BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Indiren Pillay, Chair
Professors: D. Bachoon, A.L. Barkovskii, 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 Professor: C.E. Skelton
Assistant Professors: A.J. Chase, Y.K.E. France, K.M. Manoylov, S. Mutiti and C.B. Zehnder
Instructors: P.K. Christenson, C.M. Mutiti, and E.A. Parrish

Department Contact Information:
Georgia College
Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences
Campus Box 81
Milledgeville, GA 31061
478-445-0809
Biological and Environmental Sciences Website
Chair, Indiren Pillay, indiren.pillay@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. 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 GC 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.

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 through GC's Four-Plus-One program, which allows the student to receive both certification and a master degree in one extra year of study, should receive 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 John H. Lounsbury 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, GEOL 1121, 1122; IDST 2405; PHSC 4010, PHYS 1111, 1112, 2211, 2212.

Students aspiring to earn a M.A.T. degree with a concentration in biology should take GACE Content Assessment tests #26 and #27 in their senior year. Information on the GACE tests is available at www.gace.nesinc.com. Passing both tests is required for teacher certification in Georgia for teaching biology in grades 6-12. For science certification, the GACE Content Assessment are #24 and #25. Students may need to pass GACE Reading (#200) Mathematics (#201), and Writing (#202) for admission to the M.A.T. program and for Georgia certification. Applicants to the John H. Lounsbury College of Education must pass an on-site writing assessment given four or five times a year. Information on the writing assessment is at /education/graduate/writing.htm

For more information on the biology M.A.T. program, contact Dr. Kevin Crabb, M.A.T. Secondary Education Coordinator, 142 Kilpatrick Hall, (478) 445-2359 or kevin.crabb@gcsu.edu

For inquiries on the science M.A.T. program for Middle Grades Education, contact Dr. Nancy Mizelle, Chairperson of Early Childhood and Middle Grades Education, 228H Kilpatrick Hall, (478) 445-6555 or nancy.mizelle@gcsu.edu.

THE DAVID J. COTTER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM

All GC 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