Biology
- Department of Biology
- Success Stories
- Faculty Profiles
- Science Club
- Academic Programs
- Amphibian Research
- Sudent Research
- Academic Catalog: (Course Descriptions)
Division: Natural Science
Department: Biology
Biology - The science of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution.
What gets you going? Do you know what keeps you going?
Why Biology?
Fact 1: There are hundreds of specialties in the medical field today.
Fact 2: Students who study biology further develop their research and reasoning skills that can be used in any profession.
Fact 3: Students who major in Biology often find careers in crime labs, medical labs, museums, pharmacies, and law enforcement or pursue post-graduate degrees in medical and dental schools.
Why Biology at SJC?
Variety: When studying Biology at SJC, you can choose to major in Biology, Biology-Chemistry, Medical Laboratory Sciences, or receive an Associate of Science Degree in Biology-Chemistry.
With a major in Biology, you can choose to complete one of the following four tracks:
- Biologist Track: recommended for pre-med, pre-vet, life science teaching, and a wide variety of careers in the biological sciences. Recommended minors for this track include: Chemistry, Math, Computer Science, Psychology, and Secondary Education.
- Physical Therapy Track: recommended for pre-physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, and athletic training careers. A minor in Heath Therapy or Athletic Training is required for this track. This track is designed to provide all of the necessary courses for entrance into graduate programs in physical or occupational therapy.
- Forensic Science Track: recommended for forensic science careers. Recommended minors for this track include: Chemistry, Math, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and undergraduate programs in forensic science.
- Wildlife Ecology Track: recommended for wildlife biology, zoology, ecology, environmental science, environmental consulting, conservation biology, aquatic and marine biology, and natural resource careers. Recommended minors for this track include: Earth Science, Business Administration, Human Resources, Management, Math, Economics, Political Science, Art, and Computer Science. This track follows the required guidelines to obtain certification as a professional wildlife biologist from The Wildlife Society.
Students majoring in Biology or Biology-Chemistry may elect to concentrate in the following pre-professional programs:
- Life Science Teaching: The Biology-Chemistry group-major coupled with a minor in education can lead to teach Life Science (biology) at the middle school and high school levels. This program of study coupled with Core 6 covers all six areas required by the state of Indiana (cells, heredity, evolution, biological organization, animal behavior, and interdependence of organisms) for a license to teach Life Science at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. A major in Biology-Chemistry also meets the minimum requirements for a teaching license in Physical Science (chemistry and physics).
- Pre-Dentistry Program: Interested students are recommended to take the Biologist Track of the Biology major or the Biology-Chemistry major. The pre-dentistry program is designed to enable students to meet the entrance requirements of American dental schools. In addition, this program helps students prepare for the Dental Admissions Test (DAT).
- Pre-Medical Program: Interested students are recommended to take the Biologist Track of the Biology major, the Biology-Chemistry major, or a major in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. The pre-medical program is designed to enable students to meet the entrance requirements of medical schools approved by the American Medical Association, the American Ostepathic Association, and the American Pediatric Association. Pre-medical students are advised by SJC's Pre-Med Advisory Committee, a program helps students prepare for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
- Pre-Pharmacy Program: Interested students are recommended to take the Pre-Therapy Track of the Biology major or the Biology-Chemistry major. The pre-pharmacy program is designed to enable students to meet the entrance requirements for Doctor of Pharmacy programs after an Associate or Bachelor of Science degree is earned.
- Pre-Veterinary Program: Interested students are recommended to take the Biology or Wildlife Ecology Track of the Biology major with a minor in Chemistry or the Biology-Chemistry major. This program is designed to enable students to meet the entrance requirements of American veterinary schools. These can often be met by taking two years of courses at Saint Joseph's College; however, some veterinary schools prefer students to have four years of a major in Biology with a Biologist or Wildlife Ecology Track.
Dedication to Excellence: At SJC, you will be challenged. The Biology students spend much of their time in the newly renovated laboratories, outside the classroom gaining field experience, and in the library doing research for scientific journal articles they co-author with faculty. The Biology Department has also had a 100% placement rate in medical schools for the past three years.
Hands-on Experience: The faculty at SJC encourage all of their students to pursue internships. Common internships in the Biology Department include Eli Lilly, American Institute of Toxicology (AIT), state parks, "in-house" internships with faculty, grants to support student workers, and various hospitals.
Faculty and Class Size: The Biology Department at SJC consists of faculty who hold doctorate degrees in their fields of expertise, have published research articles across the country, and have been called as expert witnesses in federal court cases. The average class size varies; introductory classes and labs have about 30 students, while concentration classes can range in size between 6 and 16 students.
