The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown currently offers a program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology which incorporates the requirements for entering Physical Therapy graduate programs. While it is not necessary to major in Biology, meeting the prerequisites for Physical Therapy comes very close to meeting the requirements for Biology anyway, so the following information assumes that combination.
A minimum of 24 credits in biology, including at least three laboratory courses, beyond the two semester Introductory Biology sequence, are required for a major in Biology. Ancillary requirements in math, chemistry and physics are given below. General degree requirements of the University must also be followed.
Physical Therapy schools require two semesters of Introductory Biology with lab, two semesters of Introductory Chemistry with lab, two semesters of Introductory Physics with lab, one Anatomy course, one Physiology course, one Statistics course and two Psychology courses.
The following is a schedule that meets these requirements. Courses with one asterisk (*) are required for a Biology major, those with two (**) are PT school requirements and those with three (***) are required for both. Those with none are recommended. Many PT schools list Anatomy and Physiology as a requirement, and that is successfully met by taking our Animal Physiology and Vertebrate Anatomy courses. A&P at Pitt-Johnstown is a freshman nursing course and doesn't count toward a degree in Biology.
FRESHMAN YEAR
| Biol 0110, 0111 General Biol I and Lab*** | Biol 0120, 0121 General Biol II and Lab*** |
| Chem 0111, 0113 Intro Chem I and Lab*** | Chem 0112, 0114 Intro Chem II and Lab*** |
SOPHOMORE YEAR
| Biol 0350 Genetics* | Chem 0231, 0233 Organic I and Lab* |
| Biol 0360 Cell Biology* | Chem 0232, 0234 Organic II and Lab* |
| Biol 0361 Cell Biology Lab | Psych 0200 Introductory Psychology** |
| Math 0221 Calculus** | |
JUNIOR YEAR
| Biol 1125 Animal Physiology*** | Physics 0140, 0141 Intro Physics I and Lab*** |
| Biol 1225 Animal Physiology Lab | Physics 0142, 0143 Intro Physics II and Lab*** |
| Psych elective** | Biol 1120 Vertebrate Anatomy (lab included)** |
| Math 0212 Biostatistics** | |
SENIOR YEAR
Electives chosen with advisor. (These may be in the sciences or other areas as the above courses meet the minimum requirements for the major and PT schools.)
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After the General Biology I and II and Labs, biology majors must take at least 24 biology credits including at least three lab courses. Labs are valuable and enriching, so students are encouraged to take labs with their associated lecture courses. Labs cannot be taken independently of the associated lecture course. Not requiring labs for every course, however, adds flexibility in scheduling. Biostatistics lab does not count toward the requirement for three biology labs.
The University of Pittsburgh PT school recommends that the Psychology elective be Child Development (Psych 0230) or Psychopathology (Psych 1141).
Other suggested courses for biology majors include Microbiology (Biol 1185), Immunology (Biol 1186), and Biochemistry (Chem 1321) or other courses the student and advisor agree would be valuable.
In addition to Freshman Seminar or English Composition 0005 and English Composition 0006, the university requires that students also fulfill General Education Knowledge Area and Competency Area requirements.
Typical Schedules Fulfilling Requirements for Both the Biology Program and PT schools.
Freshman Year
| Fall | | Spring | |
| Biol 0110 | 3 | Biol 0120 | 3 |
| Biol 0111 | 1 | Biol 0121 | 1 |
| Chem 0111 | 4 | Chem 0112 | 4 |
| Chem 0113 | 1 | Chem 0114 | 1 |
| Fr Seminar | 3 | Writing 0006 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 | | 15 |
Sophomore Year
| Fall | | Spring | |
| Biol 0350 | 4 | Biol 0360 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Biol 0361 | 1 |
| Chem 0231 | 4 | Chem 0232 | 4 |
| Chem 0233 | 1 | Chem 0234 | 1 |
| Math 0221 | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| | | Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 16 | | 16 |
Junior Year
| Fall | | Spring | |
| Biol 1120 | 4 | Biol 1125 | 3 |
| Physics 0140 | 4 | Biol 1225 | 1 |
| Physics 0141 | 1 | Physics 0142 | 4 |
| Math 0212 | 4 | Physics 0143 | 1 |
| Elective | 3 | Biol Elective | 3 |
| | | Biol Lab | 1 |
| | | Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 16 | | 16 |
Senior Year
| Fall | | Spring | |
| Biol Elective | 3 | Biol Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 16 | | 16 |
The above schedules fulfill department, division and university course requirements and exceed the required number of credits for graduation. The biology and other electives can be chosen to meet the personal and career objectives of the particular student.
Cycle of course offerings in Biology:
EVERY YEAR
| Fall Term | Spring Term | Summer Term |
| General Biology I and Lab | General Biology I and Lab | General Biology II and Lab |
| Life Sciences* | General Biology II and Lab | Independent Stdy |
| Anatomy and Physiology I** | Anatomy and Physiology II** | Internship |
| General Ecology and Lab | Life Sciences* | |
| Genetics | Cell Biology and Lab | |
| Vertebrate Anatomy | Medical Microbiology and Lab** | |
| Immunology | Human Health and Deseases* | |
| Microbiology | Animal Physiology and Lab | |
| Human Health and Deseases* | Ecology of Infection deseases | |
| Internship | Internship | |
| Independent Study | Independent Study | |
EVERY OTHER ACADEMIC YEAR
| Vertebrate Biology and Lab | Aquatic Ecology | Lab Tech in Immunology |
| Plant Diversity and Lab | Ornithology and Lab | Lab Tech in Molecular Biology |
| Local Flora and Lab | Population Biology | Evolution |
| Wildlife Management and Lab | Population Genetics | Biodiversity Conservation and Lab |
| Terrestrial Ecology and Lab | Mammalogy and Lab | Human Ecology* |
(*) non-majors courses and (**) nursing and allied health courses, don't count toward Biology major credits
rev. 10/08