Overview

Biology is the study of living processes from the interaction of species with each other and their environment to the operant molecular mechanisms. The California State University San Marcos Biological Sciences Department presents a broad program of courses that deal with life on the ecosystem, population, organismal, and molecular levels. Life is a complicated series of chemical reactions and interactions, and we seek to understand the relationship of organisms to each other, to their environment, and within themselves in biochemical terms. Biological Sciences majors may choose between: 1) a general concentration, 2) a molecular and cellular biology 3) an ecology concentration and 4) a physiology concentration. The general concentration provides wide exposure to the range of biological sciences while the cell/molecular, ecology, and physiology concentrations offer majors the opportunity to focus their studies. With an appropriate choice of biological sciences electives and General Education electives, graduates can meet the requirements of admission to graduate, medical, dental, optometry, veterinary, and other professional schools.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (Molecular and Cellular Biology Concentration) at the California State University San Marcos will:

• Use the scientific method to ask testable questions and to design and conduct laboratory, field, or theoretical investigations to address these questions.

• Apply knowledge of the major principles from the fundamental areas of 1) cellular and molecular biology, 2) genetics, 3) physiology, and 4) ecology and evolution to biological questions.

• Employ mathematical and computational skills to organize, analyze, and evaluate biological data.

• Locate, determine the reliability of, critically evaluate and summarize scientific literature and other sources of biological information.

• Communicate biological information in an appropriate written and/or oral format to both scientific and general audiences.

Career Opportunities

The laboratory-intensive curriculum in the Biological Sciences prepares graduates for a wide variety of career paths. Biological Science majors can pursue a career in the teaching of biology at the college, high school or middle school levels. Graduates of our program are also extremely qualified to pursue advanced degrees in the fields of allied health, environmental and patent law, and all areas of biology. Employers in fields such as biotechnology, natural resources management, environmental monitoring, and research branches of the U.S. Government also seek graduates in biological sciences. The biological sciences degree program at Cal State San Marcos prepares its graduates to successfully pursue any of these opportunities and more.