Professors Anderson, Carreno, Downing, Hamill, Wolverton

Associate Professors Ambegaokar, Hankison, Markwardt, Panhuis

Assistant Professors Gangloff, Reichard

Continuing Part-time Professor Tuhela-Reuning

Adjunct Professors Ichida, Roberts, Waterhouse, Watkins-Colwell

 

Students may choose from six different majors in the Biological Sciences. Most majors begin with a common set of core courses, but each major has unique features that make it most appropriate for the specific area of biology in which a student has the greatest interest. Some students are especially interested in particular groups of organisms, such as microbes, plants, or human beings and other animals. These students may best be served by majors in Microbiology, Botany, or General Zoology, respectively. Other students, however, may be attracted to the study of biological processes such as genetics, molecular biology, physiology, evolution, and ecology, for example. For students interested in the process-oriented approach, the Genetics or Biology majors may be more appropriate.

All faculty members in the Biological Sciences serve as academic advisors and help majors and potential majors in curriculum planning. Advisors will help students choose among courses that have diverse emphases: molecular to whole-organism, laboratory and field, practical and theoretical. Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities such as digital imaging equipment, a fluorescence microscopy laboratory, a scanning transmission electron microscope laboratory, and molecular biology laboratories. In addition, unique facilities serve the program, including a museum, a herbarium, and a greenhouse. The Kraus and Bohannan nature preserves, 80 and 50 acres respectively, are close to campus. Several other nearby facilities within easy driving range provide apprenticeship opportunities, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture Laboratories, nearby hospitals, Stratford Ecological Center, Ohio Wildlife Center, veterinary clinics, and the Columbus Zoo.

Majors are encouraged to exceed minimum requirements and to seek out distinctive learning and research experiences. These often take the form of independent study in the junior or senior year, summer research at Ohio Wesleyan or other institutions, or summer courses at a biological field station. Some of these summer experiences may count toward major requirements.

To satisfy distribution requirements, non-majors usually elect courses from among ZOOL 101 , ZOOL 104 , BOMI 103 , BOMI 104 , BOMI 106 , BOMI 107 , ZOOL 251 , and ZOOL 261 . However, all courses in both departments are open to any student who meets the prerequisites.

A student who achieves a 5 or above on the International Baccalaureate High Level Examination in Biology will be awarded credit for BIOL 120 and BIOL 122. A student who achieves a 4 or a 5 on the Advanced Placement test in Biology will be awarded credit for BIOL 120. Those same students may be eligible to take proficiency exams for BIOL 122, subject to strict time constraints (see University Catalog section on proficiency exams for details). Contact the department chair for more information.

Course credits submitted for a major or minor in the Biological Sciences may not be taken credit/no entry.

Secondary Education Licensure: Students interested in teaching high school biology are required to meet biology licensure requirements. Specific requirements are available from the Education Department.