San Jose City College's Department of Biology offers a comprehensive selection of lower division courses in the modern concepts  of the Biological Sciences. We emphasize lecture-laboratory courses in order to provide students with varied learning experiences. Instructors utilize multimedia to enhance the effectiveness of their presentations. Class enrollment in laboratory sections is kept at a small number so as to increase individual contact between students and their instructors. Modern equipment allows some of our students to gain lab experiences similar to those of the Biotechnology industry and research institutions. Our prestigious Anatomy course remains one of the few classes in the Bay Area which provides students with human cadaver experience.
Our curriculum is dedicated to providing meaningful and enjoyable:
Transfer Courses
for Biology majors who wish to continue their studies at four-year institutions
Bioliteracy Courses
for transfer students majoring in other academic disciplines
Allied Health Classes
for students who are exploring careers in the Health Sciences - Nursing, Physical Therapy, etc.
Biology faculty offer some of their weekly office hours as open tutoring times in the Natural Science Museum or in specific laboratory classes where students may need access to models, microscopes, or other materials outside of their regularly scheduled classes. A number of excellent student tutors are also available, so that students may find help every weekday. Additionally, individuals may make use of desktop computers loaded with up-to-date tutorial software.
Biology faculty support student groups on the SJCC campus: which focus on areas related to the Biological and Health Sciences. Students plan activities, attend guest lectures, and discuss their common interests. We have a strong interest in preparing students for elementary, middle, and high school teaching in the Biological Sciences.
RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM FOR BIOLOGY MAJORS
Students planning to transfer into an upper division program need to contact the Transfer Center (Counseling Building) to obtain the latest information. Catalogs are available providing an overview of what is required. Each college or university expects the transfer student to have completed certain courses, however the requirements vary from one institution to the next. With the above in mind, the department recommends that students planning to transfer into a Biological Science major consider taking the following courses:
- Arts & Humanities (3 approved courses)
- Biology 1, 2, 3
- Chemistry 1A, 1B
- English 1A, 1C
- History & Political Science (2 approved courses)
- Math 71, 72
- Oral Communication (1 approved course)
- Physics 2A, 2B or Physics 4A, 4B
- Social & Behavioral Science (3 approved courses)
|
