Biology, BA , BS , Minor

At DeSales, we not only look at your past academic achievement but also your potential for future growth to determine your admission.

We find that students who have demonstrated significant achievement within a demanding curriculum are best suited for academic life at DeSales. Quality of academic performance plays a critical role in the admissions decision making process. This helps indicate a student's potential for academic growth going forward. We welcome applications from all qualified students regardless of race, religion, sex, national, or ethnic origin.

Application Checklist

• Application Fee: None
• Transcripts: Official High School Transcript
• Standardized Tests: Test-optional for students applying for Fall 2022*
• Recommendations: Completed Guidance Counselor Form and Teacher Recommendation Form
• Please refer to the Program Specific Requirements section for any requirements specific to this program

All materials can be mailed to:
DeSales University Admissions Office
2755 Station Ave.
Center Valley, PA 

* SAT scores are highly recommended for students applying for the Nursing and Health Science programs. Please refer to the Program Specific Requirements section for any requirements specific to this program.

Additional recommendations

High School Academics - Remember, there is no single preferred high school academic program, but a college preparatory course of study is highly recommended. Here's an example:

• Four years of English
• Three or four years of college preparatory mathematics
• A minimum of two years of modern, foreign, or classical language
• At least two laboratory science courses

Visiting DeSales - A personal, on-campus interview is strongly recommended, but is not required. We encourage you to visit so that you'll have a chance to learn more about DeSales, and we'll have the opportunity to learn more about you, too.

Learn more about Undergraduate Admissions & Aid 

There are multiple undergraduate degree options in biology.

B.A. in Biology

Choose this degree option if you are interested in pursuing a physician assistant graduate degree or an accelerated nursing program after completing your four-year degree. It's also an excellent choice if you want a liberal arts program with a solid background in biology or want to combine your biology study with another area of study—such as business, environmental studies, law, or science writing.

Within the B.A. in Biology degree, you have the option to specialize your degree by completing the Pre-Physician Assistant track:

B.A. in Biology Pre-Physician Assistant Track

Students interested in completing a four-year Biology degree prior to applying to a graduate Physician Assistant program should choose our Pre-PA track. This track has been tailored to match the admissions requirements of our PA program and other competitive PA programs in our region. Students in the pre-PA track will take specialized courses in:

• Cell Biology
• Immunology
• Psychology
• Terminology in Healthcare
• Pharmacology and Toxicology

B.S. in Biology

Choose this degree option if you plan to attend medical, dental, podiatric, veterinary, or graduate school in the sciences. The B.S. in Biology is designed to expose you to all aspects of Biology from molecular and cellular to organismal to population level Biology. You can customize your degree to your own interests and goals with elective courses in:

• Human Structure and Function
• Advanced Molecular Biology
• Field Biology
• Ecology
• Evolution
• Hormones and Behavior
• Introduction to Cell Culture
• Neuroscience

Within the B.S. in Biology degree, you have the option to specialize your degree by completing one of the following tracks:

B.S. in Biology Pre-Med/Dental Track

For those interested in attending medical school or dental school, we offer a Pre-Med/Dental track. This track reflects the recent changes to the entrance exams and admissions requirements to include courses such as: 

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Cell Biology
• Human Structure and Function
• Biochemistry

B.S. in Biology Pre-Vet Track

For students interested in attending veterinary school, we offer a Pre-Vet track. This track includes courses necessary for vet school admission such as:

• Cell Biology
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Developmental Biology
• Animal Behavior
• Evolution

B.S. Biology with a Forensic Concentration

This concentration combines the strengths of DeSales' biology and criminal justice programs. Centered in biology, our program is interdisciplinary with courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology, and criminal justice. This well-balanced combination offers you a wide range of career and graduate education opportunities.

B.S. Biology with Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)

If you want to teach biology at the secondary level, you can choose this option. You will receive strong preparation in both teaching methods and content, gaining a solid liberal arts education while being well-prepared to teach in secondary schools in Pennsylvania, or other states of your choice.

At DeSales, you will be immersed in labs that rival those of the nation’s top universities from your first day here.

The Priscilla Payne Hurd Science Center offers state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories in chemistry, biology, and physics.

Campbell Hall houses our neuroscience major, general biology, ecology, environmental science, and field biology labs. 

Research and the methodology of science are deeply integrated into our programs. You'll get more hands-on learning than at most other schools, and because all of our lab equipment is exclusively for undergraduate use, your independent research and course-related lab work will never take a back seat to graduate students.

Video: Explore the Hurd Science Center

Video: Peek inside the Cell Culture Suite

Our pre-med program has a strong history of helping students gain acceptance to medical, veterinary, and dental programs.

And, our internship program opens the door to explore early, real-world experiences and possible career directions and placements in a wide range of fields.

Graduate and Professional Schools

DeSales offers you the opportunities and the support to gain a competitive advantage for graduate programs, including specialized course work; volunteer and internship experiences; and help from the Pre-Professional Advisory Committee, who will assist you through the application process.

We have affiliation agreements with the following institutions, which guarantee priority interviews, reserve seats and/or allow early admission for DeSales students who meet the necessary prerequisites:

• The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• The Medical School of Temple/St. Luke’s University Health Network
• DeSales University’s graduate programs in Physician Assistant Studies and Physical Therapy

Our graduates have been accepted to such schools as:

• DeSales Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Programs
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Harvard Medical School
• Jefferson University School of Medicine
• Lehigh University
• The University of Michigan
• The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
• The University of Notre Dame
• NYU Dentistry
• The Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine at Hershey
• The University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School
• The University of Pennsylvania Dental Medicine
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Temple University
• Temple University Medical School

See our pre-med program for a list of medical school affiliations 

DeSales can help make your college expenses affordable through a combination of grants, loans, student employment, and scholarship resources.

Cost of attendance for undergrads for 2021-2022

Resident Students

Room and Board - $13,300
Mandatory Fees - $1,500
One-time Orientation Fee for Freshmen and Transfers - $200
Total = $54,500 (including freshman/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,468
Personal Expenses - $3,706
Total cost for resident students: $59,674

Commuter Students

Direct Costs
Tuition - $39,500
Mandatory Fees - $1,300
One-time Orientation Fee for Freshmen and Transfers - $200
Total = $41,000 (including freshman/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,468
Personal Expenses - $3,706
Transportation Costs - $2,138
Total cost for commuter students: $48,312

Off-Campus*

Direct Costs
Tuition - $39,500
Mandatory Fees - $1,300
One-time Orientation Fee for Freshmen and Transfers - $200
Total = $41,000 (including freshman/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,468
Personal Expenses - $3,706
Transportation Costs - $2,138
Living Expenses - $7,870
Total cost for off-campus students: $56,182
*First year students are required to reside on campus or commute from home.

Parking Fee - $75

Dual Degree Undergraduate-to-Graduate Programs

If you are enrolled in an undergraduate-to-graduate degree program — for example a 5-year, 3+2, 3+3, program — the undergraduate tuition and fees apply only to the undergraduate portion of the program. As you progress into the graduate phase of your program, graduate tuition and fees apply. Please see your respective graduate program for more information.