Message from the Chair

We are a department of eleven full-time faculty members and offer a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with two distinct tracks designed to support each student's personal academic and career goals. The “Pre-professional” track is designed to specifically prepare students for application to professional or graduate schools – medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, etc. and research/laboratory-based graduate programs. Our “Organismal” track is a broader exposure to the wider world of Biology preparing students to enter the workforce or graduate programs with a well-rounded scientific understanding of the living world around us to pursue other career paths, such as teaching (with appropriate education courses), law, journalism or other areas.

In addition to the required coursework in Biology, we offer elective classes that allow you to explore your particular interests: human anatomy, biochemistry, developmental biology, immunology, marine biology, neuroscience and others. Many of our Biology majors also spend a summer or a semester in study-abroad programs.

Students interested in research have the opportunity to work with faculty in such diverse areas as plant allergens, environmental science and ecology, behavior, cancer, genetics, forensic science, biomechanics, zoo microbes, and marine life. Students may present their studies at regional or national scientific meetings, or publish their results in scientific journals.

Our goal is to help you acquire a well rounded education in typically small classes, allowing you to get to know the professors as you progress through school. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Best wishes,
Paul J. Kiser, Ph.D., Chair (email
Chair, Department of Biology
Bellarmine University