Biological Sciences

Biology is the study of life, and a major in biology is as diverse as life itself. You may be interested in studying at the cellular level, or you may be interested in looking at mammals as large as elephants. You may want a better understanding of human biology, or you may be more interested in plants. With a major in biological sciences you'll take on course work that will help you understand the breadth of biology, but you'll have great flexibility to tailor the program to your specific interests. We offer both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences. The Bachelor of Science is a more comprehensive science degree and is preferred for those who wish to pursue scientific careers, enter professional school or continue into graduate programs requiring a strong science foundation. The Bachelor of Arts provides a strong foundation in biology and is ideal for students planning a career in health care, law, policy or secondary science teaching. 

The beauty of the biological sciences major is its flexibility! Begin with the basic sciences and later take classes that will tailor the degree to your interests. The difference between the two degrees is that the B.A. requires four modern language courses and a minor. Plus, each degree offers different emphasis areas, though an emphasis area is not required.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences provides a strong foundation in biology and is ideal for students desiring a liberal arts education emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach to a thorough understanding of the life sciences.

Double Major (Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences and Science Teaching, Biological Sciences): Prepare to teach biology on the secondary school level and for graduate studies in any of the life science areas.

Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science in biological sciences provides students the opportunity to explore areas of biology and delve deeper into biological questions of interest. The Bachelor of Science in biological sciences curriculum prepares students for graduate study in any of the life science areas. 

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Program: Apply graduate class credits toward both a Master of Science in bioengineering and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences.

For the 2022 admissions cycle, Clemson has adopted a test-optional policy. Applicants are not required to submit a standardized test score to be considered for admission to Clemson for the 2022-2023 academic year.

If you choose that test scores should be used, your scores must be submitted electronically by the respective testing agency. Clemson’s institutional code for SAT is 5111, and the code for ACT is 3842. Clemson super-scores both the SAT and the ACT. For the SAT, this means that the overall total SAT score will then be derived by taking the highest of the evidence-based reading and writing/math scores.

According to The ACT, superscoring at Clemson means that we “consider a student’s highest ACT section (or subtest) scores regardless of test date. The super composite ACT score is calculated as the average of the best ACT English, Reading, Math, and Science subject scores and is used as one of multiple factors in admission and financial aid.”