Biology

Advisement

Majoring in Biology and Pre-Medical Studies

Be a part of the Department of Biology at Hofstra! We have redesigned our entire curriculum to provide new opportunities for both majors (BA and BS programs) and minors. Our programs incorporate interactive learning strategies and are designed to provide a broad exposure to biology. We have rigorous and up-to-date courses to prepare you for the changing world that you will experience after graduation, regardless of whether you plan to go to medical school, graduate school, or start working right away. Our faculty care about students and are great teachers. We offer a variety of exceptional research for our students in a broad range of biological subdisciplines. Interested? Come and talk to a biology faculty member; we will be glad to help you find out how a biology degree will benefit you.

A good way to meet other students with similar interests is by joining the Department’s student organizations like Beta Beta Beta (the biology honor society), the Biology Club, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and/or the Pre-Dental Student Association.

How Advisement in Biology Works

Information regarding undergraduate programs and courses in biology can be found in the Hofstra Bulletin under "Biology." Each student is governed by the Bulletin with the same date as the student's first semester at Hofstra.

All undergraduate majors in the Biology Department (whether biology or pre-medical studies) must declare a major (whether they are in the BA or BS program) by adding the biology major through the Hofstra Portal. Potential majors must speak with our Associate Chair for Undergraduate Advisement, Dr. Javier Izquierdo, about the available programs in the department. After the student and associate chair discuss the program options, the student can submit a "Change of Major" form in the Hofstra Portal.

  • All first-year Biology majors are advised by the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Advisement, Dr. Izquierdo.
  • Sophomores, junior, and senior Biology majors get assigned a Biology Faculty Advisor by the Department. If you should have any questions about biology courses or major requirements for biology or pre-medical studies, your assigned biology advisor is the go-to person for those questions. We are here to help! We strongly recommend that you find time to meet with your Biology Faculty Advisor to confirm that you are meeting all your major requirements, discuss future career plans, or learn when it is time to start planning courses for the next semester.
  • Advising from the Center for University Advising (CUA) is also essential in parallel with visiting your Biology Faculty Advisor, particularly for anything else that is not directly associated with the major requirements.
  • Transfer students or any biology major who does not have an advisor in the Department of Biology should see the departmental secretary (130 Gittleson Hall) immediately to be assigned an advisor.
  • Faculty office hours are posted in the corridor of Room 130 Gittleson Hall and on the website. Please note that faculty office hours change each semester.

Below you will find a suggested course sequence for the Biology major, which you can also download here.

More specific guides to each degree can be found here:

If you are planning to minor in biology, see a CUA advisor to determine what courses are most appropriate for your specific interests. Advisement should not be thought of as just a prelude to course registration. Advisors can help students with a wide array of issues.

Departmental Honors

The Department of Biology offers Departmental Honors and High Honors to qualified students who have a high GPA and have completed two semesters of research. This is independent of whether you are in Honors College or not. Please see your Biology Faculty Advisor to discuss more details.

BIOL 190 or BIOL 193 must be started no later than the first semester of the student's senior year. We encourage students with a high GPA and an interest in research to attempt to graduate with departmental honors or high honors!

Graduation with Departmental Honors in Biology or Pre-Medical Studies has three requirements:

  • A minimum GPA of 3.5 in biology coursework, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4, and completion of no fewer than 60 credits in residence at Hofstra University, including at least 15 credits in biology;
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate research project (BIOL 190 or 193 and either 191 or 194); and
  • Successful defense of the work in front of at least two members of the Department (typically in the form of a poster presentation).

In addition, Departmental High Honors requires excellence in all of the three requirements, including those for Honors plus a GPA of 3.7 in biology coursework, a recommendation by the research advisor, and by the team of faculty who evaluated the research project, internship and thesis, or essay, and concurrence by the departmental chair.

The Center for University Advisement (CUA) provides academic support services for those students interested in the health professions (medical, dental, etc.) as well as the allied health professions. Such services include selecting an appropriate major, exploring career options, providing information on various schools, assisting in the preparation of applications, and conducting special seminars of particular interest to pre-health profession students. Students are encouraged to make use of these services early and regularly as they progress through their academic programs.

In addition, the Department of Biology also hosts early assurance and preferential admission programs for exceptional Pre-Dental and Pre-Vet students:

  • The Early Assurance Admission Program for Pre-Dental Students provides exceptional students who are in their fourth semester of the BS in Biology program at Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (HCLAS) with the opportunity to apply for provisional early acceptance into the DMD program at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
  • The Preferential Admission Program for Pre-Vet Students is designed for eligible students who seek to matriculate into the Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine (LIU-CVM) by giving them preferential admission opportunities. LIU-CVM agrees to offer qualified students pursuing a BS in Biology degree from Hofstra University the opportunity to simultaneously earn credit in their fourth year and the first three semesters of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from LIU-CVM.

All students interested in pre-health advisement should open personal files in the University Advisement Office by completing the appropriate forms. The pre-health file will eventually include faculty recommendations (and personal recommendations if desired), health profession admission test scores (MCAT, DAT, OAT), and a resume. Students will be required to submit five letters of recommendation from faculty members – three from science faculty and two from non-science faculty. It is highly recommended that students build strong rapport with faculty, especially in the sciences. Students interested in health-related graduate professional degrees should maintain at least a 3.2 GPA.

As part of the application to schools in the health professions, student candidates meet with the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee, consisting of departmental representatives from the sciences and the pre-health advisor. The committee interviews each candidate, assesses the candidate's credentials, and makes an appropriate recommendation. This recommendation becomes the final component of the student's pre-health file, which is then submitted to the schools designated by the student.

For further information regarding the Pre-Health Advisement program, please see the pre-health advisor, Room 101 Memorial Hall, 516-463-4695. To set up an appointment, please call CUA at 516-463-6770.

The Hofstra Career Center is an excellent resource for you. You should also feel free to talk to your professors or Biology Faculty Advisors about the options that are available to you.

If you think that you would like to stay in school, consider staying at Hofstra for a Master's Degree in the Department of Biology and find out about the dual degree program as an option during a gap year. We offer MS thesis and non-thesis degrees in biology (with concentrations in organismal/ecology/conservation and cell/genetics/molecular biology).

Stay in touch! After you graduate, let us know about your new adventures. One way to do that is to connect with the Department and our alumni through LinkedIn.

If you would like more information on graduate programs, please see Dr. Jason Williams, director of graduate programs for the Department of Biology, or visit the graduate pages on our website.