Western Carolina University

Transfer Guide

Western Carolina University
Biology, BS

Transfer Guide for Associate in Science

2025-2026

Concentration(s): Pre-Health Professional
Delivery Method: On-Campus

Program Admission Notes:

Transfer students should apply to Western Carolina University at applynow.wcu.edu. A minimum 2.2 GPA is required for consideration, however, this does not guarantee admission. We recommend that you aim for an average cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on 12+ hours of college credit for competitiveness with other incoming transfer applicants.

Please note that admission to the institution does not guarantee admission to specific programs, and some programs do require a supplemental application. Check the program website at WCU.edu for supplemental application details and instructions, or reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 828.227.7317.

Contact:

Advising Center
transferadvising@wcu.edu

Revised: April, 2025

College Level Foreign Language Requirements:

No foreign language requirement for this program.

Major-Specific Course Recommendations:

Students are encouraged to build the North Carolina Community College (NCCC) course recommendations below into the associate degree to best prepare for the intended university and major.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
BIO 111: General Biology I 4 BIOL 140: Principles of Biology I UGETC Natural Sciences Required Course, General Education
BIO 112: General Biology II 4 BIOL 141: Principles of Biology II UGETC Natural Sciences Required Course, General Education
MAT 271: Calculus I 4 MATH 153: Calculus I Additional General Education Courses Required Course, General Education
CHM 151: General Chemistry I 4 CHEM 139: General Chemistry I Additional General Education Courses Required Course, General Education
CHM 152: General Chemistry II 4 CHEM 140: General Chemistry II Additional General Education Courses Required Course, General Education
PHY 151: College Physics I
OR
PHY 251: General Physics I 		4 University Equivalencies Elective/Pre-Major Courses Required Course, General Education
PHY 152: College Physics II
OR
PHY 252: General Physics II 		4 University Equivalencies Elective/Pre-Major Courses Required Course, General Education
MAT 171: Precalculus Algebra 4 MATH 130: Precalculus I & MATH 19A: Lower Level Electives UGETC Math Suggested Course, General Education
MAT 172: Precalculus Trigonometry 4 MATH 146: Precalculus II UGETC Math Suggested Course, General Education

Remaining Associate Degree Requirements:

In addition to major-specific course recommendations above, students should work with a community college advisor to select additional community college courses to fulfill the remaining associate degree requirements identified below.

Recommended NCCC Course Credit
Hours		 University Equivalent Associate Degree
Requirement Fulfilled		 University Requirement Fulfilled
ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry 3 ENGL 101: Writing and Rhetoric English Composition General Education
ENG 112: Writing/Research in the Disc 3 ENGL 202: Writing and Critical Inquiry English Composition General Education
COM 231: Public Speaking 3 COMM 201: Foundations of Communication UGETC Humanities/Fine Arts General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 3 University Equivalencies UGETC Humanities/Fine Arts General Education
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 6 University Equivalencies UGETC Social/Behavioral Sciences General Education
ACA 122: College Transfer Success 1 ELEC 19A: Lower Level Electives Academic Transition Elective
Student Choice/No Preference (Approved Course Options) 6 University Equivalencies Elective/Pre-Major Courses Elective

Additional Information From Western Carolina University:

None

Remaining Bachelor’s Degree Requirements at University:

University Course Credit
Hours		 University Course Notes
Biology Core Requirements 18

The major requires 45-46 hours in core, including BIOL 180 (1 hr): Introduction to Biological Research, BIOL 496 (1 hr) Biology Departmental Seminar, and 26 hours of a concentration.

  • BIOL 180 - Introduction to Biological Research Credits: 1
  • BIOL 240 - Introduction to Genetics Credits: 4
  • BIOL 241 - Introduction to Ecology and Evolution Credits: 4
  • BIOL 496 - Biology Departmental Seminar Credits: 1, R3
  • CHEM 241 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 4
  • CHEM 242 - Organic Chemistry II Credits: 4

**Note: MATH 270 - Statistical Methods I (MAT 252 - Statistics II) is an option to meet the Mathematics requirement for this program if students do not take MATH 153 - Calculus I (MAT 271 - Calculus I) prior to transferring.
Pre-Health Professional Concentration Requirements 26
  • BIOL 361 - Principles of Biochemistry Credits: 3
  • Take one of the following:
    • BIOL 392 – A&P for the Sciences II: Credits: 4
    • BIOL 411 - Animal Physiology Credits: 3
  • CURE Methodology Credits: 3-4*
  • CURE Application Credits: 3-4**
    • One of the CURE courses must be 4 hours
  • Take 3-4 hours in the Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Set
    • BIOL 304 - General Ecology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 306 - Evolutionary Biology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 321 - Plant Biology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 326 - Plants and Human Affairs Credits: 3
    • BIOL 330 – Pop. Gen. for Forensic Sci. Credits: 3
    • BIOL 373 - Invertebrate Zoology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 374 - Vertebrate Zoology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 375 - Methods in Ecology and Evolution Credits: 4*
    • BIOL 411 - Animal Physiology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 415 - Plant Physiology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 420 – Darwin’s Origin of Species Credits: 3
    • BIOL 425 - Flora of the So. Apps. Credits: 4
    • BIOL 433 - Ecological Co-Adaptations Credits: 4
    • BIOL 434 - Terrestrial Landscape Eco. Credits: 4
    • BIOL 435 - Aquatic Ecology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 441 - Conservation Biology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 453 - Principles of Systematics Credits: 3
    • BIOL 455 - Vascular Plants Credits: 4
    • BIOL 470 - Biology of Arthropods Credits: 4
    • BIOL 471 - Animal Behavior Credits: 4
    • BIOL 472 - Ornithology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 473 - Microbial Ecology Credits: 4**
    • BIOL 475 - Animal Development Credits: 4
    • BIOL 476 - Contemporary Fisheries Credits: 4
    • BIOL 477 - Herpetology Credits: 4
    • BIOL 478 - Parasitology Credits: 3
    • BIOL 479 - Mammalogy Credits: 4
    • BIOL 493 Animal Sensory Ecology**
    • BIOL 493 Biological Collections**
  • Take 7-11 hours in the Cell and Molecular, Pre-Health, and Physiology Elective Set or General Biology Elective Set
    • Cell and Molecular, Pre-Health, and Physiology Elective Set
      • BIOL 313 – Microbio. in Health & Nut. Credits: 4*
      • BIOL 333 - Cell and Molec. Biology/Lab Credits: 4*
      • BIOL 391 – A&P for the Sciences I: Credits: 4
      • BIOL 392 – A&P for the Sciences II: Credits: 4
      • BIOL 412 – Cell. & Molec. Immunology Credits: 3
      • BIOL 413 - Principles of Gen. Microbio. Credits: 4**
      • BIOL 414 - Methods of Gen. Microbio. Credits: 2
      • BIOL 416 - Plant Molecular Biology Credits: 3
      • BIOL 417 - Biochemistry Credits: 3
      • BIOL 418 – Adv. Tech. in Microscopy Credits: 4
      • BIOL 419 - Cell Biology Credits: 3
      • BIOL 421 - Principles of Biotechnology Credits: 4**
      • BIOL 422 - Forensic Biology Credits: 4
      • BIOL 424 - Pharmacology Credits: 3
      • BIOL 461 - Molecular Medicine Credits: 3
      • BIOL 474 - Virology Credits: 4
      • BIOL 480 – Protein Bioinformatics Credits: 3**
      • BIOL 493 -- Eukaryotic Genomics Credits: 3**
      • BIOL 493 – Workshop Cell-based Biology Credits: 3**
      • BIOL 493 – Microdissection and Microscopy Credits: 3**
      • BIOL 493 – Host–Microbe interactions Credits: 3
    • General Biology Elective Set
      • BIOL 389 - Cooperative Ed. in Biology Credits: 1-3
      • BIOL 464 - Brewing Methods & Eval. Credits: 4*
      • BIOL 467 - Biostatistics Credits: 3*
      • BIOL 480 - Research in Biology Credits: 1-3, R6**
      • BIOL 493 - Studies in Biology Credits: 1-6, R12
      • BIOL 494 – CURE: Course-based**
        • Undergraduate Research Credits: 3-4
      • BIOL 495 – Intro to Senior Thesis Credits: 1**
      • BIOL 496 – Biology Departmental Seminar
      • BIOL 498 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 2**
      • BIOL 499 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 1**
      • CHEM 370 - Instrumental Analysis I Credits: 4
      • CHEM 435 - Instrumental Analysis II Credits: 3
      • CHEM 461 - Environmental Chemistry Credits: 3
      • CHEM 462 - Molecular Bioinformatics Credits:  3
      • GEOL 305 - Soils and Hydrology Credits: 4
      • GEOL 455 - Wetlands Credits: 3
      • MATH 370 - Probability and Statistics I Credits:3
      • MATH 375 - Statistical Methods II Credits: 3
      • NRM 344 - Applied GIS Credits: 4
      • NRM 371 - Landscape Ecology Credits: 3
      • NRM 442 – Nat. Res. Policy & Admin. Credits: 3
      • PAR 330 – Amer. Wild. Ethics/Aesthet. Credits: 3
      • PAR 332 – Biomed. Ethics & Soc. Just. Credits: 3
      • PAR 333 – Environ. & Animal Ethics Credits: 3
General Electives 30

To complete 120 hours, students may need to take additional General Electives (the number depends on how many Liberal Studies courses also count toward the major).