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Biological Science

Have you ever wanted to discover new life at the deepest parts of the ocean? Do you have an interest in developing sustainable agriculture? Would it be fun to brainstorm new food products for our grocery stores? Do you want to help people or animals feel better when ill? Or maybe you’d rather be behind the scenes, developing new drugs and therapies?

Whatever career you choose, a degree in biology can get you there. Biologists study life- from dinosaurs to plankton, from redwoods to lentils, from humans to bacteria, we’re here for it all.

Biology is a versatile discipline that can be tailored to individual interests and community needs. A degree in Biology prepares you for a career as a Research Scientist, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Forensic Scientist, Microbiologist, Food Scientist, Physician, Veterinarian, Wildlife Biologist, Epidemiologist, Pharmacist, K-12 science educator, Geologist, Fisheries Biologist, Hydrologist, Environmental Health Officer, Environmental Lawyer, or even a Science Journalist! This degree also prepares you for careers in natural resource management and environmental engineering.

Our programs will prepare you to transfer to four-year institutions or for direct entry into professional programs, like SCC’s Allied Health and Nursing programs.

So, what can you do with your Biology degree? Anything you want.

Spokane Community College believes that you should graduate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that further your educational goals, increasing your value in the workforce and contributing to a vibrant community.
 
Our AA-DTA degree program learning outcomes align to our five College-Wide Key Literacies.

Applied Content Literacy
Students will develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in all transfer distribution areas or program elements/areas. Students will build a foundation of information relevant to their program or focus of study while increasing knowledge and competency in their chosen field.

Communication Literacy
Students will develop the ability to create meaning and make connections between themselves and their audience, incorporating awareness of the social nature of communication, including, but not limited to, the impact of ethnicity, age, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and ability on communication styles and results. Students will learn to listen, read, speak, and write effectively using a variety of mediums and modalities.

Information Literacy
Students will develop knowledge and abilities allowing them to identify, locate, and evaluate information pertaining to the problem under consideration. Students will learn how to responsibly research, use, share, and produce accurate, relevant information gleaned through skilled research methods.

Intercultural Literacy
Students will develop an intersectional understanding of modern social realities, which will help enable effective participation and communication in cross-cultural professional, academic, and social settings. This may include, but is not limited to, biological sex, gender identity, socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, religion, country and culture of origin, and political stance.

Quantitative Literacy
Students will develop and expand the ability to understand numeric information through the gathering, examination, modeling, manipulation, analysis, interpretation, and representation of quantitative and/or scientific data.
 

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway


Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Prepare for College-level Math

Math placement is required for this program. If your math placement is below MATH& 151, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 48 → AE 68 → MATH 71 → MATH 72 → MATH& 141 → MATH& 142 → MATH& 151

Placement

English placement is not required for this program.

The Associate in Biology DTA/MRP is an articulated transfer agreement for future biology majors between the community colleges and most four-year institutions in the state of Washington. A candidate for this degree must complete a minimum of 90 quarter credits in academic courses numbered 100 or above with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and meet specific distribution requirements.

Program Map for

Print/Download

Choose program map:

Total Program Credits: 93


Program Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&222
Majors Cellular/Molecular Biology: w/Lab  
5
ENGL&101
English Composition I  
5
GUID 102
Strategies for Success  
3
MATH&151
Calculus I  
5
Total Credits
 
18

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&223
Majors Organismal Physiology with Lab  
5
ENGL&102
Composition II  
5
MATH&152
Calculus II  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&221
Majors Ecology and Evolution: with Lab  
5
 
Health/PE Group A Electives  
3
 
Health/PE Group B Electives   1
2
 
Humanities Group A/B/C Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15
Health/PE Group A Electives: Choose 3 credits Health/PE Group A Electives: Choose 3 credits  
HLTH 101
Health and Wellness  
3
HLTH 104
Stress Management  
3
Humanities Group A/B/C Electives: Choose 5 credits Humanities Group A/B/C Electives: Choose 5 credits  
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
PHIL 110
Intro to Ethics  
5

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CHEM&161
General Chemistry with Lab I  
5
 
Humanities Group A/B/C Electives  
5
 
Social Science Group A Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Fifth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CHEM&162
General Chemistry with Lab II  
5
 
Humanities Group A/B/C Electives  
5
 
Social Science Group B Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15
Humanities Group A/B/C Electives: Choose 5 credits Humanities Group A/B/C Electives: Choose 5 credits  
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
PHIL 110
Intro to Ethics  
5
Social Science Group B Electives: Choose 5 credits Social Science Group B Electives: Choose 5 credits  
HIST&136
US History 1  
5
POLS 125
Introduction to Global Issues  
5

Sixth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CHEM&163
General Chemistry with Lab III  
5
MATH&146
Introduction to Statistics  
5
 
Social Science Group A Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Health/PE Group A Electives  

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
HLTH 101
Health and Wellness  
3
HLTH 104
Stress Management  
3

Health/PE Group B Electives   1

Course ID
Course Title
Credits

Humanities Group A/B/C Electives  

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
PHIL 110
Intro to Ethics  
5

Social Science Group A Electives  

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ANTH&100
Survey of Anthropology  
5
PSYC&100
General Psychology  
5

Social Science Group B Electives  

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
HIST&136
US History 1  
5
POLS 125
Introduction to Global Issues  
5
1 Select any two-credit PE course

Estimated costs for completing this program

 
WA Resident
Non-Resident
International
Tuition
$ 9,733
$ 11,570
$ 22,036
Books
$ 1,658
$ 1,658
$ 1,658
Course Fees
$ 75
$ 75
$ 75
Institutional Fees
$ 672
$ 672
$ 3,195
Total Costs
$ 12,138
$ 13,975
$ 26,964

Costs for completing a degree or certificate can vary. For more information about costs, visit our How Much Does it Cost? page.

Have a question? Let's hear it.

Sierra Schrader

Pathway Specialist
Sierra.Schrader@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7490

 

Kerrin Langford

Pathway Specialist - Northern Counties
Kerrin.Langford@scc.spokane.edu
509-279-6737

 

Bill Rambo

Academic Counseling Liaison
Bill.Rambo@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7038

 

Corinna Donnerberg

Academic Counseling Liaison
Corinna.Donnerberg@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8037

 

John Michel

Academic Counseling Liaison
John.Michel@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7034

 

Landon Johnston

Academic Counseling Liaison
Landon.Johnston@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7190

 

Andrea Reid

Division Dean
Andrea.Reid@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8883

 

Samantha Stephens

Academic Counseling Liaison - Northern Counties
Samantha.Stephens@scc.spokane.edu
509-279-6710

 

Jeff Williams

Division Dean (interim) - Northern Counties
Jeff.Williams@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8235

 

Holly Campbell

Department chair
Holly.Campbell@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7245