Biomedical Sciences
Degree: B.S., Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Biology encompasses the study of all living things and their interaction with the environment. The Department faculty is dedicated to providing students with a strong undergraduate education in the fundamental principles of biology, while offering opportunities and encouraging students to pursue specialized interests in health-related professions.
The Biomedical Sciences major is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in the health sciences. The track provides students with the knowledge and the skills to be successful candidates for graduate study in a broad range of health-related fields including medical, dental, physician’s assistant, nursing, physical therapy, and more. Students who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology with a major in Biomedical Science.
This program provides discipline-specific knowledge required for students to pursue graduate programs in the health sciences. It provides a thorough foundation in biology’s fundamental principles including organism function, cell biology, genetics, physiology and the research process. Command of these core concepts is necessary for students to understand complex biological problems and to apply their knowledge to health-related problems. Four health related natural science electives are required so that students can develop a strong understanding of the basis of human health. Additionally, students must choose one course on societal perspectives on health which will expose students to a variety of health care concerns and provide a framework for the students to understand and have empathy for their patients.
The Biomedical Sciences major also emphasizes skills that students need to be effective health care providers. The capstone experience for this track focuses on the clinical experiences that are necessary for students to gain perspective on the true nature of their chosen profession and required of all health-related graduate programs. Students can utilize their health-related internships, study abroad, or research experience to apply what they have learned and satisfy the beyond the classroom learning requirement.
All of the equipment and facilities in the department are available for undergraduate student use. Collections of microscope slides, vertebrate and invertebrate specimens and a herbarium are available to enhance learning. Advanced laboratory instrumentation such as spectrophotometers, thermalcyclers, ultracentrifuges, and two electron microscopes allow students to engage in sophisticated research.
Outstanding junior and senior biology majors have the opportunity to participate in the undergraduate research program. Working with a faculty mentor, the student explores the literature, defines an original research problem, and utilizes the appropriate research and analytical techniques to investigate the problem. On many occasions this work results in presentations at state, regional, and national scientific meetings. Research students who meet minimum requirements (3.0 overall GPA and a 3.25 average in biology) may pursue Honors in Biology by writing and defending a thesis on their research project. Students can also gain focused research experience via participation in the UMW Summer Science Institute. Financial support for student research is available. Additionally, biology faculty offer research opportunities through the university’s undergraduate research (URES 197 Undergraduate Research) program.
In addition to the “Beyond the Classroom” requirement found on the general education course list, the department has established another mechanism by which biology majors may satisfy the experiential learning general education requirement. The Biology service learning option requires students to apply knowledge and skills acquired in their formal courses and to reflect upon how such application has augmented their education.
Students will complete a service-learning contract in which they will:
- identify the agencies for which they will conduct their service
- indicate the biology faculty members who will evaluate the academic component of their activities
- describe the duties that they will carry out for these agencies
Students must complete 40 hours of service within 12 months of submitting their contracts. Students completing their community service during their last semester must complete all requirements by March 1 (November 1 for those finishing in December). Contact the biology department chair for additional details.
Students must earn a C- or better in most BIOL required courses that serve as prerequisites for other BIOL courses. Students must also earn a C- or better in the core courses (BIOL 260 Biostatistics and Research Design, BIOL 340 Cellular Biology, BIOL 341 General Genetics, and BIOL 413 Human Physiology ) to graduate with a major in Biomedical Sciences. See also the Department of Chemistry’s minimum grade requirements for CHEM 111 General Chemistry I, CHEM 112 General Chemistry II.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 126 | Phage Hunters II | 4 |
| or BIOL 132 | Organism Function and Diversity | |
| BIOL 260 | Biostatistics and Research Design | 4 |
| BIOL 340 | Cellular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 341 | General Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL 413 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| Four health related natural science electives (at least two courses must have labs) from: | 15 | |
| Anatomy Chordates, w/lab | ||
or BIOL 384 | Human Anatomy | |
| Microbiology | ||
| Parasitology | ||
| Histology | ||
| Neurobiology | ||
| Exercise Physiology | ||
| Nutrition and Metabolism | ||
| Vertebrate Endocrinology | ||
| Neuroethology 2 | ||
| Molecular Biology of the Gene 2 | ||
| Virology 2 | ||
| Developmental Biology 2 | ||
| Biology of Cancer | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Evolution | ||
| The Biology and Biochemistry of Proteins | ||
| Bioinformatics | ||
| Seminar 1 | ||
| Research in Endocrinology 2 | ||
| Topics in Biology 1 | ||
| Research-Intensive Topics in Biology 1,2 | ||
| Literature Research in Biology 1 | ||
| Internship 3 | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Biochemistry I | ||
| One course on the societal perspective on health from: | 3 | |
| Writing about Medicine | ||
| Medical Ethics | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Medical Sociology | ||
| Global Perspectives on Health and Illness | ||
| One Research Intensive Course from: 2 | 4 | |
| Research Design & Proposal Development in Biology and Special Problems in Biology | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
- 1
Approved sections only.
- 2
The following courses also fulfill the Research Intensive requirement:BIOL 419 Neuroethology, BIOL 432 Virology, BIOL 430 Molecular Biology of the Gene, BIOL 439 Developmental Biology, BIOL 466 Research in Endocrinology and select BIOL 472 Research-Intensive Topics in Biology
- 3
A maximum of 2 credit hours of BIOL 499 Internship may count towards the Biomedical Sciences major
Biological Sciences Department
Dianne M. Baker, Chair
Faculty
Professors
Dianne M. Baker
Andrew S. Dolby
Alan B. Griffith
Lynn O. Lewis
Deborah A. O’Dell
Associate Professors
Theresa M. Grana
Bradley A. Lamphere
Abbie M. Tomba
R. Parrish Waters
April N. Wynn
Assistant Professors
Swati Agrawal
Josephine Antwi
Ginny R. Morriss
Laura M. Sipe
Senior Lecturer
Michael C. Stebar