Biology

Our biology program provides an excellent background for student who want to work in biomedical sciences (physician, dentist, pharmacist, optometrist, etc.), field ecology, laboratory work or many other areas. It features a sound footing in concepts and theory across the biological sciences along with lots of hands-on experiences in lab and in the field. It’s a flexible program that lets you select the specific classes that best suit your interests and needs. Students in the BS Biology program complete a senior thesis research project and a university approved minor.

Additional Programs

• Pre-Professional studies (e.g., “pre-med”)
  Our biology program is an excellent way to prepare for entry into Medical School, Dental School, Veterinary School, Optometry School, Pharmacy School, and other professional studies programs. Biology students work with a pre-professional advisor to select the classes that best suit their needs while providing a well-rounded Biology degree. We have a good record of placing students in top-ranked professional schools.
  
  Is LSSU a good place to begin training as a veterinarian? "Our pre-professional advisor knows all the ins and outs of applying to all the professional schools and provides excellent advice for that. Our pre-professional society (the student group for pre-professional students) is very active in ways that helps students enhance thier applications to professional schools. We have had a number of our students go on to vet school, last year our two applicants into vet school ended up going to Michigan State University and Purdue. This year of the six students that applied to professional schools, all six got it. But i want to emphasize that it's up to each individual student to gain the experience they need to have the best chance of success in veterinary or any other professional school. Our program helps, but it's up to the individual student. Our small classes, our individualized attention, our academically rigourous programs, our collaborative atmosphere, our senior thesis program all can help you prepare yourself for application to professional schools." -- Gregory Zimmerman, Prof and Dept Head

• B.A. Biology
  The Bachelor of Arts option is designed for students who want a more flexible program that would be suited for careers in biologically oriented businesses, as a tech writer, or in other situations that require a more general but perhaps less technical background. The B.A.degree requires 8 credits in a single foreign language.

• B.S. Medical Laboratory Sciences
  Our Medical Laboratory Sciences program provides an excellent background for students who want to work in a medical support setting such as analyzing blood samples in a hospital or clinic. Students in the BS Medical Laboratory Sciences complete a year-long internship at an approved medical facility.

• B.S. Conservation Biology
  Our program repares students for careers where they can make a contribution to mitigating wide-ranging challenges such as invasive species, altered landscapes, species extinctions, or the restoration of degraded aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Our selection of rigorous field based courses in watersheds, soils, forestry, ecology (general, fish, wildlife or plant), and organisms (mammalogy, ornithology, ichthyology, or entomology) offers an unparalleled set of foundational courses in the natural sciences. Combining this coursework with interdisciplinary courses in social dimensions, political science, sociology, business/economics, communication and GIS technology adds the breadth needed to integrate biological, economic, and policy issues in the formulation of sustainable solutions. Electives allow students to tailor the program to their interests and sustainable solutions. Electives allow students to tailor the program to their interests and career goals. Students may choose as a capstone experience a summer semester internship working in a professional capacity in conservation biology, or a senior thesis research project. Students will be prepared for careers or for graduate work in conservation biology or a broad range of related areas.

• B.A. Conservation Leadership
  Our program prepares students for careers in global, national and community environmental conservation and advocacy programs. This multidisciplinary program combines a strong core in the biological sciences with classes in geographic information systems, communications, business and economics, and political science. Students also take a year of foreign language, and students are encouraged to gain international experiences. The program is flexible, allowing students to select classes that best match their educational and career goals. Students conclude their program by completing an environmentally related service learning project for an environmental organization, unit of government, or business.

New Discovery!

Lake Superior State University's Biology 337 ecology class poses with an unexpected find they made along a Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, public hiking trail. Professor Greg Zimmerman discovered the "Himalayan Touch-Me-Not" after his class conducted a biomass sweep through the city's Minneapolis Woods area. Students subsequently pulled all of the plants they could find as a service project. Zimmerman hastens to add that the illegal alien should not be confused with the region's "Spotted Touch-Me-Not" or "Jewelweed," a perfectly welcome native plant.

• BS / BA Biology
• BS Medical Laboratory Sciences
• BS Conservation Biology
• BA Conservation Leadership
• BS Secondary Teacher Ed
• Associate's Degree in Natural Resource Technology

See also:

• Fisheries and Wildlife Management
• LSSU-MSU Early Assurance Program

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