Biology

Explore a World of Opportunity

Biology Student

In the 花椒直播 biology program, our small class sizes and faculty-led labs give you hands-on experience, allowing you to dig into the life sciences. With a strong foundation in mathematics, chemistry, and physics, you鈥檒l master the concepts of biology and can even take on research as a junior or senior.

Depending on your career goal 鈥� whether it鈥檚 teaching, research, health care, or environmental science 鈥� you can tailor your degree and the path you take to get there. You鈥檒l work one-on-one with your faculty advisor to plan your classes and work through the next steps.

Each year, opportunities await USM biology grads. Alums go on to med school, dental school, physician assistant programs, and physical therapy school.

What Can You Do with a Biology Degree?

Careers in biology are in demand. When you鈥檝e completed your biology degree from USM, careers will be available to you in plenty of areas. In fact, according to recent career outlook indexes, biology careers are expected to increase at a rate faster than many other fields.

Once you鈥檝e completed your degree, salary ranges may vary, but range between $47,000 and $58,000.

So what types of careers are available? There are plenty of options for biologists, including:

Research
Health care
Environmental management and conservation
Education

There are other options as well, which blend disciplines:

Biotechnology
Forensic science
Politics and policy
Business and industry
Economics
Mathematics
Science writing and communication

Alumni Spotlight

Meet Sola Fiorentino

In her junior year, Sola was selected for a competitive summer research experience for undergraduates and presented her research at the American Society of Microbiology Conference. After graduation, she was commissioned in the Kansas National Guard and accepted a position with the University of Kansas as an environmental health and safety technician.

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Academic Plan

Freshman Year

Fall Semester (16 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
3	COM 120 or 125	Communication Course
3	EN 111	English Composition I
3	MA 205	College Algebra
3		Behavioral / Social Science (EC, PS, PY, SO, SW)
4	CH 220	General Chemistry I

Spring Semester (16 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
3	TH 112	Intro to Spirituality
3	EN 112	English Composition II
4	CH 221	General Chemistry II
3		Arts (AR, MU, THR)
3		Humanities (HI, EN, PH)

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester (14 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
3		Humanities (HI, EN, PH)
3		Behavioral / Social Science (EC, PS, PY, SO, SW)
4	BI 200	Principles of Biology I
4	CH 330	Organic Chemistry I

Spring Semester (14 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
3		General Elective
4	BI 201	Principles of Biology II
4	CH 331	Organic Chemistry II
3		Theology

Junior Year

Fall Semester (17 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
4	BI 220	Cell Biology
4	PHY 215	Physics I
3		General Elective UL
3		General Elective UL
3	MA 230/330	Statistics

Spring Semester (14 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
4	BI 425	Genetics
4	PHY 216	Physics II
3	BICH 461	Biochemistry
3		General Elective

Senior Year

Fall Semester (14 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
2	BICH 597
3		General Elective
3		BI UL
3		BI UL
3		General Elective UL

Spring Semester (13 Credits)

Credit Hours	Course Number	Course Name
1	BI 595 or BI 596
3		BI Elective
3		General Elective UL
3		General Elective UL
3		General Elective

Student Spotlight

Meet Carmen Silva

Carmen Silva was accepted into the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship with Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. This competitive internship program was founded by the National Science Foundation and offers students an opportunity to work closely with faculty and peers on a specific research project. 鈥淚've enjoyed USM so far, especially the Natural Sciences and Math Department,鈥� Carmen said. 鈥淓ach professor knows you by name and will always be available to help you.鈥�

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