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The Department of Biology offers several distinct degree programs including B.S. and B.A. degrees in Biology, and concentrations in Environmental Biology and Cellular/Molecular Biology. The program in Biology consists of 37 credit hours. There is ample opportunity to tailor the experience to the needs of the student through a wide selection of elective courses. All Biology majors carry out an independent research project in collaboration with a faculty mentor to fulfill the comprehensive requirement of the College. The Advanced Writing Proficiency is fulfilled through the process of writing a paper based upon the research.

Areas of Study: General Biology
                           Biology with Concentration in Environmental Biology
                           Biology with Concentration in Cellular/Molecular Biology

Departmental Minors:

The minor in biology consists of a minimum of five (5) courses and 17 credit hours. All courses must be 3 or 4 credit hour courses and one of the courses beyond the first year must be a laboratory course.

The department also will direct a student-designed interdisciplinary minor in Environmental Studies consisting of a year of general biology (BIO 103-104 or 151-152), Ecology (BIO 323) or Environmental Science (BIO 250), and three courses at a 200 level or above. Elective courses are based on the student's particular interests and may be chosen from courses offered by various departments on campus, environmental science courses at the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University at South Bend, as well as appropriate courses from other institutions and field stations. Especially highly recommended is an internship in a suitable area of interest such as waste management, nuclear power, wildlife management, or litigation and enforcement. Plans for completing the minor must be discussed with and approved by the environmental studies advisor, and a student-designed minor form must be turned into the Academic Affairs Office prior to the student's senior year. Students in the biology major must take these course in addition to their major requirements in order to also merit an environmental studies minor. Students interested in this minor are urged to contact the department's environmental studies advisor as early as possible in their academic career.

Proficiency in a Foreign Language - This proficiency maybe demonstrated through examination or by completing six semester hours of foreign language.

College Comprehensive Requirement - In the Biology Department, the comprehensive requirement is fulfilled by the successful completion of a directed research project.

60 hours, including at least:

Biology .................. 37 semester hours
Chemistry.............. 12 semester hours
Mathematics........... 8 semester hours (calculus)

Additional hours to total 60 can come from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics

Electives - Additional semester hours to total 128

Teaching License - If a Teaching License is desired, additional courses in professional education will have to be taken. Some licenses might also require additional general education courses.

The regular B.S. Degree program in Biology at Saint Mary's College prepares a student for admission to medical, dental, veterinary, optometry and other professional schools. The program is flexible and includes a variety of electives. A typical preprofessional program is shown below. We recommend, however, students study the exact requirements of the school of choice in order to adjust the individual program if necessary.

Although some medical, dental, veterinary, optometry and other related schools will accept a student after three years of undergraduate studies, we recommend that the student complete the course of studies leading to a B.S. degree. However, a student who enrolls in a professional school after three years at Saint Mary's may be awarded a B.S.degree provided she has fulfilled the College core requirements, the major requirements, and successfully completed one full year of the professional school.

The education program is essentially a B.S. in Biology with additional courses in education and a choice of certain Area I and III electives. A student earning this degree will be certified to teach biology (major teaching field) and chemistry (minor teaching field). She should plan to take fundamentals of education in the sophomore year and establish an advisor in both the Department of Biology and the Department of Education. Students in this program will complete their student teaching as a second semester senior.

Saint Mary's College has an articulation agreement with the Occupational Therapy Program at Midwestern University, Downer's Grove, Illinois. The agreement provides students who have followed a prescribed curriculum at Saint Mary's and who meet specific requirements the opportunity for automatic acceptance into the Master's Degree OT program at Midwestern.

Students interested in pursuing a career in the allied medical areas of Medical Technology and Cytotechnology are encouraged to complete the B.S. in Biology. Cytotechnology is the study of the structure and function of cells. The primary responsibility of the cytotechnologist is to detect cellular disease. Much of the work conducted by cytotechnologists is with a microscope used to screen prepared slides for abnormalities in cell structure, a means for detecting cancer from tissue samples. Most cytotechnologists work in hospitals and private laboratories.

A departmental advisor will assist students in identifying institutions offering the clinical experience necessary to complete certification in these areas. Additional courses required by the clinical program may be necessary for admission.