B.S. in Biology

Students who wish to pursue a B.S. in biology may choose from five different concentrations. Tap a heading below to learn more about them.

Biology Concentrations

General Biology

The general biology concentration is designed to give student a broad overview of biology. Students completing this program have a broad background but also have enough upper-level courses to build depth in knowledge and skills. The program provides sufficient flexibility that students can tailor their programs to specific needs.

Clinical Biology

The clinical biology concentration is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce of health care and medical services or other life science related programs, such as medical or graduate schools, employment in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or positions where an integrating clinical biology degree is required. Students can use the clinical biology concentration to prepare themselves for other clinical options, for example, medical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, physician assistant, etc. This concentration provides sufficient flexibility to tailor their coursework to fit broader or more specific career needs.

Environmental and Organismal Biology

The environmental and organismal biology concentration is designed to prepare students interested in ecology, conservation, and organismal biology for entry into graduate program, employment in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or positions where an integrating organismal and ecological background is required.Students completing this program have a broad background but also have enough upper-level courses to build depth in knowledge and skills. The program provides sufficient flexibility that students can tailor their programs to specific needs.

Molecular Biotechnology

The molecular biotechnology concentration is designed for students who want to pursue a research career in molecular biotechnology. The curriculum will prepare students for technical occupations in basic and applied molecular biotechnology research and positions with federal and state governmental agencies and private or commercial enterprises that conduct either basic or applied research in biotechnology.

Secondary Education/Teacher Licensure

The secondary/teacher licensure concentration is designed to prepare students for teacher licensure in secondary education. The student majors in Biology and minors in Education.   For more information, please visit the Education Minor webpage.

Admission Requirements

Students who select biology as their major must have completed at least 15 credit hours at UALR, have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or greater on all course work at UALR.

Students who entered UALR conditionally by contract must complete the contract before being eligible for admission to the biology program.

Decisions regarding course equivalency and situations in which students have tested out of courses or transferred credit from other programs will be made by the department chairperson. Transfer students with 30 hours or more in transfer credit may be accepted into the biology degree program with fewer than 15 hours at UALR with the approval of the department chairperson.