Goals

The goals of the Undergraduate Programme, at the Department of Biology, are:

  • Conformity with the contemporary concepts of Biological Sciences.
  • High level and quality, according to international standards, and proper combination of depth and breadth.
  • Applied orientation with emphasis on experimental and laboratory education.

The accumulation of knowledge and the necessity of specialization led the Department of Biology to officially develop 2 scientific directions: 1. Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology which concentrates mainly at the cellular and subcellular level of life, namely gene regulation, protein interactions, macromolecular structure and 2. Environmental Biology and Management of Biological Recourses which concentrates at the level of organism in the environmental context of Life.

Since the academic year 2004-05 the students select one of the two previously mentioned directions and are compelled to attend all corresponding obligatory courses as well as other optional courses at the student’s discretion.

As the vast majority of the literature in Biological Sciences is in English, technical fluency in this language is an absolute necessity for studying Biology. The students should take the corresponding required ESP (Biology) English courses during the first two years of their studies, unless they already know English at a level which enables them to pass the corresponding examinations without attending the courses.

COURSE OF STUDY

Requirements

Requirements for Graduation

The requirements for graduation are as follows:

  • Admission to the Department and enrolment in courses for at least eight semesters.
  • Successful completion of all core courses.
  • Successful completion of optional courses.

The number of optional courses depends on the students workload (credits). Alternatively, the students may elect to fulfil 12 credits with laboratory work leading to B. Sc. Dissertation.

Successful accumulation of at least 155 credits in total. Before being allowed to enroll in optional courses the students must have successfully completed five (5) of the eight (8) following courses: Introduction to Zoology, Cell Biology, Plant Structure, Biochemistry I, Organic Chemistry, Genetics I, Microbiology and Ecology. Before being allowed to enroll in laboratory work leading to B. Sc. dissertation the students must have completed all the core courses.