Program

Biology

Admission Type
Open Enrolment - General Admission Requirements

Overview

Take the first step toward a career as a microbiologist, nature conservation officer, doctor, pharmacologist, marine biologist and more with an Associate of Science Degree in Biology.

Biology is the study of life. It explores the diversity and similarities of living things and the interaction between them and their environments. If you’ve ever wondered how fingerprints are formed or why certain sounds – like nails dragged across a chalkboard – make your skin crawl, Biology has the answers.

Biology is also linked to other sciences, such as Chemistry and Physics, as each depends on the other to create life. For example, Biology depends on Chemistry because living things depend on the interaction of atoms and molecules. Without Physics, space, matter, energy and time and living things could not exist on Earth.

In this program, you’ll study human anatomy and physiology, general biology, microbiology, pathophysiology, marine biology, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, ecology, zoology and evolution.

What is an Associate degree?

Associate degrees take two years to complete and concentrate on one area of study. If you plan your courses carefully with a university program in mind, you’ll be able to transfer all 60 credits to university. In most cases, an associate degree will allow you to enter the third year of a four-year bachelor's degree program. To ensure your courses transfer, see the BC Transfer Guide.  

Get paid, full-time work experience during your studies

Put your skills to work by joining the optional Co-operative Education Program, which alternates semesters of study with paid, full-time work in your field. You’ll earn money while gaining experience, building your resume and getting an employer reference, all before you graduate. To participate in Co-op you need to plan two semesters in advance, so we strongly recommend contacting the Co-op Office at the start of your program.

Program Requirements

Curriculum Framework

Graduation Requirements:

  • Successful completion of 60 credits as listed below
  • Require a minimum GPA of 2.00

(Specializations will be noted on the transcript and will not be noted on the credential)

Course Requirements:

To complete an Associate of Science Degree with a Specialization in Biology, students must complete:

  • 18 or more credits (of the 60 credits required for their associate degree) in Biology
  • nine of those 18 credits must be considered second-year courses. To qualify as a second-year course, a course must transfer to one of the research universities ( SFU, UBC, UBC-O, UVic, or UNBC) at the second-year level.

The following are the general requirements for an Associate of Science Degree at any B.C. college:

  • 6 credits (2 courses) first-year English*
  • 6 credits (2 courses) Math, including 3 credits of Calculus
  • 18 credits (6 courses) first-year Science electives, including at least 3 credits in a laboratory science
  • 18 credits (6 courses) second-year Science electives in two or more subject areas
  • 6 credits (2 courses) Arts** electives (other than English)
  • 6 credits (2 courses) of other University Transfer electives

* English courses include courses in Communications, Creative Writing and Print Futures that transfer to one of the B.C. research universities (SFU, UBC, UBC-O, UVic or UNBC) as English credit.

** Arts courses are available in the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Performing Arts, and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Courses in Economics and Mathematics also may be used as Arts electives toward an Associate of Science Degree. Please see the Associate of Science Course Classifications table below for further information.

Definitions:

A course is defined by the subject for which it is granted transfer credit at one of the research universities (SFU, UBC, UBC-O, UNBC, or UVic).

  • An Arts course is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate of Arts Degree at one of the research universities.
  • A Science course is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate of Science Degree or Baccalaureate of Applied Science Degree at one of the research universities.
  • The requirements specified above are intended to provide breadth of exposure to a variety of disciplines in both Arts and Sciences. In some instances there may be some ambiguity as to whether a course is in the Humanities or Social Sciences and is an Arts course or a Science course. Most Physical Geography and Mathematics would be designated as Science courses.
  • A course in an "other" area is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate Degree other than in Arts, Science or Applied Science at one of the research universities.
  • A first-year course is defined as a course that has assigned or unassigned transfer credit at the 100-level at one of the research universities.
  • A second-year course is defined as a course that has assigned or unassigned transfer credit at the 200-level or higher level at one of the research universities.
  • A laboratory science course is one in which a substantial component of instruction involves the study of natural phenomena, either in the laboratory or in the field.

For detailed information you should meet with an Academic Advisor.

Co-operative Education Option:

Students enrolled in this program may be eligible for a Co-operative Education designation. Co-operative Education involves alternating full-time academic and work terms. For information contact the Co-operative Education Office.

 

Admissions Requirements

Cost

You can get an average cost for your program - tuition and student fees, books, uniforms, lab fees etc - on the Program Cost page. 

Only programs approved for student loan funding are listed on the Program Cost page. For all other programs, refer to the Tuition Fee page.

Career Pathways

Career opportunities include: 

  • Agricultural Tech 
  • Biological Science Technician (Human & Animal Biological Samples) 
  • Environmental Program Specialist 
  • Forestry Technician 
  • Medical Transcriptionist 
  • Nursery/Greenhouse Grower 
  • Research Assistant 
  • Wildlife Resources Worker
  • Biologist 
  • Biochemist 
  • Marine Biologist 
  • Biological Tech 
  • Wildlife Technician

Program Guidelines

Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)