BS in Biology

Bachelor of Science Biology

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

SUNY Polytechnic Institute, New York’s premier public polytechnic, provides an innovative and affordable higher education for students interested in science, engineering, technology, business, healthcare, and other liberal arts offerings for a well-rounded approach to experiential learning. Our commitment to a hands-on education situates students with both the academic structure customary of undergraduate study and unique opportunities for training and cutting-edge research, ultimately providing learners an unmatched education targeted for success in our fast-changing world. SUNY Poly students enjoy public school tuition with benefits that many small, private institutions boast, including small class sizes, individualized learning experiences, and a tight-knit community.

The Program

Biology is a multidisciplinary cutting-edge field encompassing the vast diversity of life from the smallest amino acid to ecosystem dynamics. The Biology program at SUNY Poly provides an in-depth introduction to the breadth of the discipline through core courses while maintaining the flexibility to explore your options and prepare for the career of your choice, including pre-med and other allied health fields.

BS/MD Upstate Accelerated Scholars Program

High school seniors interested in pursuing a doctoral medical degree at SUNY Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) after earning a baccalaureate diploma at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) may simultaneously be accepted to both as part of Upstate’s Accelerated Scholars Program (UAS). Each student accepted into UAS is assigned an advisor trained to guide premed students through this specialized program. The MCAT requirement for admission into Upstate’s MD program is waived for individuals who are accepted into the program.

Applicants must meet the Pre-College Eligibility Requirements to be considered for admission to the BS/MD program:

• A n excellent high school record with a minimum average of 90% or a 3.5 GPA.

• E xtra-curricular activities that clearly document experience in a healthcare setting and a commitment to community service or volunteer work.

• A n SAT test score of 1200 or better (combined Critical Reading & Mathematics) or ACT test score of 25 or better (Composite).

All UAS students participate in virtual and hybrid programming around the Association of American Medical Colleges Core Competencies with the Upstate Accelerated Scholars Taskforce comprised of faculty, staff, and students to develop into their best possible medical student and future physician.

The Faculty

SUNY Poly faculty work closely with students and challenge them to excel. Many members of the faculty have experience in business and industry as well as academic credentials. A low student-to-faculty ratio means faculty really get to know and work closely with students.

Affiliate faculty at the local Masonic Medical Research Lab offer student opportunities in heart and cancer research, and elective courses and research projects are also offered by the nanobioscience faculty in Albany.

Labs

Biology laboratories include a range of equipment consisting of compound and dissecting microscopes, sterilizer, incubators, and various chemistry instruments such as spectrophotometers with fluorometers, and chromatographs. Students also have access to electrophoresis equipment, a PCR instrument, and a tissue culture hood. The wealth of forested land and wildflowers that surround SUNY Poly’s Utica campus and its close proximity to diverse ecosystems like the Utica Marsh, Rome Sand Plains, and the Adirondack Mountains provide students with organic materials in a natural setting.

Career Opportunities

A Bachelor of Science in Biology prepares students for a variety of exciting graduate study and career opportunities such as:

• Medical School

• Physician Assistant

• Physical Therapy

• Pharmacy

• Veterinary School

• M.S. and Ph.D. programs in science and education

• Research Laboratories

• Zoos

• Botanical Gardens/Arboretums

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• U.S. Department of Environmental Conservation

What You’ll Study

You will get a solid foundation across cellular, genetic, and organismal biology, as well as ecology, evolution, and physiology. You can then focus in an area of your choice through your elective courses, and easily get a chemistry minor by adding two additional chemistry classes to your open electives.

Focus Areas

Pre-Med

The Biology program prepares you with all of the classes you need to take the MCAT. Many pre-med students also take courses such as Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, Advanced Physiology, Microbiology, Biochemistry 2, and/or minor in another subject such as community and behavioral health, medical sociology, or health information management.

Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Pharmacy, and Other Pre-Health Careers

Your program provides sufficient open electives to take the classes you need for specialty health areas. Your advisor works with you to ensure that you have the prerequisites you need to enter the health-related graduate area of your choice. We also support students who plan to pursue an upper-level bachelor’s health program such as medical imaging and medical technology.

Industrial Research

The labs and equipment you have access to include an array of professional-grade instruments. Research opportunities for elective class credit are available with faculty on campus and faculty at local labs, and many alumni have gone on to work at pharmaceutical and other research companies.

Other Areas

You can also choose to plan a more broadly-based degree for maximum flexibility. Electives in oncology, developmental biology, phylogenetics, primatology, and more are offered on a rotating basis and allow for you to follow your interests.

• Biological Software Firms

Our Campus

Located in Utica, NY, on hundreds of wooded and landscaped acres, SUNY Poly’s campus is a beautiful living and learning environment. Students live in our modern, spacious residential complexes, including the new Hilltop Hall, SUNY’s first zero-net carbon residence hall, and enjoy an expanding array of student-focused facilities that include our state-of-the-art Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing, Student Center, and Wildcat Field House. Life on campus is enriched by a wide variety of events and activities, including the Wildcats’ championship-winning intercollegiate athletics program, our Wildcat Esports team, and a weekly agenda of intramurals, concerts, comedians, and more. Students can join one of the dozens of clubs and organizations or start one with a group of friends who share an interest.