Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biology/Anthropology, BS


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Combined major offered by the Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering and the Department of Anthropology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

103-108 Credits

Introduction

Biology is the study of living organisms. As scientists, biologists have three goals: (1) understanding the structure and function of organisms, (2) generating and disseminating reliable data pertaining to biological systems, and (3) developing a deep understanding of the natural world that can inform solutions for the serious environmental, medical, and social concerns facing humanity.

Our goal as educators is to maintain intensive academic programs designed to stimulate curiosity, creativity and life-long critical thinking in students who pursue a liberal arts education in Biology.  All of the B.S. programs in Biology are designed for students who plan to pursue post-graduate study or professional careers in biology or teaching. We have designed these programs to enable students to develop an integrated conceptual foundation in biology, as well as critical thinking skills, quantitative problem-solving abilities, leadership and team-building skills, and scientific research skills.

Each B.S. program features a core curriculum at the 200-level and 300-level, plus one 400-level course in evolution. The primary differences between the emphases lie in the choices of additional upper-division lab and lecture courses that a student takes to 1) gain a depth of knowledge in a focal area, 2) have opportunities to integrate and apply that knowledge in various settings including the lab, the field, and discussions with others, and 3) develop skills and abilities that are tailored to particular interests and career paths.

Why Consider a Biology/Anthropology Major?

The Biology/Anthropology major concentrates on human biology and behavioral science. This major is most useful for those continuing on in applied health careers such as: Medicine, Osteopathy, Optometry, Dentistry, etc. It is also useful for Epidemiology, public health and graduate programs in Human Biology and Biological Anthropology.

 Contact Information

Anthropology Program Advisor
Tesla Monson
Arntzen Hall 320
360-650-4787
Tesla.Monson@wwu.edu

Biology Program Advisor
José Serrano-Moreno
Biology 331
360-650-3633
Jose.Serrano-Moreno@wwu.edu

Anthropology Program Advisor
MJ Mosher
Arntzen Hall 324
360-650-3614
M.J.Mosher@wwu.edu

 

Program Coordinators for Advising
Maren Brinson and Alexis Donnelly
Biology 315
360-650-6165
biologyadvising@wwu.edu

 Sample Careers

Medical Doctor | Physician’s Assistant | Applied Health Professions | Museum Conservator | Forensic Anthropologist | Biological Anthropologist | Epidemiology and Public Health

 Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

The Biology Department has a two-step process for admission into our degree programs. Phase I students are students who have declared their intent to major in biology and are in the process of completing the introductory biology (BIOL 204, BIOL 205, BIOL 206) and general chemistry (CHEM 161, CHEM 162, CHEM 163) series. Admission to Phase II is based on academic performance in the introductory courses. Students must achieve an average grade of 2.9 or higher in their introductory biology and general chemistry courses, whether taken at Western or as equivalent transfer courses before they can advance to Phase II and begin taking upper-division coursework.  In addition to meeting the GPA requirement, eligible students must also attend a Phase II Advancement Session before access to 300 and 400 level biology courses will be granted. These sessions are offered once per quarter prior to course registration for the subsequent term. Discussions during this workshop will cover a variety of topics relevant to students in upper level curriculum. Students are encouraged to visit cse.wwu.edu/biology/advising-0 for more detailed information about the major declaration process and the GPA requirement, including our policies concerning course retakes and the requirements for early admission to Phase II.

Biology Phase II status required for admission into 300- and 400-level biology courses for biology majors.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major courses.

Requirements


Basic Requirements:


Completion requirement:


Electives:


0-9 credits to make 103-108 total.

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