Bachelor in Conservation Biology

Major in Biology with a conservation track at Thiel College and you will:

• Understand biological principles and their implications.
• Discover how the social sciences and traditional combine in the most effective conservation strategies.
• Communicate effectively about biological and ecological matters.
• Learn in small classes that provide plenty of personal attention.
• Attain membership in Beta Beta Beta biology honors society.

Major Requirements - Bachelor of Arts Degree

I. Foundational Courses

• BIO 145 Foundations of Biology
• BIO 116 Conservation Biology
• BIO 263 Plant Systematics

And one of the following two courses:

• BIO 262 Animal Systematics
• BIO 272 Entomology

II. Breadth in the Discipline

• BIO 342 Biostatistics and Research Methods
• BIO 392 General Ecology

And one of the following two courses:

• BIO 290 Cell Biology
• BIO 322 Genetics

And two of the following courses:

• BIO 212 Microbiology
• BIO 222 Entomology
• BIO 262 Animal Systematics
• BIO 272 Animal Behavior
• BIO 273 Toxicology
• BIO 302 Plant Physiology
• BIO 394 Aquatic Ecology

Note: Courses applied as foundational courses may not also be applied as breadth in the discipline courses.

III. Senior Capstone Experience in Biology

A completed research project under the supervision of a biology department faculty member is required of the student majoring in biology. The project is culminated with a formal scientific research paper and a formal oral presentation.

Students must take both of these courses:

• BIO 395 Junior Research Seminar
• BIO 462 Senior Seminar

And one of the following two courses:

• BIO 452 Advanced Biology
• BIO 482 Independent Study

IV. Specified I.R. courses, and related sciences (because of the interdisciplinary nature of the major)

• MATH 107 College Algebra (minimum requirement)

And one of the following three pairings:

• CHEM 140 General Chemistry I
• CHEM 160 General Chemistry II

OR

• PHYS 154 Physics I (non-calc based)
• PHYS 164 Physics II (non-calc based)

OR

• PHYS 174 Physics I (calculus-based)
• PHYS 184 Physics II (calculus-based)

And one of the following:

• POSC 116 American Government and Politics
• POSC 236 Public Policy

And one of the following:

• ECON 211 Macroeconomics
• ECON 221 Microeconomics

And one of the following:

• SOC 141 Macrosociology
• SOC 211 Anthropology

And one of the following:

• REL 200 Contemporary Ethical Issues
• PHIL 267 Ethics
• PHIL 297 Environmental Ethics

And a Foreign language, especially Spanish (I.R. I)

Note: These courses can be applied to the CORE.

Graduate with a degree in Biology and the world opens up to you. Graduate from Thiel, and you’ll be perfectly positioned to pursue your choice of dozens of careers. Or you’ll be ready to pursue an advanced degree. Our rigorous laboratory-based curriculum combined with our flexible liberal arts learning creates scientists who think creatively – a powerful combination. Plus, you’ll get to test your abilities in real-life situations before you graduate.

Here are just a few of the opportunities available right after graduation:*

• Biological Technicians perform lab tests and collect field samples. The median salary is currently $41,650 per year.
• Conservation Scientists plan ways to utilize natural resources but still protect the environment. The median salary is currently $61,110 per year.
• Zoologists who specialize in conservation biology study endangered species and research methods of protection. The median salary is currently $59,680 per year. A graduate degree is needed for advancement.