How to graduate in 4 years
Suggestions for your schedule
When pursuing a biology degree, you should plan your course of study carefully rather than thinking about only the upcoming term. This will ensure that you will finish your degree in a timely fashion and that you will have the prerequisites for the specialized classes you desire to take. Here we have provided sample plans of study for the B.A. and B.S. degrees, including plans for each track within the B.S. degree. There are of course many ways to design a suitable plan of study; these are only examples of possible programs that will lead to graduation in four years.
For all biology degrees, take your math and chemistry early! These courses will help you determine your aptitude for a biology degree, and they are prerequisites for other courses, which means that you will delay your graduation if you postpone taking these courses.
B.A.
B.S. (All tracks appropriate for Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental students.)
Continuing to succeed as a Biology major
Grade requirements for graduation
To graduate with a degree in Biology, you must have a 2.0 GPA both overall and in Biology.
It is very difficult to raise your GPA substantially after you have taken many hours, so if your GPA is much too low as you approach your junior year, you should consider changing your major, taking fewer hours so that you will be able to focus more on your science classes, or improving your grades, which you may be able to accomplish by modifying your study habits or obtaining tutoring.
Forms and when you need them
Freshman/Sophomore
Declare yourself a Biology major! Use the form at this link to the Arts & Sciences major application.
You should declare a major as soon as you have met the requirements for Biology, which is usually just before your sophomore year. This will allow you to be advised by a faculty member in Biology.
Junior Year
If you are considering entry into the University of Louisville Accelerated Master's Degree Program in Biology, you should apply for admission to the program during your Junior year. You must do so before completing 90 hours in order to be considered for the program. Information concerning the requirements, and the forms you will need, are available through our graduate program information pages.
Junior/Senior
After completing 90 hours, apply for an Arts & Sciences preliminary degree check .
This document will show you exactly what courses you need to take to complete your degree.
Apply for graduation, using the Registrar's form provided through the ULink portal, at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate. This is found in the same section as the one you use to add or drop courses. Because you need to log in, we can only offer a link to the ULink login page.