Bachelor of Arts in Biology

Catalog Year 2025-2026

Based on VCCS Curriculum for BIOLOGY

Transfer Guidance

Guaranteed Admission Agreement: UVA College of Arts & Sciences

• By meeting the following criteria, you are guaranteed admission to the University’s College of Arts & Sciences.

• This agreement does not guarantee your enrollment in any specific major.

• Be at least one year removed from completion of a secondary-level curriculum.

• Earn a transfer-oriented associate degree in Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), or Associate of Arts & Sciences (AA&S) as identified by SCHEV. A minimum of 24 transferable credits must be completed at the degree-granting institution. AP or IB test credit will not count toward the minimum credits.

• Earn a minimum of 45 or more transferable postsecondary credits from the VCCS after completion of a secondary-level curriculum.

• Achieve a cumulative VCCS grade point average of 3.4 or better on a 4.0 scale.

• Earn a grade of C or better in all attempts of each VCCS course taken.

• Submit transfer application for fall entry along with all required transcripts. Coursework must be completed by the end of the spring term in which application is made to the University.

• All students admitted through the GAA will complete the remaining upper-division Literacies general education courses at UVA.

• Please visit the TransferVirginia.org portal to find requirements for different majors (Transfer Tools) and Transfer Guides that outline course requirements for specific majors (Resource Center).

Important Links & Dates

• Admission application: By March 1 https://admission.virginia.edu/admission/transfer

• Financial Aid: https://sfs.virginia.edu/

• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and CSS Profile - College Board: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

• Biology Department Transfer site: https://bio.as.virginia.edu/transfer-students

What Should I Consider When Selecting Courses?

• For a list of transferable VCCS courses, see https://ascs8.eservices.virginia.edu/asequivs

• Once at UVA, a typical workload is 2 BIOL courses per semester. We strongly advise against taking more than one core course (BIOL 3000, 3010, 3020) per semester, and in your first semester we advise taking no more than 2 science courses.

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year. For help, see Transfer Steps and Resource Center at www.TransferVirginia.org

• Connect with an advisor at your community college within your first year. College Connect available in your account at www.TransferVirginia.org

Is This Degree Right For Me?

• Our undergraduate degree programs will help you develop an enduring and knowledgeable appreciation for the science of living systems and a deep conceptual and technical understanding of contemporary biology.

• The undergraduate curriculum in Biology consists of rigorous core courses in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, ecology and evolution, together with a diverse offering of specialized/advanced elective courses.

• The curriculum also provides a broad grounding in scientific knowledge and quantitative reasoning through foundational courses in math, statistics, physics, and chemistry.

• These courses prepare our graduates for a variety of careers in the biological sciences, including teaching, healthcare and research.

• The B.A. is the major typically taken by pre-health students wishing to major in Biology. The Biology BA is not, however, designed as a pre-health major, and thus pre-health students should consult with pre-health advisors and review requirements of their schools of interest to identify additional courses and preparation that may be needed while at VCCS and UVA.

What Is The Impact On My Degree Of Work I Have Already Completed?

• Associate Transfer Degree Completion: Successful completion of all VCCS coursework with grades of C or better in all attempts of all courses taken for an AA, AS or AA&S from a VCCS college shall satisfy the lower-division general education Discipline requirements of UVA College of Arts & Sciences. Students will be responsible for completing the upper-division (Literacies) coursework.

• Dual Enrollment – Completion of Associate Degree in HS: Students earning an Associate Degree concurrently with a high school diploma (or equivalent) are ineligible for guaranteed admission and are encouraged to apply to the University as part of the regular first-time first year admission process.

• Credit for Prior Learning: See https://records.ureg.virginia.edu/content.php?catoid=52&navoid=4102#Adva... for test credit types, scoring thresholds, and equivalent UVA credit.

• Catalog Year: UVA will honor the general education requirements of the UVA Catalog in effect at the time of the student’s first post-high school enrollment into an appropriate associate degree at the two-year institution. Students who maintain continuous enrollment at the two-year institution have a maximum of four years from their first enrollment at the institution for this catalog designation.

Is This College Right For Me?

• The University of Virginia welcomes talented students from across Virginia and around the world to our community. We seek students who are excited to grow, to make each other better, and to lead lives of purpose, impact, and service. At UVA, you will find a commitment to financial aid that puts college within reach, as well as talented and caring faculty and staff who are ready to support you once you arrive in Charlottesville.

• A student who satisfies the requirements specified in this Agreement receives a maximum of 60 transfer and/or test credits toward the UVA Arts and Sciences degree and will enter the College of Arts and Sciences as a third-year student.

Did You Know That…

• Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor’s degree.

• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at UVA.

What Can I Do With This Degree?

• Explore possible careers, salaries, and job outlook at www.TransferVirginia.org

Program Successes & Highlights

• The department has 40 faculty who are actively engaged in teaching and research. Our active and diverse research programs earn competitive funding from NIH, NSF and other major funding agencies, and our research is supported by a large community of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers.

• Our program offers students many ways to engage in biology, including hands-on lab classes, departmental seminars, independent research, and stays at our remote field station in southwestern Virginia.

• Our major completion rate exceeds 90% on average.

What Are My Chances For Getting Accepted?

• If you apply through general application instead of through the GAA, you will be considered for admission with all other transfer applicants.

Do More With Your Degree!

• We offer a specialization in Environmental and Biological Conservation in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Sciences

• Students specifically interested in a career in life sciences research might consider the B.S. degree

• Mountain Lake Biological Station is a residential field station in the southern Appalachians of southwest Virginia. Field lab courses are offered at the station over the summer, and these meet elective requirements for the BA.

• Transfer students can get involved with our Biology Transfer Mentoring program and serve as mentors for incoming transfer students.

• Many of our students are involved in independent research: https://bio.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-research

Other Than Classes, Are There Other Program Requirements?

• There are no other program requirements for the BA.