Department of Biology

The Department of Biology offers courses in biology and the lab classes to support those courses for all students at UMHB who need such courses to fulfill requirements for their degree programs. The Biology Department offers three degree programs (the BS in Biology; the BS in Biology with several pre-health professions emphases: Pre-Med/Pre-Dent, Pre-Vet, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Physician Assistant, Pre-Health Professions, and Pre-Clinical Lab Science; and the BS in Biology with teaching certification) and a minor in Biology.

The goal of our faculty is to prepare students for career success and leadership in the life sciences, to strengthen the abilities of students to engage in critical thinking through the process of scientific investigation, and to prepare students to apply faith-based discernment in contemporary social and ethical issues related to biology.

Upon completion of their degrees, biology majors should be able to

• Demonstrate a command of the general principles in the various subdisciplines in Biology and the ability to apply those principles in critically thinking through problems to reach a solution
• Use scientific reasoning as exemplified by the scientific method to develop a testable hypothesis, test the hypothesis, acquire data and evaluate it using statistics, and accept or reject the hypothesis
• Demonstrate competency in basic laboratory skills and safety
• Work effectively and efficiently as a part of a team
• Organize and clearly communicate scientific ideas orally and in writing; locate scholarly information from the scientific literature and, using an appropriate style, to document the sources of information
• Demonstrate an ability to interpret and critically evaluate primary research articles containing tables, graphs, and other data formats