Students in this option might also want to pursue the Certificate in Biotechnology described elsewhere in this Catalog. This undergraduate major is recognized by the American Society for Microbiology as meeting their core curriculum for the baccalaureate degree program in microbiology. This major requires 77-78 units in the major, of which 40-41 are lower division and 37 are upper division. All students must achieve at least a 2.0 grade-point average in each of the following: 1. the entire college record, 2. all units attempted at CSULB, and 3. all courses in the major. In addition, students must receive a "C" or better in all upper division major courses.

The biological sciences include all of the areas of scientific endeavor centered around the general question of the nature of life. Such diverse areas as biochemistry, ecology, paleontology, and animal behavior are all part of the biological sciences. The discipline of biochemistry is located in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the discipline of paleontology is located in the Department of Geological Sciences.