BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

W. P. Wall, Chair
Professors: E.H. Barman, R.M. Chandler, M.L. DeVore, M. L. Gleason, A. J. Mead, and D.C. Parmley, K.S. Saladin, T.W. Toney, W.P. Wall, and G.W. Wolfe
Associate Professors: D. Bachoon, A. Barkovskii, and C.E. Skelton
Assistant Professors: Y.K.E. France, K.M. Manoylov, S. Mutiti and C.B. Zehnder
Instructors: P.K. Christenson and E.A. Parrish

Department Contact Information:
Georgia College & State University
Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences
Campus Box 81
Milledgeville, GA 31061
478-445-0809
Biological and Environmental Sciences Website
Chair, William Wall, bill.wall@gcsu.edu
Administrative Assistant, Judith Sanders, judith.sanders@gcsu.edu

MISSION

The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences supports the liberal arts mission of Georgia College & State University. The faculty endeavor to provide challenging and rewarding programs for undergraduate Biology and Environmental Sciences majors, core/service students, and graduate students alike. Rigorous course work is intended to instill an appreciation for critical thinking, the scientific method, and the role of science in our technologically oriented society. All departmental majors will receive thorough instruction in the scientific process and interpretation of scientific data along with experimental design and experience with modern instrumentation. All graduates will exhibit proficiency in both oral and written communication. Biology majors will have a sound understanding of cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, evolution, and ecology. Environmental Science majors will develop proficiency in a variety of field and laboratory techniques used in environmental impact studies. These students will also have broad exposure to the political, social, and economic aspects of the environment. Research opportunities are available at the undergraduate (biology and environmental science majors) and graduate (biology) levels. The faculty view active research as an effective teaching tool. Graduates of the program will be well trained, have a broad perspective on current biological and/or environmental science topics and concerns, and have field and laboratory experience that will make them competitive in the job market or well prepared to continue their education.

STUDENT SUCCESS

Earning a college degree is a significant milestone in one's life and requires dedication to one's studies and tremendous effort to succeed. In order to enable you to achieve this goal, we have dedicated ourselves to developing measures that help ensure student success in our department's programs. This process begins with the First-Year Academic Seminar (BIOL 0001 or ENSC 0001), in which you are introduced to the faculty and students who make up the departmental community. You will join with other first-year students to get an overview of the subject matter covered in the major, explore career possibilities, and to develop techniques for getting the most out of your college courses and activities. You will also learn about departmental and University expectations, policies, and resources. Because the college experience at GCSU is more intense than at many other schools, we have designed the curriculum to help you each step of the way. In addition, we are committed to offering the courses necessary to ensure that students who follow the program of study will graduate in four years. Toward that end we have developed a typical four-year program of study that serves as a guide for students' schedules each term, specifies required courses and recommended sequencing of courses, and advises students to enroll in an average of 30 semester hours each year. These programs of study are available on our department's web page. The major is designed to give students flexibility to prepare for a variety of career or graduate education tracks. Special advisement is provided to those wishing to enter education and professional schools to help students meet prerequisites for these programs. Internships afford majors the opportunity to learn by working for an industry, agency, or institution in a scientific capacity.

CAREER INFORMATION

The Biology and Environmental Sciences majors are designed to give students flexibility to prepare for a variety of career or graduate education tracks. Special advisement is provided to those wishing to enter education and professional schools to help students meet prerequisites for those programs. Internships afford majors the opportunity to learn by working for an industry, agency, or institution in a scientific capacity.

Department graduates usually go into one of four career tracks: industry, for example as microbiologists, food and drug technologists, environmental consultants, laboratory technicians, microscopists, etc.; state and federal government, for example as entomologists, environmental scientists, plant pathologists, zoo curators, horticulturists, agronomists, fisheries, wildlife and forest conservationists; or professional self-employment as physicians, veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, environmental attorneys, landscape architects; or educators, from the junior high school to college level.

A biology or environmental science degree qualifies graduates for immediate entry into some of these careers and enables them to qualify for others (especially in government and industry) with little additional work. The degree also qualifies graduates to apply to professional schools (i.e. medicine), graduate schools, and higher level jobs in government and industry.

TEACHER CERTIFICATION

Students who wish to pursue teacher certification in broad field science or biology through GCSU's Four-Plus-One program, which allows the student to receive both certification and a master degree in one extra year of study, should pursue a B.S. in biology first. In addition the department recommends that you join the Future High School Educators Club in order to start making contacts in the College of Education and to learn more about this Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree. Students who would like to pursue teacher education are encouraged to take the following courses: ASTR 1000; BIOL 1120, 2100, 2200, 2700, 2800, 3400, 4010, 4110, 4180, 4215, 4300, 4410, 4440, 3450, 4710, 4740, 4810; CHEM 1211, 1212, 3010, 4211; ENSC 1000, 3820; GEOL 1121, 1122; IDST 2405; PHSC 4010, PHYS 1111, 1112, 2211, 2212. Six hours in each of the other sciences than biology (except astronomy) are required for broad field certification.

For more information on this program, inquire at the office of the Dean of the College of Education, 222-C Kilpatrick, phone (478) 445-4546.

THE DAVID J. COTTER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM

All GCSU freshmen and sophomores with a major in Biology are invited to participate in research conducted by individual faculty. Students interested in participating must apply for admission. Faculty members will be responsible for accepting students and determining the number of students that may work in their research laboratories although the number shall not exceed four. Students may transfer from one laboratory to another if permission has been obtained from the proposed new research director. Students shall receive a maximum of six credit hours of undergraduate research. Grades are to be assigned by the research director, according to his/her guidelines for grading students enrolled in research courses. Students shall be required to:

Attend seminars and/or cultural events.
Conduct approved research.
Present research results at the Student Interdisciplinary Research Conference and/or at a scientific meeting.
Prepare an undergraduate thesis suitable for publication in the Corinthian and/or a peer-reviewed journal.

DEGREES AND MINORS OFFERED