Program Description
Biology is the scientific study of organisms and their life processes. It is a broad field that includes organismal structure and function, evolution, and interactions and distribution of organisms in all levels of life, and has applications in areas ranging from medicine to climate change. All students will learn core concepts of ecology and evolution, molecular and cellular biology, plant and organismal biology, and genetics. Specialization areas: biomedical science, cellular and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, and general biology.
Likely Career Paths
Laboratory research scientist, field biologist/ecologist, conservationist/environmental resource manager, medical professional (doctor, dentist, physician assistant, physical therapist, veterinarian, pharmacist, etc.), animal scientist, botanist/plant scientist, medical laboratory scientist, microbiologist, bioinformatics analyst.
Key Considerations
- Cost: University-wide costs (cwu.edu/financial-aid/cost-attendance). Course fees for laboratory and field courses range from $25 - $100 per course; total program cost varies depending on specialization.
- Location: Ellensburg
- Primary contact: biology@cwu.edu | 509-963-2731 | cwu.edu/biology/biology-majors-minor
Course Planning
| CWU Course # | CWU Course Name | Transfer Course # |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 153 | Precalculus I | MATH& 141 |
| MATH 154 | Precalculus II | MATH& 142 |
| CHEM 181 + CHEM 181 lab | General Chemistry I | CHEM& 161 |
| CHEM 182 + CHEM 182 lab | General Chemistry II | CHEM& 162 |
| CHEM 183 + CHEM 183 lab | General Chemistry III | CHEM& 163 |
| BIOL 181 Biology I | Majors Ecology/Evolutionary Biology | BIOL& 221 or TES |
| BIOL 182 Biology II | Majors Cell/Molecular Biology | BIOL& 222 or TES |
| BIOL 183 Biology III | Majors Organismal Physiology | BIOL& 223 or TES |
The Transfer Equivalency Site (TES) provides CWU equivalencies for courses at other colleges and universities.
Advising Notes
- We recommend students pursue and earn an AA-DTA.
- Any Washington state DTA (Direct Transfer Agreement) degree will satisfy all general education requirements.
- Students transferring with an AS-T (Associate in Science-Transfer) will need to take additional coursework to fulfill CWU general education requirements.
- Major requirements may change over time; students will be expected to meet the catalog requirements in place at the time they are admitted to the major. Current catalog: https://catalog.acalog.cwu.edu/
Other Resources
Admissions: 509-963-1211 | admissions@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/admissions
Financial Aid: 509-963-1611 | FinancialAid@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/financial-aid
Scholarship Information: 509-963-1611 | Scholarships@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/scholarships/
Transfer Center: 509-963-1390 | transfer@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/transfer
Veterans: 509-963-3028 | VA@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/veterans
International: +1-509-963-3612 | intladm@cwu.edu | cwu.edu/programs/international-student-admissions