Biology - B.S.
Mission
The Biology Department at Indiana Wesleyan University is committed to the belief that all truth is God's truth. To that end, we endeavor to instill students with biological knowledge, technical skill, and a Judeo-Christian disposition, empowering them to positively impact the world around them.
General Education Objectives
The Biology Department offers classes that fulfill the laboratory science general education objectives for the College of Arts and Sciences. Upon completion of any general education lab, science students should be able to:
- Articulate the steps used in the scientific method.
- Gather, analyze, and draw conclusions based on observations.
- Hypothesize and design an experiment to test the hypothesis.
- Understand the strengths and weaknesses of scientific inquiry.
- Evaluate sources of information for scientific validity.
- Attain amateur expertise and hands-on experience in a sub-discipline of science.
- Articulate what is meant by a scientific world-view.
- Appreciate the natural world as God's creation.
- Value the concept of stewardship of the creation.
- Integrate a Christian world-view in the context of scientific discovery.
The following biology courses meet or exceed these objectives:
BIO-100, BIO-102, BIO-105, BIO-106, BIO-107, BIO-108, BIO-109, BIO-111, BIO-112, BIO-113, BIO-125
It is incumbent upon the student to meet any prerequisites that may be necessary to enroll in the classes listed above.
Biology Major Outcomes:
The Biology major at Indiana Wesleyan University is designed to provide the student with a broad understanding of some of the most important topics in biology. Specialized knowledge about more advanced topics is also available by taking upper division courses in the student's area of interest.
Our goal is to assist the student in achieving competence (defined by assessment in each objective of the following three domains: Cognitive, Psychomotor, and Affective). Upon completion of the curriculum in the Biology major, the student should be able to:
Knowledge: (Cognitive Domain)
- Define and defend the characteristics of life, in general, and human life in particular.
- Describe the cell as the structural and functional building block of life, list the structures that make up the cell, and explain their function in precise terms.
- Demonstrate, using examples, the many ways by which cells communicate with one another and live in communities whether they are biofilms, tissues, or organ systems.
- Identify and describe the general anatomy of the major organ systems common to animals; explain the physiology of these systems, and show how form and function are related.
- Identify and articulate the similarities and differences that exist in the various groups of animals.
- Identify and articulate the similarities and differences that exist in the various groups of plants.
- Identify and articulate the relationships between plants, animals, and their environment.
- Use bioinformatics as a tool to access the information needed to describe and predict biological phenomenon.
- Describe and evaluate the evidence regarding the relatedness and common origin of life in the context of a broadly Christian world-view.
- Identify the patterns of genetic inheritance and explain the mechanisms of genetic regulation and dysregulation.
Skills: (Psychomotor Domain)
- Mount, illuminate, and focus slides on a microscope, then use the microscope to identify cellular structures, tissues, and various classes of microbes.
- Make proper use of the instruments of dissection (scalpel, forceps, scissors, etc.) to correctly identify plant and animal structures.
- Demonstrate proper technique for the collection of samples.
- Identify, appropriately use, and cite scientifically credible sources in the literature.
- Utilize the scientific method to create experiments with appropriate controls and variables.
- Analyze data for validity and reliability using appropriate statistical tools.
- Organize and present data in a logical and professional manner.
Dispositions: (Affective Domain)
- Be committed to the pursuit of truth in science while reconciling apparent conflicts between science and faith.
- Use data gleaned from the scientific method to critically analyze a problem, hypothesize a solution, and test the veracity of the hypothesis.
- Develop a love of learning that crosses many academic disciplines and continues throughout the life span.
- Recognize and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the creation.
- Value and adhere to a lifestyle consistent with the conscientious stewardship of creation.
- Recognize and appreciate the complexity of creation, realizing that explaining things in scientific terms does not negate the miracle of it all.
Requirements for the Biology major (B.S.)
A major in Biology requires 52 hours of coursework (42 hours in biology and 10 hours in chemistry). Only courses numbered 125 and above may be applied toward the major or a minor in biology. All prerequisite courses require a grade of “C” or better. Students are not allowed to register for classes with numbers > 300 if their GPA is below 2.5.
To begin taking classes toward the Biology major, students must be eligible to take ENG-120 and have achieved the following:
Math SAT I > 480 (or MAT-120)
ACT > 21 (or MAT-120)
Standards Required to Enter the Gateway Courses:
BIO-125 and CHE-125 are the first courses taken in the major. The standards required to take each of these courses are as follows:
BIO-125 - Completion of BIO-100 with a grade of "C" or better OR permission of instructor.
CHE-125 - Completion of CHE-110 with a grade of "C" or better OR one year of high school chemistry and one of the following acceptable scores: Math SAT (480 or above) or ACT (21 or above).
Requirements (52-57 credits)
Biology Core (30 credits)
Chemistry Core (10 credits)
Biology Electives (Choose five totaling 12-17 credits)
BIO-495: only 2 credits maximum apply toward major or minor
Highly Recommended for those planning to apply to medical or graduate schools in sciences
