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2025-2026

Biology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Science (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Science

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description
The Department of Biology is housed in the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability within the College of Humanities and Sciences.  The department offers four accelerated B.S. to M.S. degree programs, which allow Biology majors to obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees in approximately five years.

Biology students may specialize their study within many areas, such as molecular and cellular biology, genetics, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, systematics, physiology, neurobiology, and developmental biology. Students also may develop an interdisciplinary focus to their degree program, for example within areas such as bioinformatics, cancer biology, forensic science, and environmental science.
Career opportunities
The four-year curriculum in biology prepares students for employment in laboratory or field programs in private industry or government agencies and for teaching in secondary schools. This curriculum also prepares students for graduate study in biology and for admission into schools of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, and into allied health programs.
Bachelor-level job titles
  • Biological Technician
  • Clinical Research Coordinators
  • Environmental Scientist
  • Fish and Game Wardens
  • Food Science Technician
  • Health Educator
  • Museum Technician and Conservator
  • Park Naturalist
  • Secondary School Teacher
  • Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products 
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Environmental Health Specialist
  • Epidemiologist
  • Medical Doctor
  • Researcher
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Biology

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Biology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Science in Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Biology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Science in Science)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
MTH 161 Precalculus l MATH 141 3 General education
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
Arts/Humanities Elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Communication or Foreign Language (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
MTH 162 Precalculus ll MATH 151 3 Major
CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics l STAT 210 3 Major
PHY 201 General College Physics I (Additional Course Option: PHY 241) PHYS 201 4 Major
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Literature Elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
PHY 202 General College Physics II (Additional Course Option: PHY 242) PHYS 202 4 Major
BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
History Elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Approved transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
BIOL 200 Quantitative Biology (prerequisite for upper-level biology courses at VCU; consider taking in the summer at VCU) 3 Major
BIOL 300 Cellular and Molecular Biology 3 Major
BIOL 310 Genetics 3 Major
BIOL 317 Ecology 3 Major
BIOL 318 Evolution 3 Major
CHEM/Z 301 Organic Chemistry I + Lab 5 Major
CHEM/Z 302 Organic Chemistry II + Lab 5 Major
Biology transformative learning requirement: Select at least one from all biology (BIOL and BIOZ) courses that are approved as REAL level 3 or 4 transformative learning experiences 0 to 4 Major
Biology electives: All 300-, 400-, and 500-level courses, other than the 4 core courses (BIOL 300, BIOL 312, BIOL 317, BIOL 318), will count towards the major electives degree requirement. All majors must complete at minimum three additional upper-level biology lab courses. The laboratory experiences may be fulfilled by a separate laboratory section (BIOZ) or by laboratory hours included in a lecture-based (BIOL) course listed in the table below. Not all courses are offered each semester. BIOL courses at the 500 level are available to seniors and graduate students only. 16 to 20 Major
Select one: MATH 200 Calculus I, STAT 314 Applications of Statistics, or ENVS 343 4 Major
Open electives Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 9 to 11 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
VCU offers students four options for accelerated B.S. and M.S. programs: B.S. and M.S. in Biology, B.S. and M.S. in Forensic Science, B.S. and M.S. in Health and Movement Sciences, and B.S. and M.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences. These accelerated programs allow academically talented students to earn both the B.S. in Biology and M.S. degree in a minimum of five and a half years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Please consult with a VCU advisor for information about minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated programs.