Biological Sciences
AS Degree Biological Sciences · Sierra College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Biological Science curriculum provides students with the opportunity to meet the requirements for transferring to four-year colleges in the areas of Agriculture, Animal Science, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Chiropractic, Clinical Lab Technician, Curator, Dental Hygiene, Dentistry, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Nutrition/Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Plant Science, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Premedical, Nursing, Range Management, Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife/Fisheries Biologist and Zoologist, or entry level positions in related fields. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor for more information on university admission and transfer requirements. Students must fulfill the following major requirements with grades of “C” or better, complete a minimum of 60 degree-applicable semester units (12 of which must be completed at Sierra College) with a grade point average of at least 2.0 and complete one of the following three general education patterns:
- Sierra College Associate Degree Requirements (Local General Education)
- California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select At Least Two Courses: | 8.5-10 | |
| BIOL 0001 | General Biology | |
| BIOL 0002 | Botany | |
| orBIOL 0140 | Organismal Biology | |
| BIOL 0003 | General Zoology | |
| orBIOL 0140 | Organismal Biology | |
| BIOL 0004 | Microbiology | |
| BIOL 0005 | Human Anatomy | |
| BIOL 0006 | Human Physiology | |
| Select 9-11 units from the following courses or unused courses from the previous area: | 9-11 | |
| CHEM 0001A | General Chemistry I (OR) | |
| orCHEM 0003A & CHEM 0003B | General Chemistry I - Part 1and General Chemistry I - Part 2 | |
| CHEM 0001B | General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 0002A | Introduction to Chemistry I | |
| CHEM 0002B | Introduction to Chemistry II | |
| ESCI 0001 | Physical Geology | |
| MATH 0011 | Data Science for All | |
| MATH 0012 | College Algebra | |
| MATH 0016A | Calculus for Social and Life Sciences | |
| MATH 0016B | Calculus for Social and Life Sciences | |
| MATH 0027 | Trigonometry | |
| MATH 0029 | Pre-Calculus Mathematics | |
| MATH 0030 | Analytical Geometry and Calculus I | |
| MATH 0042 | Business Calculus | |
| PHYS 0105 & PHYS 0105L | General Physics Iand General Physics I Laboratory | |
| PHYS 0110 & PHYS 0110L | General Physics IIand General Physics II Laboratory | |
| PHYS 0205 & PHYS 0205L | Principles of Physics: Mechanicsand Principles of Physics Laboratory: Mechanics | |
| PHYS 0210 & PHYS 0210L | Principles of Physics: Electricity and Magnetismand Principles of Physics Laboratory: Electricity and Magnetism | |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| Select a minimum of .5 units from the following: | .5-4 | |
| BIOL 0016A | Local Ecosystems of Placer County | |
| BIOL 0016B | Local Ecosystems of Nevada County | |
| BIOL 0016C | Vernal Pools and the California Prairie | |
| BIOL 0016D | Biology of Waterfowl and Marsh Birds | |
| BIOL 0016E | Ecology of the Sierran Conifer Forest | |
| BIOL 0016G | Field Paleontology and Ancient Environments | |
| BIOL 0016H | Ecology of the Mendocino Coast | |
| BIOL 0016I | Biology of Mono Lake and the Great Basin | |
| BIOL 0016J | Ecology of Point Reyes National Seashore | |
| BIOL 0016K | Foothill Ecology of the Sierra Nevada | |
| BIOL 0016L | Aquatic and Riparian Environments of California Waterways | |
| BIOL 0016M | Marine Mammals and Birds | |
| BIOL 0016N | Ecology of the Modoc Plateau | |
| BIOL 0016O | Ecology of the High Sierra and White-Inyo Mountains | |
| BIOL 0016P | Ecology of Death Valley and Desert Ecosystems | |
| BIOL 0016Q | Ecology of Mid-Western North America | |
| BIOL 0016R | Canyon Lands of the Southwest | |
| BIOL 0016T | Ecology of the Northern California Coast | |
| BIOL 0016U | Ecology of the Central California Coast | |
| BIOL 0016V | Ecology of Southern California Deserts | |
| BIOL 0016W | Ecology of the Klamath and Southern Cascade Ranges | |
| BIOL 0016Y | Ecology of National Parks and Wilderness Ecosystems | |
| BIOL 0016Z | Ecology of the American River | |
| BIOL 0017B | Ecology of the Sutter Buttes | |
| BIOL 0023 | Wildflower Identification | |
| Total Units | 18-25 | |
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CSCI 0010 | Introduction to Computing | 3 |
| orCSCI 0050 | Introduction to Unix/Linux | |
| ESS 0001 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability | 3 |
Only 3 units total may be taken from the BIOL 16 and BIOL 17 field study courses. Courses are grouped according to specific interests, but students are not limited to a specific emphasis. Students opting to take BIOL 0001 are advised to consult with a counselor regarding pre/corequisites.