Massachusetts Community Colleges
Biology Programs
Biology coursework across community colleges in this state. Anatomy, microbiology, and pre-health science transfer pathways.
6 colleges · 439 sections · 66 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Biology coursework at Massachusetts community colleges sits at the foot of the pre-health pipeline: pre-nursing, pre-med, pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, and pre-PT students all complete their lower-division biology — anatomy, physiology, microbiology, general biology — at community college tuition rates before transferring or applying to professional programs. The 439 sections across 6 MassCC institutions this term include the lab-heavy sequences that admissions committees specifically look for.
A standalone biology associate isn't directly career-track — most biology careers require a bachelor's or graduate degree — but the credits transfer cleanly to four-year biology programs in Massachusetts, and the lab experience builds the foundation health-profession schools expect. Compare colleges below for online vs in-person section availability; many programs require live lab attendance even when lecture is online.
Earnings & outcomes for Biology graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 2601 — Biology, General. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Biology
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Technical Community College | 125 | 25 | 28 | 26 | — |
| Bunker Hill Community College | 118 | 14 | 10 | 78 | — |
| Middlesex Community College | 91 | 14 | 51 | 27 | — |
| Berkshire Community College | 43 | 18 | 2 | — | — |
| Holyoke Community College | 41 | 11 | — | 35 | — |
| Greenfield Community College | 21 | 11 | 10 | 9 | — |
Biology Availability Snapshot
How biology sections are being offered across 6 colleges in Massachusetts this term (439 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person226 (51%)
- hybrid112 (26%)
- online99 (23%)
- zoom2 (0%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)163
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)103
- Evening (5 PM and after)68
- Asynchronous / TBA105
Start dates
Sections begin on 6 distinct dates. 25 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 127 distinct instructors across 6 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Bristol Community College2 programs
Bunker Hill Community College2 programs
Cape Cod Community College2 programs
Greenfield Community College1 program
General Education Requirements
- BIO 126Biology I(4 cr)5 sections
- BIO 127(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 107(4 cr)3 sections
- MAT 108(4 cr)2 sections
- MAT 151(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 201Calculus with Analytic Geometry I(4 cr)2 sections
- MAT 202Calculus with Analytic Geometry II(4 cr)1 section
- MAT 203(4 cr)1 section
- MAT 204Elementary Differential Equations(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 205(4 cr)1 section
Program Requirements
Source: College catalog
Holyoke Community College2 programs
MassBay Community College2 programs
Middlesex Community College3 programs
Mount Wachusett Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
62 credits- CHE 107General Chemistry I(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 118Biology I(4 cr)not offered
- ENG 101College Writing I(3 cr)not offered
- MAT 162College Algebra (or higher)(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 163Pre-Calculus (or higher)(4 cr)not offered
- ENG 102College Writing II(3 cr)not offered
- CHE 108General Chemistry II(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 119Biology II(4 cr)not offered
- CHE 207Organic Chemistry I(4 cr)not offered
- PSY 105Introduction To Psychology(3 cr)not offered
- CHE 208Organic Chemistry II(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 210Genetics(4 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
North Shore Community College7 programs
Northern Essex Community College1 program
Requirements
- BIO 111Introductory Biology I(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 112Introductory Biology II(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 215General Ecology(4 cr)not offered
- BIO 230Cell Biology(4 cr)not offered
- CHM 121General Chemistry I(4 cr)not offered
- CHM 122General Chemistry II(4 cr)not offered
- CHM 221Organic Chemistry I(4 cr)not offered
- CHM 222Organic Chemistry II(4 cr)not offered
- ENG 101English Composition I(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 102English Composition II(3 cr)not offered
- MAT 125Statistics(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 171Calculus for Business/Social/Life Sciences(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 251Calculus I(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 252Calculus II(4 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Quinsigamond Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
24 credits- BTT 102Introduction to Placement into college level English, Biotechnology with(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 095(0 cr)not offered
- CHM 105General Chemistry I(4 cr)not offered
- CIS 111Introduction to(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 101Composition I(3 cr)not offered
- BIO 107Biology II: Introduction to(4 cr)not offered
- MAT 100QMAT placement score > 32 or Coreq: College Algebra(3 cr)not offered
- MNT 100Placement into college level English, Manufacturing Safety(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Roxbury Community College2 programs
Springfield Technical Community College1 program
Total: 15 credits
15 creditsSee catalog for course list
Total: 14 credits
14 creditsSee catalog for course list
Total: 14 credits
14 creditsSee catalog for course list
Total: 17 credits
17 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Common Biology courses
- BIO 131General Biology I(35 sections)
- BIO 231Anatomy And Physiology I(29 sections)
- BIO 108Human Biology/Lab(28 sections)
- BIO 105Fundamentals of Biology(24 sections)
- BIO 203Anatomy/Phys I/Lab(23 sections)
- BIO 231LLab: Anat Physiol 1(21 sections)
- BIO 232Anatomy And Physiology II(19 sections)
- BIO 115Nutrition Sci/Lab(18 sections)
- BIO 204Anatomy/Phys II/Lab(16 sections)
- BIO 205Microbiology/Lab(16 sections)
- BIO 101General Biology I(14 sections)
- BIO 235Intro To Microbiology(13 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- Can I take pre-med biology courses at a community college?
- Yes, and many med-school applicants do — at lower tuition and often with smaller class sizes than at a four-year. The caveat: med schools sometimes prefer to see at least the upper-division biology (cell, genetics, biochemistry) taken at a four-year institution. Talk to a pre-health advisor early; the strategy varies by which med schools you're targeting.
- Do biology lab credits transfer to a bachelor's program?
- Usually yes for general bio, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology — the standard pre-health four. Specialized labs (organic chemistry lab, biochemistry lab, upper-division cell biology lab) often need to be retaken at the four-year because the lab equipment and protocols differ. Confirm with the target program before enrolling.
- What can I do with just a biology associate degree?
- Limited but real: biological technician roles (lab tech at research institutions, pharma quality-control, environmental monitoring), some health-care support roles (medical assistant if combined with appropriate certifications), and entry-level government inspection roles. The strongest direct-career CC pathways for the bio-curious are nursing, dental hygiene, and medical lab technology — career-track programs rather than the transfer-track biology associate.
- How long is the biology associate?
- Two years full-time. Pre-health students often take it in 2.5–3 years to fit in the additional chemistry and physics courses that med, PT, dental, and pharmacy schools require in addition to the standard biology sequence.
Compare Biology programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Massachusetts’s biology programs stack up.
Other programs in Massachusetts
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.