Program Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is to create quality educational experiences in all areas of biology and chemistry, especially those integral to the health of the population. The core principles of scientific inquiry and ethics serve to integrate coursework throughout the curriculum.
Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a pre-professional human medicine track will be able to:
- Use and, when identified as applicable, integrate natural science concepts to illustrate the processes of life
- Apply the scientific method in laboratory and simulated scenarios to solve problems in an ethical manner
- Communicate scientific findings and, when identified as applicable, their social implications in the context of the Franciscan values
- Apply anatomical and physiological concepts to the study of human biology and pathophysiology
A student may declare the Biology degree with the desired pathway or track at any time but must meet with a faculty advisor to help develop his/her individual degree plan. Requirements for acceptance into the program are the same as for acceptance to Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.
To be accepted to the DPT program through the accelerated pathway, students must meet the following requirements:
• Apply through the FranU DPT application
• Participate in the interview
• Guaranteed early admission to the DPT program if you meet the program's benchmarks:
o GPA 3.5 or higher
o GRE 295 or higher
The 3+3 pathway consists of 122 undergraduate credits, 20 of which are in graduate courses and 102 in undergraduate courses. The program requires courses in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, human anatomy, physiology, cell biology, physics, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and other sciences.
Years 1-3: Focus on undergraduate courses in the biology major, including prerequisites for FranU's DPT program, electives in humanities, social sciences, and ethics/philosophy. Students apply to the OPT program in Semester 5/6.
Year 4: Advanced professional courses in FranU's DPT program start in the eighth
semester if academic benchmarks are met for guaranteed admission.
Years 5-6: The final two years of the DPT program help prepare you for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). The graduate curriculum equips students with the specialized knowledge to diagnose, treat, and evaluate patients, including courses in human movement, orthopedic physical therapy, neurologic physical therapy, cardiopulmonary physical therapy, rehabilitation, and physical therapy interventions. Students also apply their skills and acquire real-world experience through 60-100 hours of clinical practicums.
Through the robust curriculum, students develop proficiency in scientific reasoning, abstract thinking, problem-solving, and oral and written communication. They also hone essential laboratory and research skills and fulfill the prerequisites for graduate education in physical therapy.
Semester 1 - Fall
Semester 2 - Spring
Semester 3 - Fall
| BIOL 2310 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 3 |
| BIOL 2325 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOL 2325L | Fundamentals of Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 2310 | General Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 2310L | General Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| MATH 2520 | Calculus for the Sciences | 5 |
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| Upper Level English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 19 |
Semester 4 - Spring
Semester 5 - Summer
| BIOL 2135 | Medical/Surgical Observation | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 1 |
Semester 6 - Fall
Semester 7 - Spring
| BIOL 3350 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 4321 | Biochemistry II | 3 |
| BIOL 4910 | Biology Capstone | 1 |
| PHYS 1416 | General Physics II | 4 |
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| Ethics/Philosophy | 3 |
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| Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Total Credit Hours for Bachelor of Science in Biology, Pre-Professional Human Medicine Track = 122 (102 credit hours in the pre-professional phase of pathway and 20 credit hours during the professional phase of the pathway).
Note: The upper-level English/Composition writing course required for admission to the DPT program is not required in the traditional Biology - Pre-professional Human Medicine track. Therefore, the total credit hours equal 102 traditional pre-professional phase of pathway + 3 additional pre-professional credit hours + 20 professional phase credit hours = 125 credit hours.
Semester 1 MATH 1315 is waived with an ACT or SAT equivalent Math sub-score of 27 or higher
Students apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in semester 5 or 6.
If admitted to the DPT program, students begin the program in Semester 8 (fall semester). For information on the DPT program curriculum, visit FranU DPT Program Website
- Social/Behavioral Sciences Electives may be taken from ANTH, ECON, HIST, POLI, PSYC, SOCI
- Ethics/Philosophy Electives may be taken from PHIL 2315, PHIL 2320, THEO 3345, THEO 3350, THEO 3360
- Humanities/Fine Arts Electives may be taken from ART, ENGL, GRBO, MUSI, HIST, HUMN, PHIL, THEO
- Human Biology Electives may be taken from BIOL 3000 or 4000 level Anatomy and/or Physiology courses