Science Program
Biology Program
Bachelor of Science: Biology (4 year - 120 credits)
The Bachelor of Science (BSc) program strives to give students a well-rounded Biology education, with a broad-based biological background. In this way, the program allows for maximum flexibility in career choice, whether it be research, medicine, teaching, or another related discipline. The program strives to provide all the courses required for application and admission into professional programs such as Chiropractic, Dentistry, Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacology, and Veterinary Medicine.
If they wish, students may choose one of two streams that suit their career goals: Ecology or Molecular Health Sciences. The degree program also includes course work in Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Kinesiology, Math, Microbiology, Physical Sciences, Physiology, and Zoology. The program helps students develop critical thinking skills as well as practical research techniques and laboratory skills.
Profile of the Graduating Student
The graduating student will develop:
- Understanding: Graduates will be able to articulate scientific epistemology, the scientific process, and knowledge of the biological world and the place of humanity within its systems.
- Research: Graduates will be able to apply skills for framing scientific study, investigation, and problem solving to advance biological knowledge.
- Analysis: Graduates will be able to use academic judgement to think critically and objectively evaluate knowledge.
- Communication: Graduates will be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and compellingly to disseminate knowledge at a level appropriate to the audience.
- Character: Graduates will exemplify, with maturity of character, the best of the Christian intellectual traditions and a liberal arts education, expressing itself in wisdom, integrity, and service to the Church, society, and the created order.
Practically speaking, BSc (Biology) graduates will have a solid understanding of:
- the processes of life on a cellular level;
- the structure and function of human life, with an understanding of its physiological processes;
- animal life and physiology, with comparisons to human structure and function;
- the physiology, genetics, and life history of micro- organisms;
- individual and population ecology;
- plant physiology and ecology.
BSc (Biology) graduates will also be able to:
- apply biological knowledge to specific issues;
- use critical thinking skills to approach research problems;
- design experimental protocols to test hypotheses, with appropriate data collection and analysis;
- perform basic experimental laboratory techniques, such as slide preparation, spectrophotometry, dissection, and extraction; integrate knowledge from the Arts and Sciences with their faith;
- form values and convictions based on sound reasoning and clear methodology.
Career and Education Paths
Graduating students will have several career options open to them, including:
- further professional studies (including Dentistry, Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine)
- research in a private company (such as a pharmaceutical company or ecological group);
- entry-level work in one of the many fields of biology – from ecology to botany to microbiology to physiology;
- graduate work and research;
- further studies in the areas of kinesiology, nursing, education or engineering.