NEWS       Winter 2007 Newsletter 29th Annual Darwin Festival February11-15, 2008 Undergraduate Programs  Graduate Program  Faculty & Staff The Aquaculture Website  Biological Society	What can you do with a major in Biology from Salem State College?
Mission Statement Salem State College Admissions	Salem State graduate Bryan Martin feeding the penguins at The New England Aquarium which offers internships

The study of biology allows a person to pursue a wide variety of careers,including agronomy, biochemistry and biotechnology, botany, conservation biology, dentistry, environmental planning, genetic counseling, medical illustration, medical technology, medicine, nuclear medical technology, oceanography, pharmacy, research, teaching, technical writing, veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, and many others. 

Recommended high school preparation

The Department recommends (but does not require) that students take a minimum of one year each of biology, chemistry, and physics and three years of mathematics, through Analytical Geometry, in high school.

Students in any Biology program (BA or BS) complete a strong, general series of Biology and support courses which allows pursuit of a wide variety of careers such as professional work (e.g., physician, dentist, veterinarian), governmental work,(e.g., E.P.A., National Fisheries), field work (e.g., oceanographer, wildlife specialist), high school teaching, industrial or clinical research, aquaculture, etc.

Many Biology majors continue into graduate programs in a specialized subfield.  It is the goal of the department to provide solid Biology degrees which expose students to all areas of Biology while allowing each student flexibility when entering the job market. The five areas identified are: Plant Biology, Animal Biology, Cell & Molecular Biology, Structure & Function, and Ecology &Evolution.

Students are introduced to all areas of biology in a two-semester introductory sequence (BIO 131: Introduction to Organisms and BIO 132: Introduction to Cells), followed by three courses in the second year that expand on these areas in greater detail and introduce social and ethical issues. This second group of courses includes BIO 208 (Environmental Problems), BIO 212 (Cell Biology) and BIO 220 (Evolutionary Morphology).

In their junior/senior year all students are required to take BIO 402 (Genetics) and either BIO 415N (Biology Seminar), BIO417N (Environmental Biology Seminar) or NMT 415 (Nuclear Medicine Seminar),depending on their specific program.

Students complete their program by taking BIO electives at the 300-400 level.  They generally must have one course from each of the five major areas (although there are some exceptions in specialty concentrations), plus other major electives that can be chosen from any group or from internship, directed study, or research courses.

To ensure that students develop more advanced lab skills, several programs limit the Cell &Molecular Biology elective to either BIO 406 (Microbiology) or BIO 409 (Biological Chemistry).  Some specialty concentrations also specify courses in one or more of the other major areas.

The Department offers degree programs leading either to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.). The general program leading to either a B.A. or a B.S. degree provides each student with a solid foundation in all areas of the biological sciences and the training to enter the workforce, continue with graduate study in biology, or enter a postbaccalaureate program in one of the health professions. 

In addition to our general programs, students have the option of enrolling in one of six areas of concentration. 

1. BA or BS in Biology, with a minor in secondary education

Prepares students to teach biology at the high school level and meet Massachusetts State Certification requirements

2.  BS in Biology, with Aquaculture Concentration

Focuses on the controlled cultivation and harvest of aquatic plants and animals. Students will gain practical skills in the husbandry of aquatic organisms through applying knowledge gained from courses in Biology, Chemistry, Business, and other disciplines.  Skills learned will provide graduates a hands-on appreciation of the aquatic environment and aquaculture systems. Graduates will have the skills needed to set-up and operate their own facility, to work at a private or public hatchery, and to pursue employment in a parallel field such as resource management, fisheries biology, marine or environmental science.

3. BS in Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration

The Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration places this field within a broad context while focusing on both the theoretical and practical skills needed in the study of cell and molecular biology.  A choice of some support courses allows the student to explore different applications such as chemistry and bioinformatics in greater depth.

4. BS in Biology, with Environmental Biology Concentration

5. BS in Biology, with Marine Biology Concentration

6. B.S in Biology, with Medical Technology Concentration

7. BS in Biology, with Nuclear Medicine Technology Concentration

For further information about the Nuclear Medicine Technology Concentration please contact Professor Gary Heisermann at gheisermann@salemstate.edu or 978-542-7526.

 
 

Pre-medical, Pre-dental, Pre-veterinary programs:
Medical, dental and veterinary schools typically require applicants to include general biology, general and organic chemistry, physics and one year of college mathematics in their undergraduate preparation.A student in the B.S.Biology degree program satisfies these minimum admissions requirements and also takes numerous content courses such as Genetics and General Physiology that are of help in preparing for standardized entrance examinations and professional courses.

Whether or not a student majors in Biology in preparation for these health professions, every student interested in such a career should contact the Pre-Professional Advisor no later than the end of the sophomore year regarding the complex admissions process.

Dr.Susan M. Case in the Biology Department is the advisor for the health related professions. All students interested in applying to medical, dental, veterinary, or other professional health schools should consult her.