1312 & CHEM 1112 | 4 |
| MATH 1703 | Elementary Statistics I | MATH 1342 | 3 |
| PSY 1013 | Introduction to General Psychology | PSYC 2301 | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| BACT 3113 & BACT 3111 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 | |
| CHEM 2213 & CHEM 2211 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | CHEM 2323 & CHEM 2123 | 4 |
| ZOOL 3243 & ZOOL 3241 | Systemic Anatomy and Systemic Anatomy Laboratory | 4 | |
| SCHs | 12 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| CHEM 3223 & CHEM 3221 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 | |
| ZOOL 4243 & ZOOL 4241 | Medical Physiology and Medical Physiology Laboratory | 4 | |
| PHIL 3073 | Bioethics | 3 | |
| HS 3033 | Medical Terminology | 3 | |
| SCHs | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| BIOL 4813 & BIOL 4811 | Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Gene Expression Laboratory | 4 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| Biology Elective | 3 | ||
| Additional Department Requirements | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 13 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| BIOL 4823 & BIOL 4821 | Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance and Molecular and Cellular Biology: Genetics and Inheritance Laboratory | 4 | |
| BACT 4113 & BACT 4111 | Immunology and Immunology Laboratory | 4 | |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| SOCI 1013 | Introductory Sociology | SOCI 1301 | 3 |
| Multicultural Women's Studies CAO Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| PHYS 1133 & PHYS 1131 | Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics Laboratory I | PHYS 1301 & PHYS 1101 | 4 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | GOVT 2305 | 3 |
| BIOL 4681 | Biology Seminar | 1 | |
| Additional Department Requirements | 3 | ||
| Additional Department Requirements | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| PHYS 1143 & PHYS 1141 | Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics Laboratory II | PHYS 1302 & PHYS 1102 | 4 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| Upper-level General Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 121 | ||
