Biology Program

OVERVIEW OF THE BIOLOGY PROGRAM

Biology, the study of life, is a wide-ranging and rapidly growing discipline. Understanding biology requires a working knowledge of all the sciences, especially chemistry and mathematics. The biology program at FSU strives to provide students with a broad based education in all fields of biology as well as a fundamental knowledge of chemistry and mathematics.

Programs for students who wish to specialize in biology include the B.A. in education where students may select biology as a teaching field, the B.S. degree with a major in biology, and the B.S. degree in biology with an emphasis in biotechnology. The B.S. degree curriculum is structured to give students some flexibility in their program by selecting advanced courses from three areas of study; Organismal Biology, Ecology or Cell and Molecular Biology.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS MAJORING IN BIOLOGY

Completing the B.A. degree in education with teaching field in biology AND passing the appropriate certification exam(s) will certify you to teach biology at the high school level.

A four year B.S. degree in biology will prepare you to compete for entry level jobs such as lab technician, wildlife biologist, research scientist or naturalist, among others. While a bachelor’s degree in biology will help you get a job, many careers require additional education beyond the B.S. degree. Many of our best students compete successfully for admission to graduate study at institutions across the country. A biology degree will also provide the pre-professional training required by many fields such as dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.

By selecting a minor or adding a second field of study, many additional career opportunities become available. Combining a biology degree with additional study in business allows one to compete for management or marketing jobs in pharmaceutical firms and biological supply companies. Biology combined with computer science offers opportunities in the rapidly growing area of bioinformatics. Biology and English, journalism or art may lead to careers as a scientific writer or illustrator for highly technical journals or general (popular press) publications. The combinations are as diverse as biology itself, and you are encouraged to explore additional opportunities by consulting with your biology advisor. The annual median wage for a biologist is $55,300.00.

Biology Program Guidesheet
Biology Education Program Guidesheet

To contact the College of Science and Technology with general question email us at scitech@fairmontstate.edu

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