Listed below are frequently asked questions that we are asked when talking with prospective students and their families. Additional information is provided on our department fact sheet, which also lists the professor contacts for the different biology tracks.
For general information regarding admissions or financial aid, please contact the Saint Michael's College Office of Admission.
What are the objectives of the Biology major?
The Biology major at Saint Michael's College is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of biology at each major level of organization (molecular/cellular, organismal, and population) via an interactive, discovery-based curriculum, to develop each student's ability to understand the current biological literature, to develop each student’s written and verbal communication skills within the field, and to provide highly motivated students with opportunities for independent research. TOP
How well does the Biology major prepare students for post-graduate programs or professional schools?
The Saint Michael's Biology major provides excellent preparation for more advanced biology education, which is necessary for many careers in biology, including the fields of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and physical therapy. In recent years, over 90% of our graduates who wish to continue their biology education have been accepted to appropriate post-graduate programs. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the success of individual students is primarily determined by the academic choices and performance of that student; our overall high rate of success shows that we provide excellent opportunities and preparation for motivated students, but is really a tribute to the achievement of students themselves. TOP
Is there additional support for students interested in seeking careers in the health-care field?
Yes. All students are encouraged to discuss their future plans with their academic advisors, and plan their program of study accordingly. For student wishing to pursue careers in health care, such as medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and veterinary medicine, additional advice is available through our Pre-Health advisor, Dr. Donna Bozzone. Meetings are held each year to provide students interested in health careers with advice to help them keep on-track and informed of the application process and expectations. TOP
What are the research interests of the Biology faculty, and what kinds of research opportunities are available to interested students?
Participation in research projects is excellent preparation for a future in biology, and should be strongly considered by motivated students. Faculty in our Biology program have a broad range of research interests, including aquatic biology, animal behavior, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, evolution, developmental biology, and biology education. View the listings of our faculty members’ research interests here. Our faculty are active researchers who have received major (National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health) competitive grant awards. There are many opportunities for students to do research with faculty during the academic year or in the summers; students wishing to participate in summer research may apply to various sources for funding. Student researchers have been coauthors on professional publications and have presented their work at conferences locally (Lake Champlain Research Consortium, Vermont Genetics Network), and have traveled with faculty to professional conferences outside Vermont, including Posters on the Hill (Washington, DC), International Maize Conference (Mexico City), North American Benthological Society (New Orleans), American Fisheries Society (Quebec City), American Society of Microbiologists (Boston), and the International Society of Limnology (Montreal). See the latest edition of our e-newsletter for news about recent student-faculty research projects and major grant awards that our faculty members have received. TOP
What kinds of internship opportunities are available to interested students?
Internships can be a great way to help build valuable experience for potential future jobs and education. Academic internships (those done for academic credit) must include an academic component, and can be set up through the Saint Michael's College Internship Program. There are several internship sites already established that would be of interest to biology majors, including positions related to human health (Vermont Health Department, the Vermont State Medical Examiner’s Office), natural resources (the local office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), environmental education (Shelburne Farms, ECHO), and medical research (University of Vermont College of Medicine). Students can also set up internships, with the help of the Saint Michael's College Internship Office. TOP
What are the requirements for the Biology major?
Please refer to the online college catalog.
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What is the difference between the Biology major with the environmental track and the Environmental Science major?
The Biology major with the environmental track allows students to work hands-on with plants, animals, other organisms and in the field in a variety of ecosystems to learn about ecology. The Environmental Science major is more interdisciplinary and has a stronger physical science component with fewer required Biology courses and much more extensive work in Chemistry and Physics, as well as the social sciences. The Environmental Science major prepares students for analytical labwork and fieldwork addressing issues such as air, water and soil pollution, as well as graduate study. The Biology major with the environmental track prepares students for work and graduate study in ecology, wildlife biology, and natural resources. Saint Michael's College also offers an Environmental Studies minor that includes the perspectives of other disciplines (e.g., economics, sociology, etc.) on environmental issues. This minor can be profitably combined with the Biology major. TOP
How many students are in a typical Biology class?
Classes are kept small so that our students can work closely with faculty. Upper-level biology lab classes have a maximum of 20 students per section, and seminar style classes will be smaller. A few upper-level courses may have two sections, so there may be up to 40 students in the class, but no more than 20 in each lab section. Our General Biology courses for first-year Biology majors are capped at 48 students in each lecture section, with 16 or fewer in each lab section. TOP
What courses are offered in the Biology major?
We offer a variety of courses to meet the fundamental needs of students interested in a wide range of biological fields, including students interested in health-care careers. For a full listing of the courses available, please refer to the course listings section of the online college catalog. Please note that the courses BI 106, BI 108 and BI 110 do not count toward the Biology major.
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What is the structure of the General Biology course?
The fall semester of General Biology addresses topics in ecology and evolution, through the study of local biological diversity. It is very much a project-focused course, with students designing and executing a semester-long research project focusing on collecting data useful to conservation of a local threatened ecosystem, the sandplain forest. The spring semester addresses topics in cellular biology and genetics through the use of case studies which focus on human health issues. TOP
Do you accept AP Biology credit?
The credits received from scoring a 4 or 5 on the Biology AP test are applied as elective credits toward the overall 124 credits needed to graduate, but students majoring in Biology are required to take both semesters of our General Biology course. The reason is that the project-driven nature of the General Biology course (addressed in the previous question) is very important in preparing student for the upper-level biology classes that they will take in future years. TOP
What courses should a first-year student take if they are interested in the Biology major?
First-year students interested in the Biology major (even if they have not yet declared Biology as a major) should take the full year (fall and spring semesters) of both General Biology and General Chemistry. (This is also the case for first-year students who wish to major in Environmental Science or Biochemistry.) In addition, all first-year students at Saint Michael's College must take one semester of a first-year seminar course. Additional courses should be selected that address the Liberal Studies requirements of the College. First-year students in the Biology major may also wish to take a math course (calculus or statistics) and address the foreign language requirement, depending on how much they wish to maintain some continuity from high school. We recommend that incoming students speak to an academic advisor before making their decisions, and attend one of the summer advising sessions to select their courses. TOP
How can study abroad programs fit into the Biology major?
Study abroad programs can greatly enhance the academic experience of any student, and we encourage students to pursue these programs if they are interested. In recent years, 35% of Saint Michael's Biology majors have engaged in a study abroad experience during a semester, the summer or the intersession between semesters of the academic year. However, it does require planning – so speak to your academic advisor during your first year so that you can get a plan in place that will allow you to study abroad, and contact the Saint Michael’s Office of Study Abroad. Some study abroad programs offer courses that can be applied to the biology major, and may allow you to take courses not offered at Saint Michael's. We offer a study abroad experience in Costa Rica, every other year during the intersession between semesters, our Tropical Ecology course (BI 250). Saint Michael's College is also an affiliate member of the School for Field Studies, which provides semester-long and summer programs in natural resource ecology and management at its field stations in Costa Rica, Mexico, the Turks & Caicos Islands (in the eastern Caribbean), Australia, and Kenya. TOP