Curriculum

In the Biomedical Science curriculum, there are 120 semester credit hours (SCH) to be completed for the B.S. degree. Within that number, there are 84 SCH of specified courses. The remaining 36 SCH constitute electives. Within the elective hours, students have options within certain constraints. Three of the 36 SCH must be taken in approved courses in the social sciences, three in humanities, three in visual and performing arts, and 24 must be from biomedical sciences directed electives. The remaining 3 SCH of undirected elective courses may be, but are not restricted to biomedical science directed electives, also any other courses the student wishes to experience are acceptable within university offerings, curriculum limitations, and prerequisite requirements.

By proper selection of elective courses within the University Core Curriculum, the 3 SCH of non-directed electives and the 24 SCH of biomedical science directed electives, students may elect a vocational emphasis. The emphasis pertains to an area in which the student has unique interest and in which the student desires engagement on being graduated with a baccalaureate degree. A vocational emphasis provides increased knowledge and employment potential in a particular vocational area, and indicates to a potential employer a determined effort on the part of the student to become more fully prepared for post-baccalaureate employment.

• Click for PDF version of 2012 Catalog degree plan  
• Free Electives
• BIMS Directed Electives
• Texas A&M University Catalog
• Texas Common Course Numbering System

BIMS Writing Courses

Starting for the Fall 2013 semester, the BIMS writing courses will have new numbers and new titles.  These will be as follows:

• BIMS 481 #1 - Seminar in Biomedical Sciences = VIBS 310 - Biomedical Writing
• BIMS 481 #2 - Seminar in Biomedical Sciences = VIBS 311 - Biomedical Explorations through Narrative

For the Summer and Fall 2013 semesters, students will need to fill out a force request to be able to enroll in BIMS 481 #2 and VIBS 311.  Filling out a force request DOES NOT guarantee that you will be enrolled in the course for that particular semester.

Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) Requirements

Completion of a set of Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) courses (35 hours total - see list below) with a grade of "C" or better in each course.  Normally, for admission to BIMS upper level courses, a student may have attempted a CBK course no more than twice.  A minimum of 55 completed semester hours with a Texas A&M cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better.

Any CBK courses transferred in from a community college must have a minimum grade of "B".