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At the heart of our mission lies a dedication to nurturing a vibrant learning environment where students are active participants and collaborators. We believe in the transformative power of experiential learning, in guiding students through hands-on experiences that bridge the gap between theory and practice, and in preparing them to navigate real-world challenges with confidence and insight. We strive to create welcoming spaces where every voice is heard and valued. Grounded in academic rigor and scientific integrity, we equip students with the tools and knowledge to critically engage with complex biological concepts and global issues. As stewards of both knowledge and the environment, we inspire a sense of responsibility, and encourage innovation for a healthier planet.

Our Core Values

Student Centeredness: Every decision we make is predicated by the question, “what is best for our students?”

Community and Belonging:  We celebrate the many backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences within our community. By promoting a culture of belonging and mutual respect, we strive to create a supportive and welcoming environment where all individuals can thrive and contribute.

Experiential Learning: Students learn best by doing. We value hands-on experiences and reflection so that students can connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations.

Information Literacy: We strive to instill students with knowledge and skills needed to develop a data-driven understanding of biological processes and their global implications.

Academic Rigor: We embrace uncompromising standards of academic rigor and strive for excellence in all facets of teaching and research.

Scientific Integrity: We adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards when teaching, conducting, and reporting research.

Environmental Stewards: We promote environmental stewardship by fostering an understanding of biological systems and their susceptibility to human impacts, and by recognizing our shared responsibility for planetary health.

Collaboration: Scientific progress thrives when minds come together. We strive to create a collaborative environment where students and instructors come together to engage in teamwork through shared learning experiences and joint research projects.

The Medical Biology major is designed to provide a strong foundation in the biological sciences for students who ultimately pursue careers in human medicine, dentistry, other health professions (e.g. physical therapy), biomedical research, or the biotechnology industry. 

The pre-physician assistant track is designed for students who wish to eventually enroll in a physician assistant program. This track provides students with a solid foundation in the biological sciences at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and organismal levels. In addition to the comprehensive introduction to general biology, the courses offered in this track introduce the student to the fields of physiology, biochemistry, cellular biology, and genetics. This track includes those courses that are prerequisite courses for entrance into physician assistant schools. In addition, students in this track have the opportunity to complete off-campus internships for college credit (e.g. in a hospital, clinical, or laboratory setting).

Please note: while some courses can fulfill both core and program requirements the credits earned do not count twice towards the minimum total required credits for the degree.

*Not satisfied by BIO 410, BIO 422/422L, BIO 459/459L, BIO 495, Internship courses, Research courses, or Speaker Series.

Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee

The Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC) consists of professional staff and faculty members of the College of Arts and Sciences. The major function of this committee is to draft letters of evaluation for students applying to health professions programs such as medical, dental, and veterinary schools. Interested students should view our web page for information regarding the protocol for obtaining a PHPAC letter of evaluation.

Graduation Requirements

A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all BIO, CHE, PHY, and MAT courses used to fulfill the requirements of the Medical Biology Pre-Physician Assistant major. A 2.00 cumulative average in sciences is a requirement for graduation in any of the School of Biological Sciences programs.

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

The expected learning outcomes for students graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Biological Sciences include:

1. Process of Science - Scientific Thinking and Information Literacy:
   1. Explain how science generates knowledge of the natural world, and locate, interpret, and evaluate scientific information.
   2. Apply science process skills to address a research question in a course-based or independent research experience, which includes being able to: pose testable questions and hypotheses to address gaps in knowledge, plan, evaluate, and implement scientific investigations, and  interpret, evaluate, and draw conclusions from data to make evidence-based arguments about the natural world.
   3. Recognize the important roles that scientific models and simulations of many different types (conceptual, mathematical, physical, etc.) play in predicting and communicating biological phenomena, making inferences, and solving problems.
2. Interdisciplinary and Communicative Nature of Science:
   1. Connect scientific knowledge by integrating concepts across multiple fields of biology (e.g., cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, anatomy, physiology) and other STEM disciplines (e.g., chemistry, physics) in order to generate interdisciplinary solutions to real-world problems.
   2. Communicate ideas, data, and findings clearly and accurately with others to enable productive teamwork among people of diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and perspectives, which includes being able to:
      1. provide and respond to constructive feedback to improve individual and team-based work while reflecting on your learning, performance, and achievements.
      2. critically analyze ethical issues in the conduct of science while considering the potential impacts of outside influences (historical, cultural, political, technological, etc.) on how science is practiced.

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their major advisor.

Courses previously completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred biology courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the biology courses offered at 91ֱ����Ƶin order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they will transfer as general electives.

All science/math courses previously completed must be no older than five (5) years.

Other options and restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.