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Advising suggestions for online degrees

This page is for students who are preparing to meet or have already met with an undergraduate advisor for course planning. Below are important things to know, questions you may want to ask, and other useful information as it pertains to your chosen degree program. Under the dropdown menus below you can discover the best ways to cover DARS requirements, see the latest updates of course scheduling, learn more about minors and certificates, tips for getting the most out of advising appointments and more.

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Ask your advisor

  • What career pathways can I consider with this major?
  • Are there minors/certificates that are available to me?
  • Complete online modules

How to contact your advisor

Students have assigned advisors. To find out who your advisor is, go to my.asu.edu(link is external) and login. In the right hand column in the "Academic Support Team" box, click on "Academic Advising". A drop down will show your advisor and give their contact information. Please use the "Schedule an appointment" button to schedule your appointment online. Please note all advising appointments are set in Arizona time, which is displayed in the clock above. Arizona does not observe daylight savings time changes.  

Academic Sessions

Your coursework will be offered in 7.5-week academic sessions (Session A and B). This means the courses are accelerated and allow you to move through coursework at a pace that meet optimal graduation goals. Summer sessions  are 6 weeks per session.

You have a success coach

Success coaches are a great additional resource as an online student. They allow you the opportunity to meet with professionals to talk about managing coursework, study skills and connections to further resources within ASU. Information on your success coach can be found via your MyASU under “Academic Support Team”.

Requirements to keep in mind

University requirements (applies to all online degree programs)

  • No more than 64 credit hours from a two-year institution or community college can be counted toward the 120 required credit hours.
  • 120 hours are required 
  • 45 upper division hours
  • ASU 101 (1 credit)
  • First Year Composition (3-6 credits)
  • Mathematics (met with major)
  • Literacy (L) (3 credits)
  • Upper Division Literacy (L) (3 credits)
  • 2 Humanities (HU) (6 credits)
  • 2 Social Behaviorals (SB) (6 credits)
  • Upper Division HU or SB (3 credits)
  • Culture and Diversity in the U.S. Awareness (C)
  • Historical Awareness (H)
  • Global Awareness (G)
  • Natural Sciences (met with major)

The College requirements (applies to all online degree programs)

  • Upper division Science and Society (3 credits)
  • Science and Society (3 credits)

Your experience online

  • Organic Chemistry labs require students to be present on campus to complete.
  • If attending the labs at ASU are not feasible, consult with an advisor to find transferable options.
  • Labs that do not require you to come to campus include BIO 181 and 182, CHM 113 and 116, physics labs and upper division Biology labs.

Important things to know

  • A BIO elective may count as a Science and Society and your major requirement.
  • BIO 495 (Research) or BIO 484 (Internship) may count in your major (form required).
  • Any School of Life Sciences upper division coursework (BIO/MIC/MBB) may count as a major elective.
  • You may double count your “Awareness Areas” toward your HU, SB or L requirements.
  • We accept BIO 281 (Biology for life sciences) or BIO 181 (Biology for all majors).
  • We accept STP 231 (Statistics for Life Sciences) or STP 226 General Statistics.
  • We accept either MAT 251 (Calculus for Life Sciences) or MAT 210 Brief Calculus.
  • You may major in any of our programs and be Pre-Health or Pre-Vet.
  • An English and/or Math placement test may be required.

Biomedical

Important things to know

  • BIO 312 or 416 can count as a Science and Society and your major elective.
  • BIO 416 can count as Literacy (L) elective and major requirement.
  • You may double count your “Awareness Areas” toward your HU, SB or L requirements.
  • We accept BIO 181 (Biology for life sciences) or BIO 182 (Biology for all majors).
  • We accept STP 231 (Statistics for Life Sciences) or STP 226 (General Statistics).
  • We accept either MAT 251 (Calculus for Life Sciences) or MAT 210 (Brief Calculus).
  • You can major in any of our programs and be Pre-Health or Pre-Vet.
  • An English and/or Math placement test may be required.

Please note: The above courses are not guaranteed to be offered in listed semesters and always refer to your Degree Audit Report (DARS)

Biology and Society

Important things to know

  • BIO 314 and 414 combined are equal to a Literacy (L) requirement.
  • BIO 311 may satisfy Science and Society general studies and your major requirement.
  • BIO 495 (Research) or BIO 484 (Internship) may satisfy your major requirement (form required).
  • Any School of Life Sciences upper division coursework (BIO/MIC/MBB) may satisfy one of your major electives.
  • HU, SB or L may satisfy “awareness areas” as well as degree requirements.
  • We accept BIO 281 (Biology for life sciences)or BIO 181 (Biology) for all majors.
  • We accept STP 231 (Statistics for Life Sciences) or STP 226 (General Statistics).
  • We accept either MAT 251 (Calculus for Life Sciences) or MAT 210 (Brief Calculus).
  • You may major in any of our programs and be Pre-Health or Pre-Vet.

Please note: The above courses are not guaranteed to be offered in listed semesters and always refer to your Degree Audit Report (DARS) 

Conservation Ecology and Biology

Important things to know

  • BIO 322 and BIO 324 may satisfy as a Science and Society and your major requirement.
  • BIO 495 (Research) or BIO 484 (Internship) may satisfy your major (form required).
  • HU, SB or L may satisfy “awareness areas” as well as degree requirements.
  • We accept BIO 281 (Biology for life sciences)or BIO 181 (Biology for all majors).
  • We accept STP 231 (Statistics for Life Sciences) or STP 226 (General Statistics).
  • We accept MAT 251 (Calculus for Life Sciences) or MAT 210 (Brief Calculus) or SOS 211 (Calculus and Probability for the Life and Social Sciences).
  • You may major in any of our programs and be Pre-Health or Pre-Vet.
Fall only elective courses
  • BIO 322 Conservation Biology and Ecological Sustainability
  • BIO 421 Landscape Ecology
  • BIO 422 Ecosystem Ecology
  • BIO 324 Environmental Ethics
  • BIO 325 Oceanography
Spring only elective courses
  • BIO 308 Plant Physiology
  • BIO 370 Vertebrate Zoology
  • BIO 309 Plant Anatomy
  • BIO 410 Techniques: Conservation Biology and Ecology
  • BIO 412 Conservation in Practice
  • Research or Internships must be approved by Conservation faculty

Please note: The above courses are not guaranteed to be offered in listed semesters and always refer to your Degree Audit Report (DARS) 

Get involved and gain experience

Get involved

School is more than just attending class. The following checklist with quicklinks can be helpful for you to prepare for then many items that happen around going to class. 

  • Completing your Handshake profile to gain access to networking and professionals in your field is a wonderful way kick-start your career.
  • Handshake also offers career planning, building your resume and interviewing techniques and more.
  • If you're considering a study abroad, the study abroad page(link is external) is a great place to start. 
  • Visit ASU Career and Professional Development Services to prepare for testing like the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, LSAT and learn more about applying to grad school here.
  • Visit the SOLS internship page to learn more about School of Life Sciences research and internship opportunities.
  • Visit SOLS undergraduate minors and certificates page to learn what you can add to your degree.
  • Visit ASU's graduation application page(link is external) for directions on applying for graduation. 
  • For tutoring please visit our Learning Resource Center page, that provides tutoring services free-of-charge to online students as well as on-campus students. 
  • If you need to talk to someone about accessibility  needs, please visit our Student accessibility page.
  • If you need to access our online login for accessible learning, please visit our Accessible learning online login page
  • Find out more about student organizations to get involved with peers. 

Gain experience

School is more than just attending class. The following checklist with quicklinks can be helpful for you to prepare for then many items that happen around going to class.