Welcome
Welcome to the Department of Biological Sciences! Thanks for your interest in our department and its
curricula.
As you go about the process of choosing a university and a major, there are many factors to be considered. It is hoped that the information provided in this section will address the majority of your questions. If you need further help, you may e-mail questions to
Pat McCarroll, Student Coordinator.
Career Opportunities in the Biological Sciences
and Job Outlook
For a good overview of the careers and job prospects awaiting successful graduates in the biological sciences, please visit the
Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Biological and Medical Scientists section.
Advising
As a new student in this department, you will be assigned an adviser at the beginning of your freshman year. This individual will guide you through the requirements for a baccalaureate degree and, if needed, refer you to other university services such as the Tutoring and Academic Assistance Center. This person may also serve as a good resource for information on postgraduate programs in your area of interest. Advisers are also a good starting point for looking at career options.
Additional advising is available for students interested in careers in the health professions.
Dr. Rolf Ingermann assists students wishing to pursue admission to
medical, dental, physical therapy and most other health related programs.
Dr. Joseph Cloud advises students
interested in admission to nursing school.
Please refer to the
Allied Health website for more information about pre-health
studies at the UI.
Curricular Requirements
Undergraduate Research
From your first semester as an undergraduate major in the
Department of Biological Sciences, you will be encouraged to
seek opportunities to work on research projects with
Department Faculty. You will learn more science by doing
science, you will get to know and be known by at least one
of our faculty members who in turn can act as a mentor and a
reference for you, you may also have an opportunity to present your data at an undergraduate research conference, or you may be a co-author on a publication. 
All of these are good reasons for getting involved in research and all of the above will help to give you a competitive edge when seeking admission to advanced degree programs as diverse as medicine and molecular biology.
But, even if you are not able to take advantage of the opportunity to work in one of the research labs during your undergraduate career, the department's courses will provide you with laboratory experiences ranging from molecular techniques to comparative anatomy and field work.
A list of some of the facilities used by department members
is in the research facilities
section.
What You Need to Do to Succeed in the Sciences
If you want to use your biology degree, you will face keen competition. Since there are many challenging and lucrative careers in the broad area of the biological sciences, many very fine students major in biology. To be successful, you must complete your undergraduate degree with a high GPA. This means that you must have the dedication and motivation to study effectively four to five hours per day, five to six days per week. If your reading and study skills need work, then you have to be willing to seek help from
Tutoring and
Learning Services early in your undergraduate career to get these skills up to speed. Students in the biological sciences must be able to read and digest large volumes of information in fairly short periods of time. The university is ready and able to help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed. You need the will and dedication to take advantage of what is here.
What Our Seniors Say About the Department
Each year our graduating seniors fill out an exit questionnaire during their last semester. They are asked to describe what the department does well and what needs improvement. The seniors consistently praise the faculty for their knowledge, enthusiasm, teaching ability and accessibility, and then they also list a few concerns. The faculty pay very close attention to the responses on this survey and to those they receive on the student course evaluations. Below are quotes from the Class of 1997 which are representative of the comments received each year:
What's Good
"By far, getting to know my professors was the best aspect of [being in] the department."
"Visiting researchers and seminars were definitely some of the highlights [of my undergraduate education]."
"The faculty here are very approachable. Often students associate and spend time with the professors making it easier to ask questions and learn."
"There are some challenging upper division courses, like CVP [Comparative Vertebrate Physiology], Molecular biology, and DPA [Developmental Plant Anatomy], that give students the opportunity to learn on their own, rather than regurgitating the information given by the professor."
"The faculty make themselves very accessible to the students. In fact, many professors don't even mind if you [come by to] talk to them outside their office hours."
"Professors are wonderful - very competent, knowledgeable, and good at teaching."
"[The department] has good labs - a lot of hands-on things that make it fun to learn."
"The department provides a good research environment for those students interested in scientific research."
"Transferring from a private university, I found that the U of I offered far more opportunities for lab work and practical experience. This was a benefit for me because I learn more efficiently through hands-on application of concepts."
"I feel the biology department does a good job of hiring faculty who know their material well."
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What's Not So Good
The students' number one complaint is the difficulty in scheduling classes. The following quotes are just a few that we have received referring to this issue:
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"The area I had the most difficulties in was that of scheduling classes."
"Scheduling was very difficult for me because I was a transfer student."
"Scheduling conflicts have been my main problem. However, with as many students as there are, perfect scheduling is impossible."
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The department teaches some courses during fall only and some spring only. A few courses are taught alternate years. Each of these courses normally has one or more prerequisites which must be completed prior to enrollment. Students can find this a bit overwhelming; however, through working closely with a good adviser, the majority of the scheduling problems can be avoided. The department also provides a four year schedule that lets students know when to take the required courses. To see the schedule for
Biology, click on the
Biology
Planning Sheet (PDF file).
Campus Visits
Interested in a Campus Visit or other basic information about the University of Idaho?
New Student Services can help you. Click on the link to visit their homepage or call 208-885-6163.
Financial aid or scholarship information? Visit the
Student Financial Aid Office or call 208-885-6312.
Ready to Apply?
Go to the
Admissions Office Homepage where you may apply electronically.
Registration for First Semester Freshmen
All undergraduate students must speak with an adviser before registering. You may call the Biological Sciences Department's main office at 208-885-6280 in order to talk with an adviser on campus. You may also be advised at the off campus centers located in Boise, Idaho Falls, and Coeur d'Alene. If you opt for off campus advising, please then contact the Biological Sciences Department so that we may review the courses you have selected and set up a permanent advising file for you.
You will register by world wide web.
Instructions are included in the university's
Advising & Registration Guide. Please refer to the
Biology Planning Sheet (PDF file) to get an idea of the courses you should take during your freshman year.
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