Mission Statement - Department of Biological Sciences
The mission of the Department of Biological Sciences is to give
students a personalized educational experience that encompasses the
theoretical, quantitative and applied aspects of the biological
sciences. We provide students with intensive, practical laboratory
and field experiences and advanced elective options that prepare
them to successfully enter the workforce or pursue advanced
degrees. We also help them develop critical thinking and problem
solving skills. Finally, we strive to enable all our students to
communicate effectively about biological issues that are key to
human welfare. Our commitment is to accomplish this mission by
having permanent faculty members teach in laboratories as well as
lectures. We provide our students with opportunities outside the
classroom to work and interact with faculty.
Students will be able to apply the five ACRL (Assoc.
of College Research Librarians) Standards for information
competency across all biology programs.
Students will demonstrate knowledge and comprehension
for basic concepts in biology across all biology programs and for
faculty-derived questions specific for each concentration.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in written
communication by writing with clarity, conciseness, and coherence
about relationships among biological concepts across all biology
programs.
Students will demonstrate skills in the laboratory as
they engage in regularly-scheduled lab activities that include
basic skills, acquired in previous courses, as well as advanced
skills.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in oral
communication by giving concise, clear, and organized oral
presentations, with responses and leadership for the
audience.
Students will demonstrate ability to work effectively
in groups on critical thinking while participating weekly on
problem-solving activities and reporting their results to the
class.
MS Biological Sciences, Conc. Organismal Biology,
Conservation & Ecology
MS Biological Sciences, Conc. Physiology
MS Biological Sciences, Conc. Molecular Biology
& Microbiology
Students will be able to
apply the five ACRL (Assoc. of College Research Librarians) Standards.
(Basically: formulate a research question, locate appropriate sources of
information, evaluate the information and its sources, summarize and
synthesize the information orally and in writing, apply ethical use of
information)
Students will demonstrate application of the
knowledge and concepts learned in the Undergraduate Biology program
specific to their area of expertise.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in integrating
that knowledge by being able to write with clarity, conciseness,
and coherence about relationships among biological concepts in
their area of expertise.
Students will apply the skills learned in the
laboratory and/or field as they engage in specific research
activities specific to their field of concentration.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in oral
communication by being able to defend a given position on one or
more topics of concern in there are of expertise. This will
include giving concise, clear, and organized oral presentations,
with responses to questions.
