Biology

Introduction

What is biology? What do biologists do? Biology is the study of living organisms, and biological scientists work across many interconnected systems to generate data that deepen our understanding of the natural world and inform solutions for the challenges facing humanity. The many subdisciplines of biology that span scales ranging from cells to organisms to ecosystems are unified by fundamental principles like evolution and genetics. The WWU Biology program guides students through these interconnected principles with a broad-based core curriculum that prepares undergraduates to explore specific areas of biology in depth. The department offers nine Bachelor of Science (BS) degree programs: seven concentrations, and two interdisciplinary program options in collaboration with the departments of Anthropology and Mathematics. There is also a Bachelor of Arts (BA) option. A WWU Biology degree enables graduates to integrate foundational concepts in biology and use critical thinking skills, quantitative problem-solving abilities, leadership and team-building skills, and scientific research skills. Degrees offered within the WWU Biology program prepare students for careers spanning many fields, including agriculture, biomedical research, biotechnology, conservation, education, environmental science, and medicine.

Why choose WWU Biology? Our department is distinguished by small class sizes and direct engagement with dedicated faculty who care about student success. Here, you will be part of a student-centered, inclusive, welcoming, and engaging learning community, with access to experiential and place-based learning. For example, through upper-level laboratory courses and research experiences, you can access state-of-the-art research instrumentation, and explore the diversity of nearby habitats, from the Salish Sea to the Cascade Mountains. In addition to coursework, students may pursue research opportunities with faculty, who specialize in such disciplines as marine biology, plant biology, microbiology, molecular and cellular biology, organismal biology, evolution, development, and ecology. To peruse the current list of faculty and their research interests, please see the Biology website.

Faculty

DIETMAR SCHWARZ (2008) Chair and Professor. Diplom Biology, Christian-Albrechts Universität, Kiel, Germany; PhD, Pennsylvania State University.
ALEJANDRO ACEVEDO-GUTIÉRREZ (2002) Professor. BSc, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, Mexico; PhD, Texas A&M University.
SHAWN ARELLANO (2018) Professor. BS, University of Kansas; PhD, University of Oregon.
MARION BRODHAGEN (2006) Professor. BS, University of Wisconsin; MS, PhD, Oregon State University.
JIM COOPER (2020) Associate Professor. BS, Florida State University. MS, Florida State University. Ph.D., The University of Chicago.
CAROLINE DAHLBERG (2014) Professor. BS, Haverford College; PhD, University of Washington.
ERIC DECHAINE (2006) Professor. BA, University of California-San Diego; MS, University of Hawaii-Manoa; PhD, University of Colorado-Boulder.
DEBORAH A. DONOVAN (1998) Professor. BSc, MSc, University of California-Davis; PhD, University of British Columbia.
NICK GALATI (2018) Associate Professor. BS, Millersville University of Pennsylvania; PhD, University of Colorado-Boulder.
SUZANNE LEE (2015) Associate Professor. BA, Wellesley College; PhD, University of California Berkeley.
BENJAMIN MINER (2006) Professor. BA, University of California-Santa Cruz; PhD, University of Florida.
CRAIG L. MOYER (1997) Professor. BS, MS, Oregon State University; PhD, University of Hawaii.
M. BRADY OLSON (2018) Professor. BS, University of Idaho; MS, Western Washington University; PhD, University of Washington.
MERRILL A. PETERSON (1997) Professor. BS, University of Washington; PhD, Cornell University.
LAURA M. PILLAY (2022) Assistant Professor. BS, University of Alberta; PhD, University of Alberta.
LYNN J. PILLITTERI (2008) Professor. BS, Binghamton University; MS, PhD, University of California, Riverside.
DANIEL POLLARD (2015) Professor. BA, Bowdoin College; PhD, University of California Berkeley.
SANDRA SCHULZE (2006) Associate Professor. BS, University of British Columbia; PhD, Simon Fraser University.
ANU SINGH-CUNDY (1996) Associate Professor. BSc, MSc, Delhi University, Delhi, India; PhD, Cornell University.
ANNELISE G. SNYDER (2023) Assistant Professor. BA, Williams College; PhD, University of Washington
CHRISTOPHER N. TEMPLETON (2023) Associate Professor. BS, Denison University; MS, University of Montana, Missoula; PhD, University of Washington
ADRIENNE M. WANG (2017) Associate Professor. BA, University of California-Berkeley; PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
MATTHEW S. ZINKGRAF (2017) Associate Professor. BS, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; PhD, Northern Arizona University.

Affiliated Teaching Faculty

ELIZABETH BINNEY (2004) Senior Instructor. BA, Antioch College; MS, Western Washington University; PhD, University of British Columbia.
GEORGIANNE CONNELL (2004) Senior Instructor. BA, Seattle Pacific University; MS, Western Washington University.
CARRIE SCHWARZ (2008) Senior Instructor. BS, University of Maryland; MS, PhD, Pennsylvania State University.
JOSÉ SERRANO-MORENO (2007) Senior Instructor. BS, Universidad Central de Venezuela; MS, Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research; PhD, Case Western Reserve University.
GEORGE WILKINSON (2019) Senior Instructor. BS, University of Maryland; PhD, UC San Francisco.

Research Associates

CASEY T. CLARK BS, University of Santa Cruz; MS Moss Landing Marine Laboratories; PhD, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
ERIN D’AGNESE BS, Seattle University; MS, Western Washington University; PhD, University of California, Davis
MELISSA MINER BS, University Of California-Santa Cruz; MS, University of California, Moss Landing Marine Lab.
FREDERICK M. RHOADES BA, Swarthmore College; MS, Oregon State University; PhD, University of Oregon.
JENNIFER TENNESSEN BS, MS, University of Wisconsin-Madison; PhD, Pennsylvania State University.
BARRY WENDLING BS, MS, Western Washington University.

Departmental Mission

In support of Western Washington University and the College of Science and Engineering, the mission of the Biology Department is to provide an outstanding learning environment that integrates education, scholarship, and service to actively engage students in the biological sciences and to foster their development as lifelong learners. Successful graduates of our department will understand fundamental biological principles in depth, will have the laboratory and field skills needed to address biological questions, will have enhanced critical thinking and quantitative skills, will be able to communicate precisely and analytically in written and oral forms, and will be able to engage both independently and collaboratively as thoughtful and productive contributors to society.

We accomplish this mission by:

Offering a broad-based, rigorous, and integrative curriculum
Providing diverse upper-division courses that foster critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills
Offering opportunities for undergraduate research and writing
Providing comprehensive, supportive advising
Providing for timely completion of degree

Other Departmental Information

Facilities and Resources

The 82,000 square-foot Biology Building features teaching labs and research labs equipped with up-to-date instrumentation for molecular, organismal, and ecological analyses, environmental control rooms, a seawater lab, image analysis labs, state-of-the-art microscopy facilities, and multimedia lecture halls. The department also maintains two greenhouses on campus that support teaching and research activities. Nearby, the Salish Sea and the nearby Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges support a rich diversity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats that are frequently utilized for courses and individual projects that focus on organismal or ecological aspects of biology. Additionally, our marine biology program is enriched through our affiliation with Western’s Shannon Point Marine Center near Anacortes, WA.

Undergraduate Programs

Our Bachelor of Science curriculum is designed to (1) prepare undergraduates for careers and graduate studies in diverse areas of biology; (2) prepare students for advanced study in the health professions such as human medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry; and (3) provide a broad exposure to biology for students who want a general science education as biologists and/or teachers. Students can choose from seven concentrations to complete a Biology BS degree in addition to two interdisciplinary degree options:

BS Biology with the following concentrations:
- Biomedical Sciences I Concentration (BMS1)
- Biomedical Sciences II Concentration (BMS2)
- Ecology, Biodiversity, and Organismal Biology Concentration (EBOB)
- Genes, Genomes, and Evolution Concentration (GGE)
- Marine Biology Concentration (MB)
- Molecular, Cellular, and Development Biology Concentration (MCDB)
- Secondary Education Concentration (SE)
BS Biology/Anthropology
BS Biology/Mathematics

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree options in biology and biology/anthropology are designed to provide students with a foundation in biology and can be combined with another discipline of the student’s choice.

BA Biology
BA Anthropology/Biology (administered by Anthropology Department)

Admission and Declaration Process

Admission to the Biology Major is based upon an application procedure that considers prior academic performance (specifically GPA in prerequisite courses) and student responses to focused prompts.

Pre-major Declaration

Students who have been formally admitted into Western may declare a biology pre-major at any time by filling out the Student Academic Declaration and Change Form. Pre-majors are assigned to biology faculty advisors in their area of interest and may expect to be notified regularly via email regarding opportunities for general advising, course registration information, application deadlines, and scholarships.

Application to the Major

Students are eligible to apply to the Biology Major when they have completed BIOL 204, BIOL 205, CHEM 161/175, and CHEM 162/176 with grades of C- or higher. Application involves submitting a completed application form, including responding to prompts about the applicant’s experience, motivation, and goals. See the Biology Department’s website for more details, including information about application prompts, application deadlines, review timeline, and reapplication limits. The Biology Department’s website also has information specific to transfer students interested in applying for admission to the Biology Major, such as application eligibility and transfer course equivalencies.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply to the major at the beginning of the quarter in which they are enrolled in BIOL 206 and/or CHEM 163/225 to ensure timely progress towards graduation. Admission to the major following a successful application is contingent on completing both BIOL 206 and CHEM 163/225 with a grade of C- or higher.

Students admitted to the biology major will receive an email message with instructions for officially declaring Biology as their major.

Departmental Policies

Waitlist Policy

All Biology courses (except independent study, research, teaching practicum, and graduate-level courses) will be part of Western’s automatic waitlist system. Given the variability of enrollment needs across courses within our department, we retain the option to manage course waitlists as summarized below. Application of this policy may change your position on the waitlist without advance notice.

Introductory Biology Courses (BIOL 204, BIOL 205, BIOL 206): Students who have waitlisted for the same course for two consecutive quarters may be eligible for waitlist prioritization. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the department to request a review of their waitlist status on a case-by-case basis. Requests must be submitted by the end of the second week of registration to be considered.

Upper Division (300- and 400- Level) Courses: In courses where waitlist management is necessary, students who have formally applied for graduation will be given priority. Waitlist prioritization for eligible students is completed automatically during the second week of registration to help expedite time to degree completion.

Students who have applied for graduation but are unable to register for a course listed on their approved graduation plan should contact their faculty advisor as soon as possible for assistance.

Failed Prerequisite Policy

The Biology Department enforces Western’s campus-wide prerequisite policy. Students who are enrolled in a course but have failed to pass the prerequisite course with a C– or higher will be required to withdraw from the course immediately. Students who have failed prerequisites will be notified via email within a week after final grades are posted.

Registration and Access to Biology Courses

Most lower-level biology courses are open to all students who have successfully met the prerequisites. All 300- and 400-level courses are major-restricted and the restrictions vary widely by course. It is important to review course restrictions in Browse Classes to fully understand the major restrictions that will be enforced and when it is appropriate to request an instructor override. For more information, students should review the Registration section on our website. In addition, many of our upper-division courses are offered only once per year or once every other year. Students should plan ahead in consultation with their advisor if they are interested in taking specific upper-division courses.

Teaching Careers in Biology

Students wishing to teach at the high school-level in the Washington State public schools need to seek advisement prior to or at the beginning of their third year of college. A Biology Endorsement is earned by completion of the courses in the Biology BS-Secondary Teaching Concentration as well as the certification program in Woodring College of Education.

An additional Science Endorsement may be completed by taking the additional courses of GEOL 211 , GEOL 212 and ASTR 103 or ASTR 113 . All courses for the state teaching endorsement must be completed with a C (2.0) or higher. Students who wish to teach at the college-level complete a Biology BS or BA degree and continue graduate work leading to a master’s or doctoral degree.

Graduate Study

For concentrations leading to the Master of Education or the Master of Science degrees, see the Graduate School section of this catalog.

Programs

Undergraduate Major

Undergraduate Combined Major

Undergraduate Minor

Biology Minor

Graduate

Courses

Biology

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400, 500 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.