Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology with concentrations in:
Biology
Biotechnology
Environmental Science
Exercise Science
Secondary Education Teaching Licensure in Biology
Pre-Professional Programs:
Pre-medicine
Pre-dentistry
Pre-veterinary
Fitchburg State College offers a biology program that is fundamentally sound and challenging. The Department of Biology and Chemistry has a rich history of producing
successful graduates in secondary education, biotechnology, environmental science and exercise science. Our science faculty foster a supportive teaching and learning environment, offer individual attention to students, and provide numerous undergraduate and graduate research opportunities.
Four-Year Undergraduate Program
The Biology Department is the largest of the basic science departments, with 100 undergraduate majors and 20 minors. Entering freshmen Biology majors are invited to a special orientation, where they learn about program expectations and opportunities
in the field of biology. The Biology Club sponsors seminars, parties and other events for the department, which allow for personal and social interactions as students progress through the program.
The curriculum in each of the degree concentrations provides a strong theoretical foundation balanced with practical applications. We try to instill in our students an understanding of the process of science, as well as its universal applicability to society.
Facilities
The Condike Science Center serves as the major departmental facility. The laboratories
and lecture and seminar rooms are amply supplied with up-to-date equipment. The physical infrastructure of the Biology Department has been recently updated to provide a good educational and research environment that is safe and comfortable. The college owns a 121-acre conservation area and a local stream environment, both serving as external laboratories. Concentrations in cell, molecular and evolutionary biology are supported by the most current instrumentation and equipment available both at Fitchburg State College and at collaborating labs in the region.
Faculty
The Biology faculty are fully committed to the development of all Biology majors. This involvement includes full-time faculty instruction in all courses, including lecture and laboratory. Each student is assigned an academic advisor from the Biology faculty, which include eight full-time instructors all possessing Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience. With an average student ratio of less than 20 to one, each student receives the type of personal attention possible only at a school this size.
It is important to note that in addition to their commitment to teaching, our faculty are experts in their fields of research and scholarship, publishing and presenting their work at regional, national and international meetings. The faculty’s commitment to scholarship and research has been recognized through grants and awards from Fitchburg State College, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Science Foundation.
Internships
The internship program guides students through placements providing extensive on-site practical training by specialists in their fields. Students who maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average and have applied for an internship are eligible. Students are required to formally present their results in a seminar presentation format.
Fitchburg State has access to a large network of organizations that provide its students with internship sites. A sample of internship sites for students in Biology include:
Abbott Laboratory, Inc
BASF
New England Aquarium
Department of Defense
Department of Environmental Protection
Genzyme
Harvard Primate Center
Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Stone Zoo
United States Army Laboratories/Natick
University of Massachusetts Medical School
United States Census Bureau
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research
Results
Whether you’re interested in a career immediately or want to attend graduate school, the Department of Biology offers evidence of success. After graduation, many of our students work in the areas of biotechnology, cellular biology, biological
research, environmental biology and science education. Others choose to move on to graduate, medical or veterinary schools.
Companies that have employed graduates of the Department of Biology include:
Abbott Laboratories
BASF
Bristol Myers Squibb
Children’s Hospital
Genzyme
Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc.
Marlboro Animal Hospital
Maryland State Police forensics division
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Massachusetts General Hospital
Millipore
United States Census Bureau
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Contact
For more information about the Biology Department at Fitchburg State College, please contact the Admissions Office for open house and visit options.
