Undergraduate Programs

• Introduction
• B.S. Degree (General)
• B.S. (pre-professional)
• B.S. (secondary ed)
• Course Listing
• Course Rotation

Graduate Programs

• Introduction
• M.S. Thesis
• M.S. Non-thesis
• Course Listing

Personnel

• Faculty
• Staff

Effectiveness Evaluation

• Mission
• Vision/Goals
• BS Program
• MS Program

Faculty Openings

• Overview
• Vertebrate Biology
• Human Physiology
• Eukaryotic Cell/Molecular Biologist

BS Program

Department of Biology
University of West Georgia

B.S. Degree Mission Statement

The mission of the B.S. Degree Program in the Department of Biology at the University of West Georgia is to provide undergraduate students the background knowledge and training necessary to pursue graduate education, professional studies, or employment. In pursuit of this mission, the Department of Biology offers a B.S. Degree Program with four defined tracks: general, pre-professional, secondary education, and honors track.

• General Track: The general track is designed to offer the greatest flexibility in selecting major courses, thus allowing students, who wish to specialize in a specific area of biology, to better prepare for graduate studies or employment in the specific sub-discipline.
  
  
• Pre-Professional Track: The pre-professional track is designed as a more streamlined program to prepare students for the standardized tests, entrance exams, and high performance standards required by programs in the medical and allied health fields.
  
  
• Secondary Education Track: The secondary education track is designed as a restrictive degree program which ensures that future teachers meet all state and national content standards for science education.
  
  
• Honors Track: The Honors Track is designed for academically gifted students who have qualified for admission to the University of West Georgia’s Honors College. Students in this track receive special advising, options to begin research projects as freshman, and opportunity to add special enrichment activities to acquire honors credit for virtually any course offered by the Biology Department.

The ultimate goal of the B.S. Degree Program in the Department of Biology is to promote the development of skilled professionals, effective teachers, competent scientists, and informed citizens to enhance the quality of life within the University of West Georgia’s scope of influence.

 

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Plans

Learning Outcomes and Expected Results

1. To develop a strong and diversified background in modern biology, a student will demonstrate proficiency with the fundamentals in three key areas within the discipline of biology: cell and molecular biology, organismal biology, and ecology and evolution.
   
2. To develop a strong and diversified background in modern biology, a student will demonstrate proficiency with the fundamentals in three key areas within the discipline of biology: cell and molecular biology, organismal biology, and ecology and evolution.
   
3. To develop the ability to communicate scientific ideas in both written and oral formats, a student will demonstrate the ability to research and organize scientific idea in written or oral presentations.
   

Assessment Methods

1. Learning Outcome I
   1. We will evaluate the performance in upper level courses for both content and critical thinking.
   2. Students will take the GRE Major Fields Test in Biology 
      
      
2. Learning Outcome II
   1. Whenever possible, subjective, critical thinking and problem-solving questions will be incorporated into exams, literature evaluations, assignments, and projects for all upper division courses regardless of sub-discipline.
   2. Upper level laboratory courses will incorporate experimental design and formal, subjective lab reports whenever appropriate.
   3. Undergraduate students will be encouraged to undertake research projects with faculty. Each undergraduate research student will be evaluated with regards to critical-thinking and problem solving skills.
      
      
3. Learning Outcome III
   1. Students will be required to participate in a seminar program where he or she will present at least two seminars. The first of these seminar courses will occur during the sophomore year.
   2. Whenever possible, examinations in the upper level courses will include subjective questions designed to promote creative thinking and the generation of new ideas.
   3. Upper level laboratory courses will emphasize comprehensive laboratory reports.
   4. Undergraduate research students will be encouraged to present their research in an appropriate format (written / oral) and presented at appropriate venues, either on campus or off-campus (e.g. Sigma Xi, Arch, Georgia Academy of Science).
      

Administration and Use of Assessment

1. The Biology Department will maintain copies of appropriate standardized exam scores (GRE, MCAT, etc.) as indicators of academic performance by students.
   
   
2. Exit surveys will be conducted with graduating seniors, to determine their views of the biology program’s success in preparing them for their future goals and aspirations.
   
   
3. A 1, 2 and 5-year survey will address alumni’s perception of the biology program and its effectiveness in preparing the student (alumni) for their current career.
   
   
4. A survey of regional academic institutions, governmental agencies and biotech industries will be conducted, periodically, to assess the success of the UWG’s biology program in preparing students for success in the marketplace.