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Xavier University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 2024-2025
Biophysics, B.S.
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 Return to: Majors, Minors, Certificates, Curriculums and Special Programs
The biophysics program is highly interdisciplinary, providing students with the background and techniques of biology, chemistry and physics necessary to enter this rapidly growing field. A key component of the program is the hands on experience gained in numerous laboratory settings across the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, culminating in a senior capstone research experience in the biophysics area. The program’s flexibility is intended to allow students to tailor their experience toward their personal interests, be it in industrial research, engineering, teaching, or health-science. The program’s structure is intended to prepare a student for the rigors of advanced degree programs in biophysics as well as a wide variety of other fields of physics, law, medicine, health sciences, and biotechnology.
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Requirements for the Biophysics Major
Core Curriculum Requirements:
See Undergraduate Core Curriculum
48 credit hours outside of major courses.
Mathematical Perspectives, Scientific Perspectives, Natural Science Elective, Quantitative Reasoning, Writing, and Oral Communication Flags are included in the major requirements.
Major Requirements:
73 credit hours, including:
24 hours of physics and engineering courses:
19 hours of chemistry courses:
4 hours of biology courses:
11 hours of mathematics courses:
15 credit hours of natural sciences electives:
At least 9 hours of electives must be in physics or engineering..
Notes:
- Specific requirements are modifiable for the needs and interests of each individual student.
- A 2.000 cumulative average must be attained within the major, as listed in Degree Works.
- Pre-med students must take and in order to qualify for medical, dental, and veterinary schools. Additionally, General Psychology, Introduction to Sociology and Biochemistry, must be completed by the end of the junior year in order to take the MCAT between the junior and senior year. is required for admission to some medical schools but is not required for MCAT performance. and are listed in the minimal competences for first year medical students but are not required for MCAT performance. In order to be on track, pre-med students should take General Chemistry I and II (plus labs) during their first year, Organic Chemistry I and II (plus labs) and General Biology I and II (plus labs) during their second year, and Biochemistry during their third year.
- Pre-med students are strongly encouraged to speak to their advisor regarding their course schedule as soon as possible.
- Upper level biology courses may require and
TOTAL Minimum Hours Required for Degree: 120 Semester Hours
Depending on the language placement and how the DCR and ERS flags are satisfied more hours may need to be taken as electives to reach 120 hours.
B.S., Biophysics
This block serves as a guideline for progress towards a degree. See your academic advisor. First Semester
- ENGR 101 - Introduction to Fabrication
- PHYS 170 - University Physics I
- PHYS 171 - Explorations in Physics I
- BIOL 160 - General Biology I
- BIOL 161 - General Biology I Lab
- MATH 180 - Differential Calculus
- CORE 100 - First Year Seminar
- CORE 101 - Goa I: Transtition to Xavier
Total (15)
Second Semester
- PHYS 172 - University Physics II
- ENGR 173 - Explorations in Engineering
- MATH 181 - Integral Calculus
- THEO 111 - Theological Foundations
- CORE 102 - Goa II: Transition
- PHIL 100 - Ethics as Intro to Philosophy
- Second Language 101
Total (16)
First Semester
- PHYS 330 - Modern Physics I
- PHYS 331 - Modern Physics I Lab
- CHEM 160 - General Chemistry I
- CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I Lab
- MATH 220 - Multivariable Calculus
- Second Language 102
Total (17)
Second Semester
- PHYS 355 - Advanced Lab
- CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II
- CHEM 163 - General Chemistry II Lab
- ENGL 101 - English Composition or ENGL 115 - Rhetoric
- Second Language 201
- Program Elective
Total (15)
First Semester
- CHEM 240 - Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 241 - Organic Chemistry I Lab
- Program Elective
- PHYS 382 - Thermodynamics
- Literature & the Moral Imagination
- Philosophical Perspectives
Total (16)
Second Semester
- CHEM 242 - Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 243 - Organic Chemistry II Lab
- Historical Perspectives
- Theological Perspectives
- Program Elective or PHYS 387 - Biophysics (Even Year Spring Semester)
Total (13)
First Semester
- CHEM 440 - Biochemistry
- PHYS 395 - Physics Research
- Social Science Elective
- Humanities Elective
- Ethics/Religion and Society (E/RS)
- Program Elective
Total (16)
Second Semester
- Program Elective or PHYS 387 - Biophysics (Even Year Spring Semester)
- PHYS 398 - Physics Thesis
- Program Elective
- Diversity Curriculum Requirement (DCR)
- Creative Perspectives
Total (13)
Scheduling Notes:
- Consult the “Undergraduate Core Curriculum” requirements of the Catalog.
- Block schedules serve as a recommendation of course sequences, however, special care must be taken to follow the course sequence of the courses within the major. Consult academic advisor to determine when the courses are offered.
- Consult with your academic advisor should you need to deviate from the suggested course sequence due to mathematics placement in MATH 169 - Precalculus or a lower mathematics course.
- DCR & ER/S flags may double count with other core courses. Use “Attribute Type” when searching for courses.
- A cumulative average of 2.0 is required in the major courses for graduation.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for the degree. Credit hours required may vary between students due to incoming academic credit, core courses double counting, or mathematics and second language placement results but 120 credit hours must be obtained for graduation.
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Return to: Majors, Minors, Certificates, Curriculums and Special Programs
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