Biology Major (BIO)

The mission of the Department of Biological Sciences is to provide a well- rounded education for its majors, which includes understanding core biological principles at the molecular, cellular, organismal, population, and ecosystem levels. The department also seeks to cultivate the analytical skills and curiosity about the biological world that will enable students to be successful professionals, thoughtful citizens, and caretakers of the earth.

Through a range of introductory and advanced courses, the B.S. degree program is designed to provide students with the academic preparation needed to succeed in professional schools in the health sciences (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, nursing, etc.) and in graduate programs across the biological disciplines (zoology, botany, microbiology, cellular and molecular biology, evolution and ecology, etc.). In addition, the department provides an academic foundation that may lead to direct employment in education, industry, government, and many other fields.

Through its broad curriculum, the department helps students to achieve this preparation by requiring them to demonstrate:

• an understanding of the place biology holds in society and preparedness to successfully pursue a career path; 
• an understanding of the scientific method, including construction of hypotheses, data collection and analysis and the formulation of conclusions;
• an understanding of the basic concepts of biology, including: the unity and diversity of life, biological molecules, the cell as a functioning structure, mechanisms of inheritance, principles of ecology, and processes of evolution; and
• an ability to understand and critique primary scientific literature and communicate effectively to peers in written and verbal form.

For more information about the Biology major leading to a teaching certification, please contact the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education.