The department offers a four-year B.S. degree program for a major in biology and for a major in biology qualifying for the Secondary Collegiate Professional License. Requirements for the B.A. degree can be met by adding the completion of an intermediate level foreign language and three credit hours in philosophy. Students may not receive dual credit toward the biology major for 300- and 400-level BIO courses that are applied toward the biotechnology major.

Biology majors must complete 40 credit hours of biology courses including 16 credit hours at the 300 and 400 level. Specific requirements include four core courses (BIO 140, BIO 150, BIO 240 and BIO 250), at least two upper-division laboratory courses and one course from a list of courses with an emphasis on organismal diversity. In addition, biology majors must complete a set of cognate courses in chemistry, mathematics, statistics and physics that are listed below. Students are encouraged to participate in independent research with a faculty mentor. Credits earned doing research will count toward the biology major but some restrictions apply.

When requested, senior biology majors are expected to participate in program assessment test activities as a graduation requirement. Assessment information helps the department modify the curriculum to meet student needs.

Biotechnology at JMU is a 4-year interdisciplinary major leading to a B.S. degree. The program is shared among the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT). Students undertake a rigorous curriculum rich with hands-on laboratory experiences, critical analyses of both the "how" and the "why" of biotechnological solutions, and the development of transferable skills to keep up in a rapidly changing field. The combination of both scientific/technical depth and cross-disciplinary breadth allow graduates to pursue diverse career paths in industry, government and advanced studies.

Biotechnology majors must complete 47-50 credit hours of science foundation courses, 17 credit hours of biotechnology transition and core courses, and 15 credit hours of elective courses. Each student works with an assigned academic adviser to develop an individualized portfolio of upper level course work to best meet her/his unique interests and goals. Advanced courses are selected from an extensive list of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, ISAT, Engineering, and Mathematics and Statistics offerings. Up to six credits of undergraduate research or internship experiences can be applied to the upper level electives requirement.

Students are eligible for a General Business Minor. Students may not receive dual credit toward the Biotechnology major for 300- and 400-level Biology courses that are applied toward the Biology major. Biotechnology majors are not eligible for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Minor.

The department offers a four-year B.S. degree program for a major in biology and for a major in biology qualifying for the Secondary Collegiate Professional License. Requirements for the B.A. degree can be met by adding the completion of an intermediate level foreign language and three credit hours in philosophy. Students may not receive dual credit toward the biology major for 300- and 400-level BIO courses that are applied toward the biotechnology major.

Biology majors must complete 40 credit hours of biology courses including 16 credit hours at the 300 and 400 level. Specific requirements include four core courses (BIO 140, BIO 150, BIO 240 and BIO 250), at least two upper-division laboratory courses and one course from a list of courses with an emphasis on organismal diversity. In addition, biology majors must complete a set of cognate courses in chemistry, mathematics, statistics and physics that are listed below. Students are encouraged to participate in independent research with a faculty mentor. Credits earned doing research will count toward the biology major but some restrictions apply.

When requested, senior biology majors are expected to participate in program assessment test activities as a graduation requirement. Assessment information helps the department modify the curriculum to meet student needs.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program with a major in one of the following fields: agriculture, biology, botany, pre-dentistry, forestry, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pre-pharmacy, pre-physical therapy, pre-medicine, science education, pre-veterinary, or zoology.

Purpose This curriculum is designed for students seeking licensure in either PreK-3rd Grade or PreK-6th Grade. Upon completion of endorsement courses, students should take the Praxis II: Elementary Education Multiple Subjects. This curriculum prepares students to transfer to any four-year college or university teacher preparation program. Courses in this degree are designed to satisfy some of the endorsement and professional course requirements of a Virginia teaching license. In EDU 200, students will identify the endorsement (content) courses they need to earn a teaching license. Students should meet with a Teacher Education faculty member or Education Field Placement Coordinator and Advising Specialist to select the correct courses for their area of licensure. EDU 200 and EDU 204 both require 20-hour field placements in a K-12 public school. Students will be required to complete a background check before being placed in the schools. Students with criminal records should consult with the Teacher Education Field Placement Coordinator before enrolling in the courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the VCLA after completing ENG 111, ENG 112, Eng-literature course, and CST 100 or 110.

PurposeThe program is designed to prepare students to utilize exercise, specialty equipment, and other treatment procedures to prevent, identify, correct, and alleviate movement dysfunction. The program design provides students with the philosophical, theoretical, and clinical knowledge necessary to deliver high-quality patient care. Ultimately, students are prepared as skilled technical healthcare providers who work under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist to provide selected components of physical therapy treatments. Upon successful completion of the program, students must take and pass a licensing examination to begin their career as a physical therapist assistant (PTA). Students are prepared for employment in a variety of healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centers, contract agencies, and schools.

Biology invites students to participate in the scientific study of living organisms in all their fascinating complexity from molecular and cellular processes to the functioning of the entire planet. Students majoring in biology may satisfy their curiosity about the workings of the natural world, define their strengths and interests, and become lifelong learners in one of hundreds of biology-related careers. All students undertaking a study of biology should receive a thorough grounding in biological principles, should understand the interdisciplinary connections between biology and the other sciences, and should realize that our knowledge of biology is built on scientific discovery. Our curriculum seeks to develop in students the values, habits, and practices of a scientist by allowing them to actually do biology beginning in their freshman year, continuing in subsequent upper division courses, and culminating in a capstone experience in the senior year. An innovative course (BIOL 121 Foundations of Experimental Biology), taken during the freshman year, engages students in discovery-based laboratory exercises. Biology majors will also deepen their understanding of molecular biology (BIOL 123 Principles in Molecular Biology), genetics (BIOL 200 Genetics), and evolution (BIOL 205 Evolution) and are subsequently provided with an intensive and balanced learning experience by taking at least one course from each of the three major sub-disciplines of contemporary biology including:

1. cell and molecular biology
2. organismal biology, and
3. ecology.

Each student works closely with an adviser to select upper-level courses for an individualized curriculum to prepare for a field in medicine, allied health science, ecology, environmental science, or graduate studies in biology. Finally, each student will take a capstone course (BIOL 499 Biology Capstone), which reinforces the skills and abilities developed in the major by having students read the primary literature and discuss the work with the scientists who conducted the studies. All biology students are also encouraged to participate in research early in their college career by taking research courses and by participating in summer research through the College's Shapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF).

Many graduate and professional programs require the completion of additional courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and the humanities. Prospective biology majors should meet with a departmental adviser in their career area(s) of interest at or before the beginning of the sophomore year.

Behavioral Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary course of study within the broader framework of neuroscience that explores the impact of various aspects of behavior and environment on the brain's functions. In the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience laboratory, students have explored the impact of parenting, enriched environments, chronic stress, exercise and various social interactions on behavioral and neural responses.

The behavioral neuroscience major exposes students to the fundamental elements of the discipline, bolstered by opportunities to conduct relevant original research and complete internships in various professional settings. In multiple courses, students will learn the fundamental properties of the nervous system in order to fully understand its integration with various aspects of behavior and mental processes. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, students will take relevant courses in several disciplines including the departments of psychology, biology, and chemistry.

Generally, the mission of the behavioral neuroscience major is to provide Randolph-Macon students with an opportunity to gain sufficient expertise/mastery to enable them to become critical thinkers in the discipline. Students will gain mastery in behavioral neuroscience (e.g., competence in critical thinking, science methodology, and communication skills) by conducting original research projects (and writing formal papers and presenting the information) as they progress through the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience curriculum.

The major in applied mathematics combines classical study of mathematics with modern computational methods and applications to other disciplines. Students pursuing the major will develop multiple modes of evidence including proof, simulation, computation, and visualization, and they will apply their skills to real-world problems in courses taught by mathematics faculty and in a chosen cross-disciplinary area.

Biology invites students to participate in the scientific study of living organisms in all their fascinating complexity from molecular and cellular processes to the functioning of the entire planet. Students majoring in biology may satisfy their curiosity about the workings of the natural world, define their strengths and interests, and become lifelong learners in one of hundreds of biology-related careers. All students undertaking a study of biology should receive a thorough grounding in biological principles, should understand the interdisciplinary connections between biology and the other sciences, and should realize that our knowledge of biology is built on scientific discovery. Our curriculum seeks to develop in students the values, habits, and practices of a scientist by allowing them to actually do biology beginning in their freshman year, continuing in subsequent upper division courses, and culminating in a capstone experience in the senior year. An innovative course (BIOL 121 Foundations of Experimental Biology), taken during the freshman year, engages students in discovery-based laboratory exercises. Biology majors will also deepen their understanding of molecular biology (BIOL 123 Principles in Molecular Biology), genetics (BIOL 200 Genetics), and evolution (BIOL 205 Evolution) and are subsequently provided with an intensive and balanced learning experience by taking at least one course from each of the three major sub-disciplines of contemporary biology including:

1. cell and molecular biology
2. organismal biology, and
3. ecology.

Each student works closely with an adviser to select upper-level courses for an individualized curriculum to prepare for a field in medicine, allied health science, ecology, environmental science, or graduate studies in biology. Finally, each student will take a capstone course (BIOL 499 Biology Capstone), which reinforces the skills and abilities developed in the major by having students read the primary literature and discuss the work with the scientists who conducted the studies. All biology students are also encouraged to participate in research early in their college career by taking research courses and by participating in summer research through the College's Shapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF).

Many graduate and professional programs require the completion of additional courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and the humanities. Prospective biology majors should meet with a departmental adviser in their career area(s) of interest at or before the beginning of the sophomore year.

Mathematics is the language of the sciences, and the analytical tool of many disciplines. In its own right, mathematics is one of the finest inventions of civilization, demanding both creativity and rigor. At Randolph-Macon College, the mathematics curriculum is designed to serve a broad variety of interests. Courses in calculus, statistics, modeling, finite mathematics, and logic are available to all students and provide one of the cornerstones of a liberal arts education.

Students pursuing the mathematics major or minor are expected to gain an appreciation of mathematical rigor, the process whereby propositions are logically deduced from general premises. Such study should enable students to apply greater clarity and precision of thought to their future endeavors and promote higher order thinking and habits of mind suitable for effective problem-solving. The curriculum includes courses in both theoretical and applied mathematics. Each student should be able to develop a course of study which will serve as the foundation for graduate work or for a career that requires well-developed analytical skills. A major in mathematics may lead to graduate study in many fields, e.g. mathematics, statistics, computer science, economics, or operations research. The program also provides excellent preparation for a career in law, medicine, business, or engineering.

Biology invites students to participate in the scientific study of living organisms in all their fascinating complexity from molecular and cellular processes to the functioning of the entire planet. Students majoring in biology may satisfy their curiosity about the workings of the natural world, define their strengths and interests, and become lifelong learners in one of hundreds of biology-related careers. All students undertaking a study of biology should receive a thorough grounding in biological principles, should understand the interdisciplinary connections between biology and the other sciences, and should realize that our knowledge of biology is built on scientific discovery. Our curriculum seeks to develop in students the values, habits, and practices of a scientist by allowing them to actually do biology beginning in their freshman year, continuing in subsequent upper division courses, and culminating in a capstone experience in the senior year. An innovative course (BIOL 121 Foundations of Experimental Biology), taken during the freshman year, engages students in discovery-based laboratory exercises. Biology majors will also deepen their understanding of molecular biology (BIOL 123 Principles in Molecular Biology), genetics (BIOL 200 Genetics), and evolution (BIOL 205 Evolution) and are subsequently provided with an intensive and balanced learning experience by taking at least one course from each of the three major sub-disciplines of contemporary biology including:

1. cell and molecular biology
2. organismal biology, and
3. ecology.

Each student works closely with an adviser to select upper-level courses for an individualized curriculum to prepare for a field in medicine, allied health science, ecology, environmental science, or graduate studies in biology. Finally, each student will take a capstone course (BIOL 499 Biology Capstone), which reinforces the skills and abilities developed in the major by having students read the primary literature and discuss the work with the scientists who conducted the studies. All biology students are also encouraged to participate in research early in their college career by taking research courses and by participating in summer research through the College's Shapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF).

Many graduate and professional programs require the completion of additional courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and the humanities. Prospective biology majors should meet with a departmental adviser in their career area(s) of interest at or before the beginning of the sophomore year.

Behavioral Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary course of study within the broader framework of neuroscience that explores the impact of various aspects of behavior and environment on the brain's functions. In the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience laboratory, students have explored the impact of parenting, enriched environments, chronic stress, exercise and various social interactions on behavioral and neural responses.

The behavioral neuroscience major exposes students to the fundamental elements of the discipline, bolstered by opportunities to conduct relevant original research and complete internships in various professional settings. In multiple courses, students will learn the fundamental properties of the nervous system in order to fully understand its integration with various aspects of behavior and mental processes. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, students will take relevant courses in several disciplines including the departments of psychology, biology, and chemistry.

Generally, the mission of the behavioral neuroscience major is to provide Randolph-Macon students with an opportunity to gain sufficient expertise/mastery to enable them to become critical thinkers in the discipline. Students will gain mastery in behavioral neuroscience (e.g., competence in critical thinking, science methodology, and communication skills) by conducting original research projects (and writing formal papers and presenting the information) as they progress through the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience curriculum.