Biology majors at Saint Vincent College benefit from exceptional faculty, resources, and an expansive alumni network. Hands-on learning and research opportunities allow our students to apply biological concepts in three concentrations: cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, and population biology. Beyond mastering laboratory and field techniques, our biology majors develop the critical thinking and communication skills that empower them to excel in healthcare, environmental science, education, research, and beyond. The liberal arts courses help develop well-rounded critical thinkers who make cross-curricular connections, interpreting data with insight and understanding the process behind each discovery.
Bachelor of Arts: The BA degree gives students more flexibility to take additional courses in other areas. Students still concentrate in cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, or population biology, but may find it easier to double major or minor in programs that are in entirely different fields, like the humanities, foreign language, education, social sciences, or the arts.
Bachelor of Science: Students pursuing the BS degree take more courses in their biology curriculum and, in general, are usually committed in their goal of pursuing professional opportunities or graduate studies within the natural sciences.
Secondary Teaching Certification: Biology majors who minor in education will be prepared to acquire their teaching certification for grades 7-12. Visit the Education page to learn more.
Pre-Health and Pre-Allied Health Programs: Biology students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare will benefit from our pre-health and pre-allied health programs, which prepare students for their next phase of education. Some of our programs include partnerships with other schools, which offer students a streamlined path to their next degree.
Biology majors graduate with hands-on research experience. Each student partners with a faculty mentor to design and complete a three-semester independent project on topics ranging from sickle cell anemia prevention in pregnancy to using goats to control noxious weeds. Students define their research, conduct experiments, and present findings at leading conferences, including the Saint Vincent College Undergraduate Symposium, Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Biology Symposium, Allegheny Branch Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Pennsylvania Academy of Science Annual Meeting, National Conference on Undergraduate Research, and the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.
More than 70% of our biology majors take advantage of internship and shadowing opportunities before graduation. Students have interned at top-tier research institutions and cutting-edge industries, including Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, Allegheny General Hospital, and the Immune Tolerance Network. Our students have also interned in medical and animal hospitals, Supercomputing Centers, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and pharmaceutical companies.
Saint Vincent students take pride in the opportunities to give back and be a part of a caring community. World Series of Birding students raise several hundred dollars for local conservation organizations each year, and several classes participate in citizen-science projects or service projects. Our biology students also work with the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve on biology, biochemistry, and environmental science-related projects and go on international service trips, including a spring break service trip to Haiti.
Alumni will go on to successful careers as:
Our students have secured jobs and internships at a variety of companies in their field and enrolled in prestigious graduate schools:
Employers
Visit the Pre-Allied Health page to see professional program acceptance rates for the last five years.
"I feel really prepared to go into any field of biology with the experience I gained at Saint Vincent College. I’m especially proud of my senior research project, where I was able to find an anemia model in zebrafish which can help women who are medically predisposed to sickle cell anemia and are thinking about having a child. I found that if you alter different nutritional factors that you can prevent sickling in that child.”
Project Coordinator, Gateway Medical Society
The biology major is part of the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing and is supported by our core curriculum, where students delve into diverse academic subjects at both foundational and advanced levels to explore how different disciplines connect, fostering deeper self-understanding and proficiency in their chosen field of study.
Major Requirements - 61 credits
Plus, fulfill the requirements for one area of concentration:
Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And,
Plus,
Organismal Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And,
Plus,
Population Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And
Plus,
Strongly Recommended:
Major Requirements - 68 credits
*Any three credit, 200 level biology course, CH251, CH252, BIN218 or BIN219 qualifies as an elective course in biology
Plus, fulfill the requirements for one area of concentration:
Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And,
Plus,
Organismal Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And,
Plus,
Population Biology Concentration
One of these courses with labs:
And
Plus,
Strongly Recommended:
Minor Requirements - 26 credits
All students must complete the following courses:
Additionally, students must complete 10 credits from the courses listed below. Two lecture-laboratory course combinations, each combination from a different area of concentration, must be included. Students may complete the remaining credits in any concentration. BL 260 Biostatistics may also be used to satisfy the remaining credits.
Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration:
Organismal Biology Concentration:
Population Biology Concentration:
In addition to the requirements for a bachelor of science, candidates for teacher certification in biology (7-12) must satisfy the following:
See Education Department guidelines to plan the core classes and other courses required for certification.
Microbiology: This course explores the miniature organisms and entities that help us but can also harm us. Students read current primary literature and explore environmental unknowns in the lab.
Neuroscience: This course explores the brain and how it works. You will test responses to various stimuli and explore complex behaviors, including mental disease and disorders.
Invertebrate Ecology: This course covers the biology of terrestrial, aquatic freshwater, marine, and parasitic invertebrates. Labs include looking at preserved specimens and field work.
Engage within the sciences and the Benedictine tradition in our 113,260 square foot LEED-certified Gold Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion, home to The Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing. The James F. Will Engineering and Biomedical Sciences Hall was added to in 2017, creating an environment for study characterized by mutual respect, personal attention, and open dialogue.
The Ralph and Donna Liberatore Human Anatomy Lab is an expansive, state-of-the-art laboratory space equipped with six surgical stations for anatomical research for medical training sessions with physicians and surgeons. Our undergraduate biology students study human anatomy and physiology through cadaveric dissection demonstrated by practicing medical physicians.
The Digital Imaging Lab is utilized by faculty and students throughout the natural science curriculum for inquiry-based classroom, laboratory-based activities and for faculty and student research projects. The lab includes a nine-station advanced microscopy suite containing fluorescent compound microscopes, research-grade dissection microscopes, a fluorescent inverted microscope for mammalian cell culture, a polarizing microscope, and more to facilitate complex student research projects.
Located right on campus, the Reserve spans more than 50 acres of protected land featuring native plants, diverse ecosystems, and scenic trails, creating a living laboratory for biology students. Here, students gain hands-on experience in ecological research, species identification, and field data collection. WPNR provides opportunities to study native habitats and apply classroom concepts to dynamic natural environments.
This advanced virtual dissection tool provides high-resolution 3D imaging of the human body. With its interactive touchscreen interface, users can explore internal structures and practice surgical procedures, making it an invaluable resource for medical education and training.
