Mar 29, 2024  
2017-2018 HillBook (Class of 2021) 
    
2017-2018 HillBook (Class of 2021) [ARCHIVED HILL BOOK]

Biology, B.S.


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Department Chair:

Magdalena James-Pederson
Office: Shields Science Center 311
Phone: 508-565-1573
mpederson@stonehill.edu


The Biology major curriculum fulfills entrance requirements for medical, dental and graduate schools and for medical technology programs. It is also recommended for careers in research, academia, allied health fields, private enterprise, or government service. Students completing the major sequence and their General Education courses will graduate with a solid foundation in biological science and a broad educational background. Students enrolled in the major are encouraged to strengthen their career preparation by completing an internship, directed study, or research project before graduation.

The B.S. in Biology requires the completion of 19 courses.

Complete One Additional Molecular/Cellular or Organismal Course


Complete One Additional 300 or 400-Level Course


May be a Biology, Biochemistry or Neuroscience course from any category for a minimum of 3 credits.

Complete a Capstone in Biology


Several options fulfill this requirement. All must integrate sub-disciplines within biology, connect this work within biology to a broader view of academics and society, and present that work in oral and written form.

The Senior capstone course (400-level) must be pre-approved by the Chair of the Biology Department at registration and before the first day of classes.

Options 2-4 below require written approval from the faculty member supervising the Capstone project and the department chair before the first day of classes.

  1. Enroll as a senior in BIO 406 - Behavioral Ecology  BIO 407 - Ornithology , BIO 409 - Immunology , BIO 423 - Virology ,  , or BIO 498 - Senior Honors Thesis I  & BIO 499 - Senior Honors Thesis II .
  2. Petition to have any 300 or 400-level Biology class (taken in the senior year) fulfill the capstone requirement. This option will probably result in additional work in that class.
     
  3. Complete a BIO 490 - Directed Study - Biology , BIO 496 - Independent Research , a research-based BIO 475 - Internship in Biological Sciences , or S.U.R.E. project, write a research paper based on this work, and present this in an open seminar format.
     
  4. Present work done in a non-biology course to fulfill the Capstone requirement. This work must contain a very strong biology component and deal with larger societal issues associated with the project.

Major Field Test in Biology


All juniors and seniors majoring in Biology must take the Major Field Test in Biology.

Biology Honors Program


Students who complete the honors requirements in Biology below will be awarded a degree “with honors in Biology.” Departmental Honor Scholars must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Overall GPA of 3.50;
  • GPA of 3.20 in science courses (Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Physics);
  • Meet either of the following criteria on a national standardized achievement test in biology:
    1. score within the top 10% of Stonehill students on the Major Field Test in Biology (MFT; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ); or
    2. score within the top 30% of students nationally who have taken either the MFT in Biology, or Graduate Record Examination either in Biology or in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology (Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ); and
  • Submit, and present orally, an acceptable (“B” or better) senior honors thesis, which is evaluated by a panel of three science faculty. Ordinarily, this thesis will be based on a directed study, research internship, S.U.R.E. project, or other college-level research experience.

Contact Professor Magdalena Pederson, Chair of the Biology Department for additional details and deadlines.

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