Carlow College

What you'll study

The curriculum is structured by semester. Key required courses and credit allocations include:

• First Year: CTC100 Connecting to Carlow (1), Foundations of Writing I & II (SKW101/SKW102, 3+3), Quantitative Reasoning (SKQ101, 3), Communication (SKC101, 3), Foundations of Molecular Cell Biology (BIO120, 4) and Foundations of Organismal Biology (BIO110, 4), plus a math option (MAT150 or MAT160 placement needed) and a Contemplation & Action elective.
• Second Year: Genetics (BIO250, 4), General Ecology (BIO225, 4), General Chemistry I & II with labs (CHM111/113 and CHM112/114, 4 each), Calculus I (MAT160, 4) or associated math placement, plus Compass and Biology electives.
• Third Year: Organic Chemistry I & II with labs (CHM211/213 and CHM212/214, 4 each), physics options (PCS201/203 or PCS221/223 and corresponding second-semester options), BIO300 Junior Seminar (2), and additional biology and Compass electives.
• Fourth Year: BIO497 Senior Capstone (4), an Ethics & Social Responsibility elective, Compass electives and multiple general electives to complete the 120-credit requirement.

Elective rules: Biology students must take four electives at the 200-level or above (3–4 credits each) chosen in consultation with an advisor from BIO, NEU-220, NEU-221, HSC-220, HSC-221, HSC-222 and HSC-223. The following courses cannot be counted as programme electives: BIO-157, 201, 202, 207, 208, 217, 227, 230/230I, 307 & 308.

Entry requirements

The published plan of study does not list admissions criteria. Prospective applicants should consult Carlow College admissions for standard application requirements, programme prerequisites and any mathematics placement testing needed for MAT150/160 or MAT160.

Career prospects

Graduates acquire laboratory and field skills, scientific writing and quantitative reasoning relevant to roles in research support, environmental work, healthcare-related pathways (with additional training), education, and industry labs. The curriculum’s elective flexibility supports preparation for graduate programmes or specialized professional training.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Students should explore institutional scholarships, need-based aid and merit awards offered by the college, plus external fellowships or bursaries for science undergraduates. Choosing a minor or research experiences can strengthen eligibility for competitive post-graduate funding.