Biology courses are offered to serve the needs of students in major and minor fields, as well as students in allied health and professional majors and non-science majors fulfilling general education and degree requirements. Majors will be prepared to face regional competition for employment and academic placement. In accord with the general mission of the University, courses are taught with a Christian worldview while maintaining a perspective of objective analysis and rigorously discriminating between observation and derived theories. Students desiring certification to teach biology and/or chemistry in the secondary school are required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to complete a Unified Science Core of at least 39 hours. This Unified Science certificate is designed for the beginning high school sciences (i.e., Biology I or Chemistry I). Students who desire certification to teach advanced biology or chemistry in the secondary school are required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to complete a Unified Science Core of at least 39 hours, with an additional 20 hours minimum in at least one endorsement area (Biology or Chemistry). The program requires specific courses; for details, see the Division Chair of the Natural Sciences or the Division Chair of Education.

The possibilities for careers in the field of biology are endless, depending on how you plan to apply the education you have received. Career paths in biology include: research, health care, environment/conservation, education, biotechnology, forensics, politics/lobbying, business and industry, mathematics, communication, art, computer science/informatics. Professional Degree Programs Medical school Dental school Veterinary school Podiatry school Chiropractic school Research Graduate school - Click on “Biology-Related Fields of Study” to see available programs at accredited schools. Laboratory research technician Laboratory equipment development or sales Technical support for laboratory equipment or supplies Forensics Animal Care Zookeeper Veterinary technician Environment/Conservation Wildlife biology Conservation and forestry Education Teaching middle school/high school College professor Educators at science or nature center Zoo docent Science writing and communication Computer Science Bioinformatics Research Opportunities Several research opportunities exist for undergraduate students. Local companies that offer internship opportunities to students include: Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Monsanto Pfizer St. Louis Science Center Internship Opportunities(PDF) There are several large research universities in the St. Louis area that also may hire students to work in research laboratories as research technicians or undergraduate assistants. Interested students should routinely check the human resources websites of the universities. Washington University - Click on “Research” in the “Job Category” tab and click “search” Saint Louis University - Click on “Research” in the “Job Category” tab and click “search” Southern Illinois University Edwardsville