Frequently Asked Questions

• Visit Career Services Links to an external site.and register with Handshake Links to an external site.. See their General Information Handout for Biology Links to an external site..
• Contact local employers that you may be interested in, and find out how often positions open up, how positions are advertised, and the relative importance of the type of degree, GPA, previous research experience and specific skills or courses. Ask if they often hire SDSU graduates.
• Schedule a meeting with a professor within Biology Links to an external site.whose research most closely matches your interests, and get their perspective on job opportunities.
• For advice about graduate school in any area of Biology, get general information from the bioadvising staff. Get specific information from a professor within Biology Links to an external site.whose research most closely matches your interests.

• SDSU offers degrees in Biology and Microbiology with the opportunity for emphasis in many areas. We do not have a "Pre-Med" major, but many of our majors aspire to attend medical school or other health profession programs. Visit the Health Professions Advising Office Website Links to an external site. for specific information about academic preparation in the following areas:

• The director, Mr. Logan Watson, has an excellent track record of helping students submit successful applications to those programs. He would like to meet with you as soon as you get to SDSU. We in the Bioadvising office will make sure that you get your bachelor's degree, while the Preprofessional Health Advising Office will help get you into medical school.
• Click here Links to an external site.if you are an international student interested in attending medical school in the United States or entering one of the professions listed above.
• For information about being a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, see our CLS Information sheet. Download CLS Information sheet.
• For health professions not listed above, visit the School of Nursing Links to an external site., the School of Public Health Links to an external site., or the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences Links to an external site..

• See us for advising:
  • When you need advice on which courses to take
  • When you get a C- or less in any course
  • If you have a lower division GPA < 2.8, or upper division GPA < 2.0
  • Before using course forgiveness
  • Before taking any GE course in the sciences
  • Before taking any course Credit / No Credit
  • When planning for research (Special studies: Bio 299, 490, 497, 499)
• All appointment are virtual, when they are available. Drop in sessions are available 8:30am-12pm and 1:00pm-3:30pm, Monday to Friday, unless otherwise noted. You may email  bioundergrad@sdsu.edu Links to an external site.to receive current availability.

• You should see us in the Biology advising office before visiting the university's general advising office. You will also need to visit them to go over general education courses and graduation requirements

• See us in the bioadvising office as soon as possible so we can discuss your options. You should also see the list of services that is maintained by the Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement Links to an external site..

• There are limits to the number of units you may repeat, and within those repeats, you can only use a subset for course forgiveness. The rules are here Links to an external site.. Note that for impaction requirements in the premajor, the Biology department may be able to interpret your repeat courses in a different manner than the university.
• Due to the complexity of these rules, see us in the bioadvising office before making any decisions about retaking a course. See us immediately if the university rules about repeating courses are preventing your progress towards graduation.

• The biology and microbiology majors are impacted programs. To be admitted to the biology or microbiology major, students must meet the following criteria:
  • Have a cumulative overall GPA of 2.80 or better. 
  • Preparation for the major courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC).
  • Complete each of the following courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better. 
  • Upon completion of these requirements you will be automatically admitted into the major. If this does not occur make sure to meet with an Undergraduate Biology Advisor as soon as possible.
• See our Degree Information web page Links to an external site..

• To declare a Biology minor you will need to meet with a Biology advisor.   

             *See our Degree Information web page Links to an external site..

• An emphasis is a formal program of study within the major that indicates specialization in a certain area of study. Essentially, an emphasis indicates the focus or concentration of your upper division electives. For example, an Emphasis in Zoology will have similar coursework to a major in Zoology at another institution. Some, but not all, students decide to declare an emphasis. See our Degree Information web page Links to an external site. for details.

• Coursework requirements are listed on the Biology Department Checklists Links to an external site. and in the General Catalog under Biology Links to an external site..
• The Office of the Registrar Links to an external site.lists the 10 graduation requirements on their web site, with explanations.
• File for graduation. See the deadlines and other information at the Office of the Registrar Links to an external site..

• See our information page on teaching at the elementary and secondary levels Links to an external site..

• Email or visit us in the bioadvising office so we can discuss the process with you. For almost all science courses, we will be your primary contact after you arrive on campus your first semester. Many courses from California community colleges will articulate automatically with SDSU. SDSU also has established agreements to recognize some courses from other in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities. Your best source of information for SDSU transfer course agreements is the SDSU Transfer Admission Planner Links to an external site.. That is the current database of all transfer courses that SDSU will automatically accept, and what their equivalency is.

• Yes, this is highly encouraged! There are significant opportunities for our undergraduates to conduct research with an internationally recognized faculty. Within SDSU, the department of Biology has one of the strongest research programs, with undergraduate, Master's and PhD programs in the areas of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology. Most undergraduate students may apply upper division research coursework towards their degree, and approximately half of our Biology majors participate in research projects while at SDSU. You can access a Special Studies Enrollment Form to begin the process.
• What are the requirements? How do I register? Click here. Links to an external site.

• You can see a brief research summary of each professor's research on the Biology department web site Links to an external site., and links to each professor's home page.

• See our information page on waitlisting Links to an external site..

• See information on numerous programs on the web site for CASA (Center for the Advancement of Students in Academia) Links to an external site..

• See the San Diego State University Veterans Center Links to an external site. web site.