Celebrating Women in Science
Learn more about our science programs and what it means to be a woman in science at Dean.
Curious about how the world works? Explore cellular and molecular biology, build critical thinking skills, and gain hands-on experience with a Biology major at Dean College.
Program Overview
Science is an ever-changing and evolving field. Rapid technological advancements present new and unprecedented opportunities for research and discoveries in the biological sciences. Dean offers a bachelor’s degree in Biology to prepare you for numerous careers in the life sciences industry. There are three tracks in the Biology major to choose from:
As a Biology major at Dean, you’ll begin to develop your hands-on lab skills from the first semester, working with state-of-the-art lab equipment in small, cohort-style classes. You’ll study the basic principles of biology and chemistry with a focus on cellular and molecular biology, the foundation of the life sciences industry and advanced medical research. You’ll build technical skills in lab courses to understand the scientific process, think critically about data and apply what you’re learning in real-world scenarios. You’ll develop science reading and science writing skills as you read and present papers, write lab reports, prepare research proposals and conduct independent research through your senior capstone.
Your coursework will also be complemented by a foundation in the liberal arts, because being able to evaluate and communicate about science is as important as being able to do the experiments. You will be exposed to major historical contributions to science, exploring how the process of science occurs in a humanistic context, and discussing the knowledge behind and implications of current research.
School of Liberal Arts Faculty
Gain valuable insights from our School of Liberal Arts faculty, who are here to help you every step of the way.
Biology
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 152 | General Biology: Organisms | 4 |
| BIO 211 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 240 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 440 | Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| UPPER-DIVISION MAJOR ELE | Evolution, Molecular Genetics, Immunology, or BioPschology | 9 |
| BIO 495 | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| CHM 151 | Chemistry l | 4 |
| CHM 152 | Chemistry ll | 4 |
| CHM 345 | Concepts in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry for the Biological Sciences | 3 |
| MTH 130 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| HIS/SCI 265 | History of Science | 4 |
| DCA 100 | Campus Connections: Making the Transition | 1 |
| DCA 110 | Career Connections: Developing Your Brand | 1 |
| DCA 200 | Internship Connections: Creating Your Plan | 1 |
| DCA 300 | The Internship Experience | 3 |
| DCA EXPERIENCE ELE | Dean Career Advantage Experience Course | 3 |
| DCA 350 | Future Connections: Launching Your Career | 3 |
Total Credits
58
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 | Composition l | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Composition ll | 3 |
| SPC 101 | Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| MATH ELECTIVE (MTH 132, 151, 152, 155, 241, 242) | Core Mathematics Elective | 3 or 4 |
| BIO 151 | General Biology: The Cell | 4 |
| ARTS ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Arts Elective | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATH ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| HUMANITIES ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Humanities Elective | 3 |
| SOCIAL SCIENCES ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Social Sciences Elective | 3 |
| COM 327 | Applied Professional Communication | 3 |
| UDLA ELE | Upper-Division Liberal Arts Electives | 9 |
Total Credits
40
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE | Electives | 24 |
Total Credits
24
Pre-Physical Therapy
The Pre-Physical Therapy track offers a blend of courses in math, biology and chemistry that will provide you with the pre-requisites needed to apply to a physical therapy graduate program in order to earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT). In addition to the coursework required in the Biology major, students in this track will take additional courses in anatomy and physiology as well as physics. Your classes will include both lectures and hands-on laboratories. You'll also gain a strong foundation in liberal arts-based courses in English, history and social sciences, as well as required courses in quantitative reasoning and oral communication.
Pre-Physical Therapy
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 211 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 240 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 320, BIO 330, BIO 430 OR PSY 334 | Upper Division Major Electives | 9 |
| BIO 440 | Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 495 | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| CHM 151 | Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHM 152 | Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHM 345 | Concepts in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry for the Biological Sciences | 3 |
| MTH 130 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| SCI 265 | History of Science | 4 |
| DCA 100 | Campus Connections: Making the Transition | 1 |
| DCA 110 | Career Connections: Developing Your Brand | 1 |
| DCA 200 | Internship Connections: Creating Your Plan | 1 |
| DCA 300 | The Internship Experience | 3 |
| DCA 350 | Future Connections: Launching Your Career | 3 |
| DCA EXPERIENCE ELE | Dean Career Advantage Experience Course | 3 |
| BIO 171 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 172 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| PHY 141 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHY 142 | General Physics II | 4 |
Total Credits
70
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 | Composition l | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Composition ll | 3 |
| SPC 101 | Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| MTH 132, MTH 151, MTH 155, MTH 241, or MTH 242 | Core Mathematics Elective | 3 or 4 |
| BIO 151 | General Biology | 4 |
| ARTS ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Arts Elective | 3 |
| HUMANITIES ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Humanities Elective | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATH ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| SOCIAL SCIENCE ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Social Sciences Elective | 3 |
| COM 327 | Applied Professional Communication | 3 |
| EXSC 371 | Exercise Physiology | 4 |
| UDLA ELE | Upper-Division Liberal Arts Electives | 6 |
Total Credits
41
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE | Electives | 6 |
Total Credits
6
Pre-Physician Assistant
A Physician Assistant (PA) is licensed medical professional who works with Physicians to administer direct patient care. Becoming a Physician Assistant requires completion of pre-requisite courses as an undergraduate, clinical care hours and completion of a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies. The Biology Pre-Physician Assistant track offers a blend of courses in math, biology and chemistry that will provide you with the pre-requisites needed to apply to a Physician Assistant graduate program. In addition to completing the required biology and chemistry courses within the Biology major, you will also study anatomy and physiology and psychology. Classes will not only consist of lectures but will also include hands-on laboratories. You will also gain a strong foundation in liberal arts-based courses in English, history, and social sciences, as well as required courses in quantitative reasoning and oral communication.
Pre-Physician Assistant
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 152 | General Biology- Organisms | 4 |
| BIO 211 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 240 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 320, BIO 330, BIO 430 OR PSY 334 | Upper Division Major Electives | 9 |
| BIO 440 | Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO 495 | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| CHM 151 | Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHM 152 | Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHM 345 | Concepts in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry for the Biological Sciences | 3 |
| MTH 130 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| SCI 265 | History of Science | 4 |
| DCA 100 | Campus Connections: Making the Transition | 1 |
| DCA 110 | Career Connections: Developing Your Brand | 1 |
| DCA 200 | Internship Connections: Creating Your Plan | 1 |
| DCA 300 | The Internship Experience | 3 |
| DCA 350 | Future Connections: Launching Your Career | 3 |
| DCA EXPERIENCE ELE | Dean Career Advantage Experience Course | 3 |
| BIO 171 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 172 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| PSY 111 | General Psychology | 3 |
Total Credits
69
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 | Composition l | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Composition ll | 3 |
| SPC 101 | Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| MTH 132, MTH 151, MTH 155, MTH 241, or MTH 242 | Core Mathematics Elective | 3 or 4 |
| BIO 151 | General Biology | 4 |
| ARTS ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Arts Elective | 3 |
| HUMANITIES ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Humanities Elective | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATH ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| SOCIAL SCIENCE ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Social Sciences Elective | 3 |
| COM 327 | Applied Professional Communication | 3 |
| UDLA ELE | Upper-Division Liberal Arts Electives | 9 |
Total Credits
40
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE | Electives | 12 |
Total Credits
12
Beyond the Classroom
As a Biology major at Dean, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to apply what you’re learning.
Gain experience working with cells, tissues and both macroscopic and microscopic organisms as you perform experiments using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Develop scientific literacy skills as you study, present and write research papers and proposals. And learn from frequent guest speakers to give you insights into the field and expose you to real-world learning opportunities.
When you graduate, you’ll be prepared for a number of jobs in the life sciences industry, including research, science education, pharmaceutical sales, marketing, science writing and more. A bachelor’s degree in Biology is also an excellent foundation to continue your education through graduate school or medical school.
Get Involved
Learn more about how to get involved with our student-run organizations and experiential learning opportunities.-
Internship & Experiential Learning Get hands-on experience through internship opportunities. -
Student Organizations & Activities Join one of our 40+ student organizations or start one of your own.
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Community Service Give back to the community on campus and in Franklin.
Uniquely Dean
Take advantage of unique programming inside and outside the classroom through the Dean College Biology program.
- Develop hands-on learning while working with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment
- Join the Biology Journal Club for an informal chance to practice reading and presenting scientific papers.
- Participate in co-curricular activities with fellow Biology students, such as Science Movie Nights.
- Take interdisciplinary courses to understand the history and humanistic contexts of science, including History of Science and Beyond Henrietta Lacks: Race and Medicine in 20th Century America.
- Pursue internship opportunities at one of Boston’s countless research and medical institutions.
- Learn in close-knit, supportive classes with professionals in the field who are committed to your success.
One of the perks of being a Biology major is having plenty of options for what direction you can go into. I worked as an aquaculture intern at the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, which helped me explore new avenues of what I can do with my degree and make multiple connections that will eventually help my career.
My favorite thing about the Biology major is that I’m able to help form what it will be. I also like that we get the lab experience and that our program is small, so we’re able to have one-on-one interactions with our professors and create strong relationships with them.
RECENT STORIES
Check out the news and stories below to learn more about being a Biology major at Dean.
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