Students may join Biology Honors either as incoming freshmen or as continuing students. Students joining as freshmen will gain the greatest benefit from the Introductory Biology Honors classes offered by the program. Continuing or transfer students must join the program prior to taking sophomore level classes (Biology 213 or 214).
Incoming Freshman
Incoming freshmen should indicate their interest in Biology Honors on the ApplyTexas website by choosing “Apply to Any Honors Program”. Students who have submitted their ApplyTexas application but still wish to apply to the Biology Honors program can email biohonors@bio.tamu.edu in February for instructions on how to apply for the upcoming fall semester. Please include “Biology Honors 2022” in the subject line.
An email will be sent to all interested students in February with instructions on how to formally apply. Students will be asked to provide a short, less than 300-word, statement on why they want to be part of the program, which will be considered as part of the criteria.
To be admitted to Biology Honors incoming freshmen should have completed a strong high school science program, including classes in biology and other sciences, and have a composite SAT score above 1350 or ACT score above 30. Students without standardized test scores will be evaluated on class rank and strength of high school curriculum.
There may also be an opportunity for students to join the program by meeting with the Director of Biology Honors during their New Student Conference to determine whether the program is right for them considering their science background, career goals, and interests. However, the program is very popular, and space is limited. Students who do not join Honors Biology their first semester at Texas A&M will have opportunities to join up through their sophomore year.
Current or Transfer Students
Current or transfer students with a cumulative GPR of 3.5 or better can apply for admission to Biology Honors by submitting a request including a brief (less than 300 word) statement describing your interest and motivation for joining Biology Honors to Dr. Kathy Ryan, Director of Biology Honors. Please email requests to biohonors@bio.tamu.edu. When applying, students should keep in mind that they will need to fulfill all Honors requirements, particularly Biology 213 or 214 Honors. It is recommended that current or transfer students meet first with Dr. Ryan during her office hours to determine whether they can satisfy all requirements.
Participants in the University Honors Program
Biology students earning the University Honors distinction are encouraged to join the Biology Honors program. The coursework required for Biology Honors can be used to satisfy course requirements for the Honors Fellows distinction, and the Biology Honors research requirement prepares University Honors students to participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars honors capstone.