PDF version - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
PDF version - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
PDF version - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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Biology<br />
Biology<br />
Philip A. Cochran, Ph.D., Chair<br />
The goal <strong>of</strong> the biology department is to promote the discovery and transmission <strong>of</strong> biological<br />
knowledge. The department is committed to teaching and to empowering its community <strong>of</strong> learners.<br />
It provides a challenging environment distinguished by sensitivity to the intellectual, personal, and<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional needs <strong>of</strong> students, staff, and faculty, all within a liberal arts context.<br />
The biology program provides its majors with academic and pr<strong>of</strong>essional preparation for postbaccalaureate<br />
endeavors in a wide array <strong>of</strong> disciplines, including cell biology, ecology, environmental<br />
biology, environmental toxicology, microbiology, molecular biology, and zoology. Graduates in biology<br />
may also be prepared to pursue careers in health-related fields, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary<br />
science, cytotechnology, nuclear medicine technology, pharmacy, physical therapy, and optometry. In<br />
addition, the biology department meets the needs <strong>of</strong> non-science majors with a selection <strong>of</strong> general<br />
education courses that expose them to the assumptions and methodologies <strong>of</strong> the scientific process<br />
and provide them with an awareness <strong>of</strong> contemporary biological problems.<br />
In keeping with the understanding that biology as a science is an activity as much as a body <strong>of</strong><br />
knowledge, the biology program strives to provide students with hands-on pr<strong>of</strong>iciency in laboratory<br />
and field procedures as appropriate to the specific major. This culminates for most biology majors in an<br />
independent research project and the writing <strong>of</strong> a senior thesis. The thesis demonstrates the student’s<br />
ability to explain a problem, the methods used to address it, the results <strong>of</strong> the investigation, and the<br />
conclusions that are reached.<br />
General Department Goals<br />
• To provide biology majors with adequate academic and pr<strong>of</strong>essional preparation for post-baccalaureate<br />
endeavors;<br />
• To provide biology majors with pr<strong>of</strong>iciency in the use <strong>of</strong> laboratory and/or field equipment and techniques;<br />
• To provide biology and environmental biology majors with the ability to conduct original biological<br />
research and the skills necessary to write a scientific thesis containing an explanation <strong>of</strong> the problem,<br />
the methods employed, an analysis <strong>of</strong> data, and the conclusions; and<br />
• To <strong>of</strong>fer a selection <strong>of</strong> specifically designed general education courses that meet the needs <strong>of</strong> nonscience<br />
majors.<br />
Biology students may participate in a variety <strong>of</strong> activities outside <strong>of</strong> the classroom, including the<br />
biology department seminar series, the Journal Club, the Biology Club, and the <strong>Saint</strong> Mary’s chapter <strong>of</strong><br />
the national biological honor society, Beta Beta Beta. The biology department also sponsors an annual<br />
undergraduate research symposium.<br />
Majors Offered:<br />
Biology<br />
Environmental Biology<br />
Life Sciences Education<br />
Allied Heath Majors:<br />
Biology Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology<br />
Biology Cytogenetic Technology<br />
Biology Cytotechnology<br />
Biology Nuclear Medicine Technology<br />
Biology Pre-Physical Therapy<br />
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