Bachelor of Science in
BIOLOGY
Students in a biology major are exposed to a rigorous and broad background in the biological sciences including a strong foundation in mathematics, chemistry, physics and general biology. Lower division biology includes zoology, botany, ecology, genetics, physiology and biochemistry. In the upper division, students take one course from each of the areas of molecular biology, cell organism function, organismal diversity and populations. The remaining three upper division major courses are chosen from a wide variety of electives. Majors also take laboratories with four of their seven upper division biology courses. For this purpose, the Biology Department has eight laboratories equipped for experimentation to support both lower and upper division biology courses. The Biology Department has a field station in Baja California which supports a summer course on the marine ecology of that area. Summer courses are also offered in Africa and Honduras, respectively in mammalogy and marine biology.
Along with acquiring knowledge of fundamental areas of biology, students will also sharpen their skills in critical thinking and problem solving and learn to research, communicate, and present scientific information. Each senior biology major takes a seminar in which he or she carries out library and/or laboratory research under the guidance of one of the faculty and presents his/her findings.
No LMU graduate, however, is a narrow specialist. All have experienced the personal growth and enrichment that flows from Loyola Marymount's core curriculum – an appreciation of the arts, sciences, philosophy, religion, and history that have shaped our world and its various cultures. And each has gained perspective from a university context which never loses sight of the moral and ethical values involved in science and technology.
If you major in biology, you'll be a part of the LMU College of Science and Engineering. The College is more fully described in other publications, but here are a few essentials:
The College
FACULTY
Loyola Marymount has a gifted faculty. What's different about LMU is the degree to which teachers are directly involved with students and their work – not just lecturing, but mentoring through hands-on projects. Most classes are small (classes of 12-30, labs of 12-18), and the professor's door is always open.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Many undergraduate students work side-by-side with faculty on research projects – in plant biology, marine biology, biomedicine, genetics, field biology, cell and molecular biology and genomics among other areas. Many students present the results of their research at regional and national conferences every year.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Southern California is a great area for undergraduate students to gain practical experience. The College helps to arrange internships at companies and other science and technology organizations. In addition to gaining valuable experience, students working as interns can sometimes earn money or credits toward graduation.
Also, many juniors and seniors are hired each year to assist faculty with the many lab classes offered by the College. It's an excellent way to reinforce what you've learned, build your resume and earn while you learn.
PLACEMENT INTO MEDICAL & OTHER PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
In applying to medical schools, LMU students fare better than their counterparts at many of the largest and best known universities. Over the past five years, LMU applicants have gained entry to medical schools at one and a half times the national rate, and nearly all applicants have been accepted for other health-related professional schools such as Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Physical Therapy, and Optometry.
The Biology Major
The biology curriculum provides students a broad selection of courses in the areas of molecular biology, genetics, physiology, microbiology, cell biology, immunology, histology, developmental biology, plant biology, field biology, comparative physiology, comparative anatomy, evolution, intertidal ecology, and marine biology. Additionally, there are three summer courses taught at international locations:
The Biology of African Wildlife (in Africa), Marine Ecology of Baja California (at our marine station in Baja), and Tropical Marine Ecology (in Honduras). The Biology Department has well-equipped laboratories with modern instrumentation, a wide variety of field equipment, and a large specimen collection.
The Science Curriculum
LMU science majors have won numerous awards and scholarships, gained admission to the top graduate and professional schools, and established themselves as successful leaders in industry and various professions. Their work ranges from genetic research and biotechnology to environmental biology and ecology to industrial science. If you're aiming for medical school or its equivalent in one of the other health professions (dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, veterinary medicine, etc.) LMU has designed special curricula within the sciences and provides a health professions advisor and advisory committee to help guide the professional school application process.
Meet the Faculty
Wendy J. Binder
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of California, Los Angeles, 1990; M.S., Purdue University, 1993; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1998.
Functional morphology, mammalian tooth and jaw anatomy and development, mammalian feeding behavior and evolution
Kam D. Dahlquist
Assistant Professor
B.A., Pomona College, 1993; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, 2000.
Genomics, GenMAPP software, biochemical and genetic regulatory pathways
Michael Danciger
Professor
B.S., Drexel University, 1966; Ph.D., University of Oregon, 1971.
Molecular genetics, general microbiology
Philippa M. Drennan
Associate Professor
B.Sc., University of Natal, Durban, 1979; B.Sc., (Hons), 1980; Ph.D., 1987.
Plant ecophysiology, ecology of deserts and wetlands, field botany
Jennifer Gillette
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of Puget Sound, 1995; M.S., University of Louisiana, Lafayette, 1998; Ph.D., 2003.
Behavioral ecology, sexual selection, herpetology, ecology, and evolution
Roy Houston
Professor
B.A., Arizona, 1968; M.S., University of the Pacific, 1970; Ph.D., Arizona, 1974.
Marine invertebrate biology, ecology and evolution of marine invertebrates
Gary Kuleck
Associate Professor
B.A., Maryland, 1975; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1991.
Plant molecular biology, plant physiology, transgenic plant technology, plant genetics,
molecular biology and biochemistry
Mary Catharine McElwain
Associate Professor, Chair
A.B., Bryn Mawr, 1973; Ph.D., University of Utah, 1985.
Developmental genetics, eucaryotic genetics, developmental biology
Martin G. Ramirez
Associate Professor
B.S., Loyola Marymount, 1981; Ph.D., California, Santa Cruz, 1990.
Conservation genetics, molecular systematics, historical biogeography, island biology, arachnology
Bro. Anthony Smulders, CFMM
Professor
B.S., Loyola, Los Angeles, 1966; Ph.D., California, Los Angeles, 1970.
Cell membrane transport phenomena, drug absorption and metabolism, drug abuse prevention and education
Stephen Scheck
Professor, Associate Dean
B.S., Fort Hays, 1975; M.S., 1977; Ph.D., Iowa State, 1980.
Temperature regulation in mammals; neonatal temperature regulation; blood glucose regulation and noninsulin-dependent diabetes
Carl R. Urbinati
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992; Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago, 1998.
Molecular and cellular analysis of RNA localization, genetic and molecular analysis of gene expression, molecular mechanisms of disease.
John P. Waggoner, III
Professor
A.B., Duke, 1965; M.S., Nebraska, 1967; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1972.
Physiology and ecophysiology
Careers in Biology
The B.S. in Biology provides excellent preparation for entry into graduate study or professional programs in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy, optometry, nursing, medical technology, environmental biology, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Many biology majors enter the teaching profession and pursue a post-graduate degree in education.
There are a number of professions one can go into directly with the B.S. degree such as pharmaceutical sales or laboratory technology.
The B.A. in Biology provides a strong liberal arts core and allows students to pursue other areas of study during undergraduate years, such as education.
For more information or to arrange a tour, call Dr. Catharine McElwain at (310) 338-7776. Visit us on-line at http://cse.lmu.edu