New York Community Colleges
Biology Programs
Biology coursework across community colleges in this state. Anatomy, microbiology, and pre-health science transfer pathways.
5 colleges · 65 sections · 58 unique courses · Spring 2026 · Updated today
Biology coursework at New York 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 65 sections across 5 CUNY 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 New York, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsborough Community College | 19 | 19 | 6 | 146 | $36,720 |
| Eugenio María de Hostos Community College | 17 | 17 | 12 | — | — |
| Bronx Community College | 14 | 14 | 9 | — | — |
| Borough of Manhattan Community College | 11 | 11 | 1 | — | — |
| Stella and Charles Guttman Community College | 4 | 4 | — | — | — |
Biology Availability Snapshot
How biology sections are being offered across 5 colleges in New York this term (65 sections total).
Delivery format
- online28 (43%)
- in person27 (42%)
- hybrid10 (15%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)34
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)7
- Evening (5 PM and after)5
- Asynchronous / TBA19
Start dates
Sections begin on 3 distinct dates. 23 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 53 distinct instructors across 5 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Borough of Manhattan Community College1 program
Degree Requirements - Associate of Science
60 creditsSee catalog for course list
General Education Requirements - Common Core
6 creditsMajor Requirements - Overall
30 creditsSee catalog for course list
Major Requirements - Core
10 creditsSource: College catalog
Bronx Community College1 program
General Education Requirements - Pathways Required Core
General Education Requirements - Pathways Flexible Core
Major Requirements - Total Credits
27 creditsSee catalog for course list
Major Requirements
- BIO 254Genetics(3 cr)not offered
- BIO 256Cell and Molecular Biology with an Introduction to Biotechnology(4 cr)not offered
- CHM 11General College Chemistry I(4 cr)1 section
- CHM 12General College Chemistry II(4 cr)1 section
- MTH 31Analytic Geometry and Calculus I(4 cr)1 section
- MTH 37Elements of Calculus and Statistics for Biology Students(4 cr)not offered
- PHY 11College Physics I(4 cr)1 section
- CHM 31Organic Chemistry I(5 cr)1 section
Source: College catalog
Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College1 program
Degree Requirements - Associate in Science
60 creditsSee catalog for course list
General Education Requirements - Required Core 13 credits
6 credits- ENG 101Composition I: An Introduction to Composition and Research(3 cr)1 section
- ENA 101Composition I Accelerated(3 cr)1 section
- ENG 102Composition II: Writing through Literature(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 115College Algebra and Trigonometry(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 117Algebra and Trigonometry(3 cr)1 section
- SCB 201General Biology I(4 cr)1 section
Major Requirements - Program Core: 27 credits
4 credits- NSF 101First Year Seminar for Natural Sciences(2 cr)1 section
- SCB 202General Biology II(4 cr)1 section
- SCC 251Organic Chemistry I(5 cr)1 section
- SCC 252Organic Chemistry II(5 cr)1 section
- SCB 252Fundamentals of Biotechniques(3 cr)1 section
- SCB 255Cell Biology(4 cr)1 section
- MAT 200Precalculus(4 cr)1 section
- SCB 207Genomics and Bioinformatics(3 cr)1 section
- SCB 257Genetics(4 cr)1 section
- SCI 204Research in Natural Sciences(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Kingsborough Community College2 programs
Queensborough Community College2 programs
Common Biology courses
- BIO 110Principles of Biology(2 sections)
- BIO 111Principles In Biology (Lab)(2 sections)
- BIO 120Organismic Biology(2 sections)
- BIO 121Organismic Biology (Lab)(2 sections)
- BIO 210Biology I(2 sections)
- BIO 220Biology II(2 sections)
- BIO 240Genetics(2 sections)
- BIO 100Topics in Biology: CUNY Core(1 section)
- BIO 108General Biology Theory(1 section)
- BIO 109General Biology(1 section)
- BIO 11General Biology I(1 section)
- BIO 1100Human Anatomy and Physiology I(1 section)
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 New York’s biology programs stack up.
Other programs in New York
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.