What majors and minors are
offered?
Why should I major in biology?
Why should I choose this biology program?
Are your programs accredited?
Why is it important that the program is accredited?
What type of graduate schools and programs are
your graduates attending?
What are the admission requirements for the program?
As a high school student, how should I prepare
for a biology degree?
What type of student succeeds in the field of biology?
What is the typical class size?
How do students work together with faculty?
What student organizations are available?
What type of awards have your faculty and students
received?
Has your department received any special recognition?
What types of grants have your department
received?
Does your department have any partnerships with
medical schools?
Does the department have any direct interaction
with the community?
What
majors and minors are offered?
The Department of Biology offers a Bachelor of Science
degree in Biology/Health Science for preparation for medical school,
dental school, and veterinary school. The Bachelor of Science
degrees in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
prepare graduates for entry-level work in the life sciences industry
or entry into graduate school. For certification
in secondary science teaching,
Missouri Western offers a bachelor of science
in Natural Science/Biology Teaching. For entry-level work in wildlife
and environmental sciences or graduate school in these areas,
students can pursue a bachelor of science degree in Wildlife Conservation
and Management. The bachelor of science in Biology/General emphasis
and the bachelor of science in Natural Science-Biology degrees
are general purpose liberal arts degrees that can be used for
a variety of career paths.
Why should I major
in biology?
Expectations are high for new discoveries and new industries
in the life science field. Just as the 20th century was the “Century
of Chemistry and Physics,” the 21st is predicted to be “The
Century of Biology.” Creative people with a strong foundation
in the life sciences will be needed in agriculture, pharmaceuticals,
medicine, environmental science and conservation. The department
has excellent programs for entry-level positions in all of these
fields. The department also provides an outstanding foundation
for entry into graduate and advanced professional schools. Students
are encouraged to critically evaluate information from a diversity
of fields and in this way students become “critical thinkers,” capable
of succeeding in a variety of jobs.
Why should I choose
this biology program?
- The professors are dedicated
to the students, and are outstanding
teachers and researchers. They
work very closely with students
on research projects, and a high
percentage of students present
their findings at professional
meetings.
- The department provides a variety
of internships, service, research
and travel abroad opportunities.
- Professors are dedicated to advising
students through the formal advisement
program and through informal meetings.
Expectations regarding student
performance are high.
- Grants to support student/faculty
research are available within the
department and from the university.
- Faculty members have professional
ties with industry and agencies
that provide numerous career opportunities
for students.
Are your programs accredited?
- The Bachelor of Science in Natural
Science/Biology Teaching is fully
accredited by National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education
and the State of Missouri .
- The bachelor of science in Wildlife
Conservation and Management degree
is one of only two programs in
the state of Missouri to offer
all of the required courses for
certification as a Wildlife Biologist
by the Wildlife Society.
Why is it important that the program
is accredited?
National accreditation is one way to ensure the quality
of the program you choose. The organizations
providing accreditations ensure the program
meets certain standards of quality.
What type of graduate
schools and programs are your graduates attending?
A growing number of our graduates go on to graduate and
advanced professional schools after earning their bachelor’s
degree. Numerous Biology Department graduates are enrolled in,
or have completed, master’s or doctorate programs and many
others have completed or are working on medical-oriented professional
degrees to become medical doctors, veterinarians or dentists.
What are the admission
requirements for the program?
The entrance requirements are the same as those required
by the institution.
As a high school
student, how should I prepare for a biology degree?
High school students who have completed the college-preparatory
curriculum including at least three years of high school science,
and mathematics through advanced algebra, are best prepared for
the field of biology.
What type of student
succeeds in the field of biology?
Besides completing the college prep high school curriculum,
students that are highly motivated in biology and have a problem-solving
orientation are most likely to succeed.
What
is the typical class size?
Although first-semester freshman biology class lectures
are large (60 to 100 students), lab sections typically have less
than 24 students. Upper division classes often have 10 to 20 students.
How do students
work together with faculty?
Students and faculty work closely on a one-on-one basis
during faculty-sponsored internships and student research projects.
Faculty members also make every effort to meet with students as
they work on projects, study for exams, and plan their schedules
during advisement sessions.
What student organizations
are available?
What type of awards
have your faculty and students received?
- Four biology students from
Missouri Western
won awards for their research presentations
at the district meeting of the
Beta Beta Beta National Biological
Honor Society.
- One faculty member was awarded
the Jesse Lee Meyers Excellence
in Teaching Award for 2004.
- Our Student Chapter of the Wildlife
Society won the Best Chapter Award
in the central states for 2004.
Has your department received
any special recognition?
The department’s Student Chapter of the Wildlife
Society was awarded the Best Chapter in the Central States for
their quality work during 2004.
What types of grants
have your department received recently?
- Grants from the Missouri Department
of Conservation totaling $7,500.
- Grants from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service totaling $10,000.
- Grants from the National Institutes
of Health totaling $136,000.
- Grants from the National Science
Foundation totaling $61,000.
- Grants from the Environmental
Systems Research Institute totaling
$160,000.
- One biology professor helped
to write, and two biology faculty
members were instructors, on an
$117,000 Coordinating Board of
Higher Education No Child Left
Behind Grant involving area secondary
science teachers.
Does your department
have any partnerships with medical schools?
The department has formed partnerships with two medical
schools in Missouri to offer early admission to qualified
Missouri Western
Biology majors.
Does the department
have any direct interaction with the community?
The department’s student clubs are involved in
numerous service projects such as street and trail clean-up, Girl
Scout Merit Badge workshops, stream team work, deer check stations,
and quail surveys and volunteer naturalists for the Missouri Department
of Conservation.Faculty members serve on various community boards
and volunteer for community projects throughout the year. They
also work with students on their club projects and host many community
and school groups that tour the department. 
