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Undergraduate

Biology

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If you dream of being a world changer in the biotechnology, health care or environmental protection industries, biology may be the best major for you.

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Why Saint Martin's University?

The Bachelor of Science in biology degree at Saint Martin's University promises students individualized attention in both the classroom and the labs. Students form close relationships with faculty in the classroom, while conducting research, and through academic mentoring.

Biology program highlights

  • New, state-of-the-art science facilities
  • Personalized career advising
  • Low 1:11 student to faculty ratio and 7:24 lab sizes
  • Participation in student-led, inquiry-based capstone research project
  • Opportunities to be published alongside faculty members in peer-reviewed journals
  • Field experiences, internships and other learning opportunities outside the classroom
  • Professors with expertise in different disciplines including bioinformatics, cell biology, field biology, microbiology, plant molecular biology, marine ecology, and evolution

Study Abroad

Saint Martin's students have the opportunity to continue studying biology abroad with:

Saint Martin's graduates

Graduates of the Saint Martin's biology program have gone on to graduate and attend professional programs at:

  • Eastern Washington University (physical therapy doctoral program)
  • Ohio State University (veterinary school)
  • Oregon Health and Science University
  • University of Virginia (biomedical program)
  • University of Washington
  • Washington State University

Biology Requirements

Details on courses, including university core requirements, can be found in the academic catalog. 

  • University core requirements
  • 39 credit hours of lower-division courses
  • 30 credit hours of upper-division courses
  • 24 credit hours, including at least one course each in:
    • Ecology
    • Molecular/cellular biology
    • Organismal biology
  • Eight credit hours of lower-division courses
  • 14 credit hours of upper-division courses
  • Evolution
  • Human anatomy and physiology
  • Invertebrate zoology
  • Marine biology
  • Medical botany

Biology at a Glance

Degree
Bachelor of Science
Program Type
Major
Minor
Campus
Main (Lacey)
Type of Instruction
In Person
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Resources
What can I do with this major?
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Internships and career mentoring

Biology majors have the opportunity to intern with a variety of local businesses and organizations including: Boeing; The Cascadia Collective (marine animals); Dental and medical offices; Department of Agriculture (microbiology lab); Department of Ecology, Fish and Wildlife; Microsoft; Saint Peter's Hospital. The Center for Career and Calling is here every step of the way to help you define your career goals and objectives as they relate to future employment or graduate school opportunities. Career planning begins when you enter Saint Martin's and continues through graduation and throughout your life. From first-year students to alumni forty years out, we are privileged to serve all our Saints.

Connect with the Center for Career and Calling
Father Bede Ernsdorff, O.S.B. (1909 – 1982)

Tour our new state-of-the-art science building

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Research

Students work directly with faculty on a wide range of projects:

Algae biofuel production
Biofilm formation
Ecology research
Gene transduction with bacteriophages
Oral microbiology
Microbial fuel-cells

Past student-led projects include:

Paramecium growth in local water sources
How English ivy alters soil characteristics
Microbial competition

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Transformative Outcomes

Swimming with sharks
“Although studying abroad can be a little scary at first, it is so worth it. Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t know what Australia was like, let alone what it would be like to swim with some of the most fascinating animals in the ocean.”
Kari Inch ’15
Biology
Class of 2015
Kari Inch ’15
Kari Inch ’15
Biology
Class of 2015

Career paths

  • Agriculture
  • Biotechnology and bioinformatics
  • Botany
  • Environmental protection
  • Genetics
  • Marine biology
  • Research and development
  • State and federal government
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Supportive Community

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College of Arts and Sciences

Spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, and characterized by an educational environment that is both rigorous and supportive, the College of Arts and Sciences offers 20 undergraduate major programs and 20 minor programs.

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