Biology Department:
Program Description & Mission Statement

                                        Program Description

             The study of biology reveals the universal principles governing the 
             phenomenon of life. Our program enables students to know what a 
             modern biologist is, to understand how biologists think, to see how 
             discoveries are made, and to apply the scientific process to everyday 
             experience.

             To meet these objectives the Biology Department provides a broad 
             base of knowledge of the principles of molecular, cellular, genetic, 
             physiological, morphological, and ecological studies; an environment 
             that provides independent development and habits of life-long 
             scholarship; and a program that enables the individual student to 
             carry out independent biological research.

             At Muskingum College the study of biology prepares students for 
             graduate work in biology at a university or medical school, to teach 
             biology, and to fulfill requirements for entrance into schools 
             of medicine, dentistry, nursing, medical technology, and physical 
             therapy.

             The Biology Department occupies 12,500 square feet in the Boyd 
             Science Center. The space includes five teaching labs, a greenhouse, 
             five controlled environment rooms, twelve double occupancy 
             student research laboratories, a photographic darkroom, animal 
             rooms for cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals, a seminar room, 
             and a classroom.

             In addition the Biology Department operates the McAllister 
             Biological Station, a fifty-seven acre field station that provides a 
             diversified outdoor laboratory for both short term and long term 
             ecological, floristic and systematic studies.

             The Biology Department contributes to four interdisciplinary majors:
  Environmental Science, Conservation Science, Neuroscience & Molecular Biology 

         BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT:

               The Biology Department Faculty exists in a liberal arts college 
                 environment with the overriding purpose to develop students 
                         intellectually, spiritually, socially, and physically.



     The Biology Department Faculty Encourages The Following:

     Students destined for professional or graduate schools requiring a Biology 
       Major. These include pre-graduate, pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-veterinarian, 
       and pre-physical therapy students and future Biology teachers. 

     Liberal arts students who are majoring in other disciplines and yet have an 
       interest in Biology. 

     Participation in interdisciplinary studies in Neuroscience, Environmental 
       Science, Conservation Biology and Molecular Biology, each of which has a 
       significant Biological component. 

     Faculty advising with nurturing and caring for individual students. 

     Encouraging individual students in individual research projects. 

     Faculty development, renewal, and research. Life-long Faculty scholarship is 
       important as it is a model for the student's future life-long learning. 


                                                               Goals:

   Students will understand the universal principles governing the phenomenon of 
      life. 

   Students will know what a modern biologist is, understand how biologists think, 
     see how discoveries are made, and apply the scientific process to their everyday 
     lives. 

   Students will engage in a broad based knowledge of the principles of cellular, 
     molecular, genetic, physiological, morphological, and ecological studies. 

   Students will develop a sensitivity to the role of critical and creative thinking as 
      it operates in the scientific process. 

   To integrate a sense of ethical thinking and behavior in the student's 
      professional and personal life. 

   To engage the liberal arts students in their development of scientific literacy          
      and  to develop an understanding of the scientific process as a way of thinking       
      that can be applied not only to science but to their everyday life.