Health Sciences Concentration, Biology, B.S.

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Biology

Chairperson
Margaret Hoey
Professors	Associate Professors	Assistant Professors
George Babich (Biology)	Michael Nosek (Biology)	Lisa Grimm (Biology)
Judith Ciottone (Chemistry)	Christopher Picone (Biology)	Ronald Krieser (Biology)
Meledath Govindan (Chemistry)	Thomas Schoenfeld (Biology)	Mathangi Krishnamurthy (Chemistry)
Margaret Hoey (Biology)		John Ludlam (Biology)
Da-hong Lu (Chemistry)		Aisling O’Connor (Chemistry)
Howard Thomas (Biology)		Erin Rehrig (Biology)
		Sean Rollins (Biology)

Objectives for the Program in Biology

The Biology Department offers an educational program that is sound and challenging. The program has a vibrant, dedicated faculty with a broad range of expertise in the biological sciences. The faculty serve as teacher/mentor/scholar. This provides a positive role model for Biology majors. The department has a rich history of producing successful graduates in teacher training, biotechnology, and environmental science. The department provides a supportive teaching/learning environment giving individual attention to students and research opportunities. Student training includes a strong foundation in bioethics which is fostered within in the curriculum. Students become aware of career potentials by close association with their academic advisors. The Biology and Chemistry Club provides an interface between students and the department which allows for personal and social interactions. The department also offers courses in laboratory science for students in all other majors.

Requirements for the Major in Biology

All Biology majors are required to take four core courses and six advanced BIOL electives (>2000) including a Capstone course, for a total of 36 credits.

The core biology courses include student laboratory work so that students develop the skills of scientific inquiry. Students develop scientific literacy through reading, writing, testing hypotheses, and quantitative analysis. Core courses also integrate computer literacy through lab activities.

Core courses required in the Biology major

BIOL 1800 - General Biology I 4 cr.
BIOL 1900 - General Biology II 4 cr.
BIOL 2300 - Ecology 4 cr.
BIOL 2800 - Genetics 4 cr.

Additional Requirements

Biology majors also take six advanced electives at or above BIOL 2000. Independent study, directed study, internship or teaching practicum may each count as one advanced BIOL elective in a student’s program of study. Courses with a separate lecture and lab registration count as a single elective: the lab portion of a course does not constitute a distinct biology elective.

One of the six electives must be a designated Capstone course. Students in the Capstone course conduct a research project to demonstrate their skills in research design and analysis. The Capstone course also meets the University’s Listening and Speaking and Junior/Senior Writing requirement.

Capstone course options

Capstone courses must be taken at Fitchburg State: courses that transfer as the equivalent course will not fulfill this requirement. Independent studies (BIOL 4903 ) require approval by the departmental curriculum committee in order to fulfill the Capstone requirement.

BIOL 3550 - Developmental Biology 4 cr.
BIOL 4500 - Molecular Biology 4 cr.
BIOL 4903 - Independent Study 3 credits (requires department approval)

Required courses in related sciences

In addition to BIOL courses, Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) students are required to take courses in related sciences and two courses in mathematics at or above MATH 1300 . Bachelor of Arts students are required to have foreign language proficiency at the Intermediate level.

CHEM 1300 - General Chemistry I 4 cr.
CHEM 1400 - General Chemistry II 4 cr.
CHEM 2000 - Organic Chemistry I 4 cr.
CHEM 2100 - Organic Chemistry II 4 cr.
PHYS 2300 - General Physics I 4 cr.
PHYS 2400 - General Physics II 4 cr.
2 MATH courses at or above the 1300 level

Note:

These requirements are slightly modified for the Bachelor of Science in Biology/Environmental Science.

BS in Biology/Health Sciences

The B.S. in Biology/Health Sciences is an appropriate concentration for students interested in continuing their education in health professional programs, such as allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, nutrition, physician’s assistant, pharmacy, and physical therapy. This is not an appropriate pre-major for transfer into the University’s B.S. Nursing program and does not include the pre-requisite courses for the Nursing program.

The concentration includes all of the requirements of the Biology major. Among the six BIOL electives, students must take BIOL 3450 - Biochemistry , and a Microbiology course is strongly recommended. Students should choose the remaining electives based on their intended career path and are strongly encouraged to consult the pre-requisites for the particular professional degree program at the institution to which they intend to apply. The University’s pre-health advisor is available as a resource to students in this concentration.

Required courses

In addition to the four core courses and six advanced BIOL electives including the Capstone, students with the concentration in Health Sciences must also take:

BIOL 1200 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 cr. and
BIOL 1300 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 cr.