Modern biology encompasses an extraordinary range of disciplines, from molecular genetics to global health and sustainability. The biology curriculum at St. Thomas reflects this diversity, providing the foundation of experience that students need in their freshman and sophomore years with the depth that they value as juniors and seniors. Courses at all levels of the curriculum emphasize two fundamentals: mastering the essential material of each discipline and developing the intellectual skills needed to do science ? asking the right questions, developing methods to answer these questions and critically evaluating the results of these investigations. As well as providing a broad-based liberal arts education in the biological sciences, the biology program serves as an excellent basis for students planning careers in academia, agriculture, bioinformatics and genomic research, biotechnology, biomedical research, conservation biology, environmental science, forestry and wildlife management, medicine, dentistry and other health professions, and veterinary medicine.

A principle objective of the Department of Biology is to provide students with an excellent preparation for post-graduate pursuits. Graduates of the program command an understanding of core concepts in biology as well as an ability to design and implement studies of biological questions. The department evaluates its success in achieving these objectives using several tools, including assessments of all students as they progress through our programs.