Biology

Associate Dean: Steve Fenster
Email: sdfenster@fortlewis.edu

Department Chair: Erin Lehmer
Email: lehmer_l@fortlewis.edu

Both government and industry have considerable demand for people trained in the biological sciences and for which a bachelor’s degree is sufficient. Administrative and professional careers may be found in government service, as well as jobs affiliated with a variety of conservation and recreation agencies at state, federal, and municipal levels. Laboratory and technical work is available with industry and with several government agencies. Some sales positions, especially with pharmaceutical or medical device companies, require a biology background. There is considerable demand for secondary school teachers with certification in biology. Many positions for biologists require a graduate degree, for which a liberal arts major in biology is an excellent background.

The various curricula in the Biology Department are designed to meet the different needs of students considering the broad field of biology. Although all of these curricula lead to a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, there are two concentrations available: Cellular and Molecular and Environmental and Organismal Biology. In addition, students can earn a Biology degree without a concentration.

A minor in biology is available for students majoring in other disciplines. All minors must be arranged in consultation with the student’s biology advisor.

The Cellular and Molecular Biology Concentration is designed to prepare students for graduate study in cell and molecular biology or to find employment in the biotechnology and health care industries. Students with this major are highly sought after in forensics technology, pharmaceutical development, and industries involving bioinformatics and gene discovery. Many students find that this option fulfills the requirements for postgraduate work leading to careers in health care, from medicine to dentistry to nursing. This is a laboratory intensive concentration revolving around current recombinant DNA technology, cell culture, and biomolecular analysis.

The Environmental and Organismal Biology Concentration provide broad exposure to the principles and practices of ecology, the biology of particular taxa, environmental conservation, and management of natural resources. This concentration is particularly valuable for those students who wish to pursue careers in environmental consulting, resource management, or environmental biology and many students who pursue this concentration will also seek out careers working for state or federal government agencies involved in natural resource management. The concentration also prepares students interested in pursuing graduate studies or professions like wildlife biology, botany or veterinary medicine.

The General Biology option allows students to earn a Biology degree without specializing in any one of the areas described above. This type of Biology degree is intended for students wishing to tailor a program to match their interests, as it lets you choose the greatest number of elective biology courses. It prepares students for professional careers in veterinary medicine, graduate school in a broad area of the biological sciences, or for teaching at the secondary level. It is also recommended for those students who are undecided about specific career goals in biology.

Biology Secondary Education Major gives high-quality academic preparation to students who wish to become Colorado licensed grades 7-12 science teachers. This major is extremely demanding and requires careful planning and advising. Students choosing this should consult a Biology mentor as early as possible in their careers, and should read the Teacher Education Licensure Program section for the steps and requirements for applying to the Teacher Education Licensure Program and requirements for completing the program.

Major in Biology

Biology Major
Biology Secondary Education Major

Minor in Biology

Biology Minor