Mission Statement
The Mission of the Department of Biological Sciences is to cultivate a diverse and thriving intellectual community of faculty, staff, and students focused on excellence in teaching, learning, and research in the life sciences. Faculty and staff are dedicated to nurturing students so that they (1) graduate with a clear understanding of the major biological concepts and an awareness of how these concepts are interconnected within the sciences as a whole, and (2) have acquired the technical, problem solving, analytical, and communication skills that will provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning and progressive career development. The Department places a strong emphasis on the mentoring of undergraduates and graduate students through participation in cutting-edge research that advances scientific knowledge.
Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan for the Department of Biological Sciences was developed in the Spring of 2008. It consists of three strategic initiatives and the associated objectives. In the development of the Department's strategic initiatives, the Strategic Planning Committee felt that is was important to emphasize its vision of the Department as an intellectual community. Rather than dilute this vision, the Committee decided to keep the number of strategic initiatives small, and left the details to the objectives. The three strategic initiatives are:
| Initiative 1: | Enhance student learning outcomes and opportunities. |
| Initiative 2: | Create a thriving intellectual community. |
| Initiative 3: | Improve infrastructure and support services to facilitate success by students, faculty, and staff. |
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Department of Biological Sciences Strategic Plan |
Student Learning Outcomes
In 2008, the Department of Biological Sciences approved the following student learning outcomes for its undergraduate and graduate programs. Specific objectives are listed in the documents provided below. The objectives are organized into three categories: attitudes, skills, and knowledge. The Department has a standing Assessment Committee which implements an ongoing assessment of the Department's activties in each of these areas.
At the completion of the Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology or Microbiology a graduate will have acquired:
- The problem solving, analytical, and communication skills that will provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning and progressive career development.
- A clear understanding of the major biological concepts and awareness of how these are connected to various areas of the biological sciences and are applicable to everyday life.
- A clear understanding of the careers that are available for B.S. graduates.
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Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes |
At the completion of the Masters of Science degree in Biology a graduate student will have acquired:
- The analytical, communication, problem solving, interpersonal, and technical skills that will provide a strong foundation for scientific productivity and progressive career development.
- An in-depth understanding of biological concepts that apply to the student's area of concentration.
- Experience with the peer scientific review process.
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Graduate Student Learning Outcomes |