Are you fascinated by the natural world and have always wondered why we are made the way we are? Do you have a desire to study life and all its physical properties, from the largest mammals to the smallest bacteria and viruses? With a Bachelor of Science in Biology, you can leverage your strengths in analysis, exploration, problem-solving, and the sciences into finding answers within life's complexities and intricacies.
At PLNU, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of this dynamic field, which will prepare you for graduate school and an endless range of occupations and specializations. Initial courses in biochemistry, organismal biology, and general chemistry introduce you to the processes, concepts, and theories of biology across a broad range of levels. Upper division courses like genetics, conservation ecology, microbiology, immunology, marine biology, and more will hone your critical thinking, knowledge, and quantitative skills that are essential for applying your education to a real-world setting.
PLNU also has a robust pre-health program to train and equip you for professions in medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. Since 2004, over 90 percent of PLNU students who have applied to health professions schools have been admitted. Similarly, the acceptance rate for biology and chemistry students applying to graduate school programs (M.A., M.S., and Ph.D.) is over 95 percent. By offering rigorous courses alongside individualized support and guidance in the form of internships, pre-health advisors, laboratory classes, and more, you can be confident and prepared moving onto graduate and medical schools.
Additionally, the Department of Biology offers five minor areas of study where you'll be able to take classes in other academic disciplines, like computational science or business. These minors offer the chance to specialize and gain in-depth, expert knowledge that will set you apart as you move onto a career in biology or graduate studies.
You will also be able to work side-by-side with passionate and knowledgeable professors within classroom labs and field experience outings. Some other unique hands-on learning opportunities available are faculty-assisted research projects, internships, and even co-authoring scholarly papers for national and international scientific journals. You'll also have access to sophisticated instrumentation and computational resources for use in courses and labs, all housed within our new state-of-the-art science center.
At PLNU, our Biology B.S. program focuses on two goals:
- Introducing you to the processes, concepts, and theories of biology across a broad range of levels
- Honing your critical thinking, knowledge, and quantitative skills that are essential for applying your education to a real-world setting
