Biological Sciences, Minor
Are you captivated by the variety and complexity of life around us? Are you curious about how organisms grow, interact and affect each other? Build a strong foundation of knowledge, critical thinking skills and laboratory experience that will complement your major area of study and help launch your career.
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Additional facts
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Minor description
Biological Sciences minor description
The minor program in biological sciences offers you a flexible curriculum that can be tailored to your interests.
You explore the study of all living things and examine the basic organization of life, how organisms evolve, the role of organisms in the natural environment, how hereditary information is transferred, and the development of biotechnology.
Why earn a biological sciences minor at ASU?
This minor is designed to complement nonbiology degrees by adding depth to majors such as psychology, public health, engineering, business and environmental studies. You gain a well-rounded understanding of living systems that strengthens your academic preparation for health-related careers and graduate programs in the life sciences.
You benefit from ASU's major research-university environment with access to applied learning experiences and research opportunities. The interdisciplinary design connects you to resources across health care, environmental science and other fields while you build the ability to understand, interpret and evaluate scientific information used in policy and everyday decision making.
The minor provides exposure to the life sciences, molecular and cellular processes, organismal biology and how hereditary information is transferred. You develop problem-solving skills through hands-on learning while exploring the development of biotechnology and its applications. Study core biological principles including cell biology, genetics and ecology while developing critical thinking through laboratory-based learning and scientific methods that prepare you for graduate study or professional programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.
Additional details
You can tailor your coursework to match your interests while exploring student life opportunities in the School of Life Sciences. The minor helps you build the scientific foundation needed to evaluate research, understand complex biological concepts and apply that knowledge across diverse professional contexts.
Courses
This undergraduate minor includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
2026-2027 Catalog Year
The minor requires 24 credit hours. A "C" minimum is required for all courses in the minor, although students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
| Requirement | Minimum grade | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|
|
The minor in biological sciences requires 24 credit hours, of which 13 credit hours must be upper division. A minimum of six upper-division credit hours must be taken from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When selecting courses, the college offering the course can be identified by viewing the course details in Class Search. Only courses completed with a grade of "C" (2.00 on a scale of 4.00) or better can be used to satisfy minor requirements. |
||
|
BIO 181 General Biology I
(SCIT)
4 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 4 |
|
BIO 182 General Biology II
(SCIT)
4 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 4 |
|
BIO 340 General Genetics
or
MBB 347 Molecular Genetics: From Genes to Proteins
4 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 4 |
|
BIO 345 Evolution
OR MIC 220 Biology of Microorganisms AND MIC 206 Microbiology Laboratory (SCIT)
3 - 4 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 - 4 |
|
Upper Division
BIO Elective
or
Upper Division
MBB Elective
or
Upper Division
MIC Elective
A maximum of three credits of undergraduate research or internship (BIO 484 or MBB 484 or MIC 484 OR BIO 495 or MBB 495 or MIC 495) will be allowed in the minor.
9 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 9 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor.
|
Enrollment requirements
GPA Requirement: None
Incompatible Majors: BS in biological sciences (all concentrations); BS in microbiology (all concentrations); BS in molecular biosciences and biotechnology; BS in medical studies; BS in neuroscience; BS in nutrition; BS in public health; BS in applied biological sciences (pre-dental), BS in applied biological sciences (preveterinary medicine); BS in data science; BS in biomedical informatics; BS in forensic science (death investigation); BS in forensic science
Other Enrollment Requirements: None
Current ASU undergraduate students may pursue a minor and have it recognized on their ASU transcript at graduation. Minor requirements appear on the degree audit once the minor is added. Certain major and minor combinations may be deemed inappropriate by the college or department of either the major program or the minor. Courses taken for the minor may not count toward both the major and minor.
Here are the admission and application details
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this biological sciences minor prepares you for
A minor in biological sciences enables students to develop additional competencies that complement the knowledge and skills they acquire in their majors. Graduates are prepared with critical thinking and valuable problem-solving skills, and the introduction to the processes of research and scientific discovery they have received in the program helps them as they pursue a variety of positions, such as biologist, biological technician, medical and clinical laboratory technologist, zoologist, geneticist and educator.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
School of Life Sciences
|
LSC 104
sols.advising@asu.edu
480-727-6277
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
