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AcademicsUndergraduate ProgramsBiology (BS)
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The discipline is vast and includes everything from animal and plant physiology to developmental biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, ecology and biotechnology.
Our faculty are accomplished research scientists who share your curiosity about the natural world. You'll work with them to master the fundamentals and put that knowledge into practice through hands-on learning in our well-equipped labs.
Our students go on to prestigious graduate programs in biology, allied health, medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and genetic engineering, and to successful careers in government, university, hospital, and commercial laboratories.
Students planning a program in biology satisfy the core requirements by taking the following courses:
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
To complete the minimum requirements, students must take three additional courses in biology, at least two of which must be numbered 300 or higher. In the senior year, students may satisfy their independent study (for students entering prior to September 2014) or capstone (for students entering from September 2014 on) requirement by taking two semesters of BIOL 350, BIOL 355 or BIOL 370.
Prerequisites
Students are required to take CHEM 111 or 113, 114, and 225 as well as MATH 118 or MATH 120 (or MATH 227 or MATH 229). Students interested in medical or dental school or in pursuing graduate study in certain areas of biology should plan to include additional courses in CHEM 226, MATH 121, and a year of physics.
Students interested in careers in dentistry, medicine, optometry, podiatry, veterinary medicine, and the allied health professions should consult the Simmons College Pe-Health Advisor, Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield (jennifer.canfield@simmons.edu).
A minor in biology requires BIOL 113 General Biology and four additional courses in biology, all of which must be designated BIOL and numbered 200 or above. Students should contact the department chairperson to discuss course selection.
No more than two courses can be counted from transfer credits; this must be approved by the department chairperson.
Our students put theory into practice through on-site research, off-site research, and internships.
On-site research: Faculty members mentor students in our own laboratories. You'll work with faculty members whose research piques your interest.
Off-site research: Students also explore clinical, applied, or basic research at one of the many laboratories and institutions available in the Simmons neighborhood.
Internships:Supervised learning experiences provide opportunities for career exploration within a context of critical thinking.
In all paths, students work closely with a faculty member who supervises the independent learning requirement and the final paper.
Simmons' Independent Learning Requirement forms the basis for the Biology senior project, the capstone experience where majors explore a topic of interest in their field of study. In addition to writing a final paper, all students formally present their work at the Eastern New England Biological Conference and/or at the Simmons Biology Symposium.