Biology Programs
Natural Sciences Major
Natural sciences is one of Xavier's great pathways for students who wish to pursue a career in medicine, dentistry or other health sciences. The program emphasizes those sciences, namely biology, chemistry and physics, required for admission into professional schools.
Xavier's natural sciences majors, upon graduation, are equipped with a scientific background for subsequent studies in medicine, dentistry, or similar professions, and have a solid foundation in the liberal arts. Committees on admission at professional schools leave no doubt that they regard a liberal arts education as one of the most important factors in forming an effective and capable health care professional.
To major in natural sciences, 22 semester hours of biology, including general biology, physiology, anatomy, genetics and biochemistry; 20 semester hours of chemistry, including general, organic and physical; and eight semester hours of physics are required. An additional 8 semester hours in a science concentration must also be completed. To strengthen and broaden the background of all Xavier students, a liberal arts core curriculum is also required.
Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a Bachelor of Science in natural sciences. Those students wishing to pursue administration employment in the health care field may wish to inquire about Xavier's graduate program in health services administration (GPHSA) program.
Freshman Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| BIOLOGY 160 General Biology I |
3 | BIOLOGY 162 General Biology II |
3 |
| BIOLOGY 161 General Biology I Lab |
2 | BIOLOGY 163 General Biology II Lab |
2 |
| CHEMISTRY 160 General Chemistry I |
3 | CHEMISTRY 162 General Chemistry II |
3 |
| CHEMISTRY 161 General Chemistry I Lab |
1 | CHEMISTRY 163 General Chemistry II Lab |
1 |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE Elective | 3 | FOREIGN LANGUAGE Elective | 3 |
| ENGLISH 101 or 115 English Composition or Rhetoric |
3 | PHILOSOPHY 100 Ethics as Intro to Philosophy |
3 |
| Total | 15 | Total | 15 |
Sophomore Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| CHEMISTRY 240 Organic Chemistry I | 3 | CHEMISTRY 242 Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEMISTRY 241 Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 | CHEMISTRY 243 Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| PHYSICS 160 College Physics I |
3 | PHYSICS 162 College Physics II |
3 |
| PHYSICS 161 Intro. Physics Labs I |
1 | PHYSICS 163 Intro. Physics Lab II |
1 |
| MATH 150 or 170 Elements of Calculus I or Calculus I |
3 or 4 | MATH 156 or 171 General Statistics or Calculus II |
3 or 4 |
| THEOLOGY 111 Theological Foundations |
3 | ENGLISH/CLASSICS/SPAN 205 Literature & the Moral Imagination |
3 |
| CULTURAL DIVERSITY Elective |
1 | ||
| Total | 14 or 15 | Total | 15 or 16 |
Junior Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| BIOLOGY 410 Vertebrate Physiology |
2 | BIOLOGY 230 Genetics |
3 |
| BIOLOGY 411 Vertebrate Physiology Lab |
2 | BIOLOGY 231 Genetics Lab |
1 |
| CHEMISTRY 220 Principles of Physical Chemistry |
3 | BIOLOGY 354 Vertebrate Anatomy |
2 |
| CHEMISTRY 221 Analytical Chemistry Lab |
1 | BIOLOGY 355 Vertebrate Anatomy Lab |
2 |
| HISTORY I | 3 | PHILOSOPHY 290 Theory of Knowledge |
3 |
| LITERATURE Elective |
3 | HISTORY II | 3 |
| THEOLOGY Scrip/Hist or Christ Sys Elective |
3 | ||
| Total | 17 | Total | 14 |
Senior Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| BIOLOGY 498 or CHEMISTRY 400 Methods of Biological OR Chemical Research I |
1 | BIOLOGY 499 or CHEMISTRY 400 Biological or Chemical Research II |
1 |
| BIOLOGY 440 or CHEMISTRY 440 | 3 | BIOLOGY or CHEMISTRY Electives* |
3 |
| THEOLOGY Ethics or Rel/Cult Elective |
3 | E/R&S FOCUS Elective |
3 |
| PHILOSOPHY Elective |
3 | GENERAL Elective |
3 |
| PSYCHOLOGY 101 General Psychology |
3 | SOCIAL SCIENCE Elective |
3 |
| FINE ARTS Elective |
3 | ||
| Total | 13 | Total | 16 |