Bachelor in Biology

Overview

The Department of Biology offers several courses of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate students can choose among four concentrations in the Biology B.S. degree (Biology, Cellular Biology, Environmental Biology, or Health Sciences).

• Biology (BIOL)

**Options: Botany, Marine Biology, Microbiology, and Zoology

• Cellular Biology (BIBC)
• Environmental Biology (BIEB)
• Health Sciences (BIHS)

Why Study Biology?

Biology is the study of living organisms at all levels. Because of the complexity and amazing diversity of living organisms, biology is divided into a number of disciplines. The Department of Biology at Tennessee Tech provides all the tools and opportunities needed for the academic development of a professional in a wide range of careers within the biological sciences. Recent graduates have been employed within various government agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, National Park Service, and numerous state wildlife and fisheries agencies, park services, departments of health and the environment, and regulatory agencies. Additionally, many graduates go on to graduate and professional schools, such as medical, pharmacy, and physician assistant schools.

Wildlife and Fisheries Science B.S. Degree

The Department of Biology offers several courses of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate students can choose among the three concentrations in Wildlife and Fisheries Science B.S. degree (Conservation Biology, Fisheries Science, or Wildlife Science).

• Conservation Biology
• Fisheries Science
• Wildlife Science

About the Department

The Department of Biology is committed to the study of living organisms through teaching, research, and public service. The Department is staffed with 21 faculty members representing various subject areas in biology and three permanent support staff personnel. In addition, several research associates are supported with outside contracts and grants. Adjunct faculty members from state and federal agencies also teach courses in their areas of expertise. Approximately 550 undergraduate students and 30 graduate students are enrolled in programs within the Department.

The Department houses the federally-funded and state-funded Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit and interacts with the TTU Center for the Management, Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources. The Department also is affiliated with the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Personnel from these units provide additional expertise in a wide range of biological disciplines.

The Department of Biology offers several courses of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate students can choose among four concentrations in the Biology B.S. degree (Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environmental Biology, or Health Sciences) or three concentrations in Wildlife and Fisheries Science B.S. degree (Conservation Biology, Fisheries Science, or Wildlife Science).

Department Mission

The primary mission of the Department of Biology at Tennessee Tech is to promote biological education in the region, state, and nation through teaching, research, and public service.

Program Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

• Program Goal 1: Cooperative programs (“co-ops”) or experiential internships will be completed by at least 10% of BIOL students during their undergraduate years.
• Program Goal 2: The Department of Biology will increase the incorporation of active-learning strategies in courses offered.
• Program Goal 3: The Department of Biology will increase undergraduate retention.
• Program Goal 4: The Department of Biology will make significant progress toward increasing diversity.
• Student Learning Outcome 1: Undergraduate Biology majors will demonstrate improved critical thinking skills.
• Student Learning Outcome 2: Biology majors will participate in extracurricular activities related to their discipline.
• Student Learning Outcome 3: All students completing a degree in Biology at Tennessee Technological University will use scientific reasoning as codified by the structured process commonly known as the scientific method.
• Student Learning Outcome 4: Biology majors will be able to demonstrate a command of general biology and the general principles in various specific areas of biology.