B.S in Biology

The mission of the Biology Department is to ensure that students understand how a scientific approach to the natural world leads to both insight and an altered perception of the breadth and depth of life on our planet. This is done through reinforcing in students the knowledge, skills, and habits of thought that characterize the biologically trained mind.The goals of the Biology Department are the following:To ensure that every Biology major has a working and up-to-date knowledge of the fundamental concepts of biology. To provide a B.S. degree curriculum that will allow students to succeed in any standard graduate program or career in a biology-related field.To develop in its students--majors and non-majors--the skill of critical evaluation of scientific information and the ability to relate scientific concepts to real-world problems. To encourage in its students an appreciation of and respect for biodiversity and natural systems.Through a broad, rigorous academic study of the living world within the context of a liberal arts education, the Biology Department awards two degrees: a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Conservation Biology. Courses in the Biology program emphasize the process of gathering scientific information and building knowledge based on critical evaluation of experimental observation. The Biology major allows students to explore a broad range of biological disciplines and scales of organization (ranging from molecules to ecosystems), as well as the opportunity to explore one of several specialized areas in greater depth. The Conservation Biology major is designed for students wishing to specialize in conservation-oriented research, with the intent to pursue graduate school in the natural sciences and/or work as conservation scientists in academia, government, or the private sector. All students majoring in Biology and Conservation Biology follow a program of study that provides a broad fundamental understanding of all areas of the life sciences as well as chemistry and mathematics. In addition, all students conduct an independent research project on a topic of their choosing and present their findings to the College in the form of the Natural Science Undergraduate Research Sequence (NSURS).