UNIVERSITY CATALOG: 2023-2024

Mission Statement

In congruence with the mission of the College of Science and Mathematics, the Department of Biology teaches students to become more scientifically literate citizens; prepares students to enter graduate programs; generates a pool of local and national scientists capable of assuming leadership roles in industry and education; trains K–12 teachers to become competent educators in the sciences; and produces students for biomedical programs, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and pharmacy.

The Department of Biology is dedicated to moving science toward a more diverse, inclusive and equitable discipline, countering a historical overrepresentation of a privileged subset of voices, and pledging to respect and welcome dialogue that values diverse scientific perspectives. Through its teaching, research and service to the students, University and community at large, the Department of Biology is dedicated to making institutional changes to ensure science is more accessible, safe and welcoming to all.

About the Department

Biology is the study of life, its variety and processes. The discipline is dynamic and its intellectual framework is expanding rapidly. In one direction, the study of organisms is the basis for the understanding of how populations of organisms interact among themselves and with their environments. This includes a consideration of the distribution and abundance of organisms, change in organisms over time, energy flow among organisms, and cycling of inorganic and organic resources, and how climate change impacts the biosphere. In another direction, the study of biological molecules is the basis for understanding cell structure, function and diversity, including metabolism, growth, development, genetics and reproduction in organisms. Visit the Department of Biology website for additional information about the program, faculty interests and more.

Academic Advisement

Undergraduate advisement is available from the Biology Student Advisement Center, located in Chaparral Hall (CR) 5104. Contact Dani Amoroso or Terri Richardson at (818) 677-2675 or biologyadvising@csun.edu for undergraduate advisement.

Graduate students who are seeking advisement should contact the graduate coordinator.

Careers

Many career opportunities are available to the student majoring in biology. The undergraduate program provides a foundation for future training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, clinical laboratory science and graduate programs. It also can serve for direct entry into teaching and a variety of positions in industrial, research and governmental organizations. Graduates of the program have been successful in gaining admission and completing advanced degrees at high-quality universities.

Honors

This program provides an opportunity for outstanding Biology majors to gain research experience with individual faculty guidance and may be of value for research-minded pre-medical students. The designation “Honors” will be added to the academic record of any student who completes the program.

Admission to the program is granted by approval of the department honors coordinator. Students in the B.A. degree program or in any of the B.S. options are eligible, provided they have:

  1. Completed 90 units of college work.
  2. Maintained a 3.5 GPA overall and in the Biology major.
  3. Obtained the approval of a faculty sponsor who will supervise their research.

Interested students should contact the Biology department office.

Graduation with Honors Requires:

  1. Completion of the following courses:
    BIOL 330/L Design and Analysis of Experiments and Lab (2/1)
    BIOL 495 Directed Research (3)
    BIOL 498 Senior Thesis (2)
    All 8 units must be in addition to those completed for the major.
  2. Maintenance of a GPA of 3.5 overall and in all courses in the Biology major completed at CSUN.
  3. Approval of a senior thesis by an Honors Committee made up of the faculty supervisor and two other faculty members.
  4. An oral presentation of the research.

Clubs and Societies

Academic Clubs

  • Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution Research Club
  • Biology Club
  • Biology Student Committee
  • CSUN Women in Science
  • Genetics Club of CSUN
  • Marine Biology Graduate Student Association
  • Microbiology Student Association
  • Student Marine Conservation Society 

Pre-Professional Clubs

  • American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
  • Chicanos for Community Medicine
  • Coalition of Physician Assistants
  • Phi Delta Epsilon
  • Pre-Dental Club
  • Pre-Optometry Student Association (POSA)
  • Pre-Pharmacy Club
  • Veterinarians of Tomorrow

Pre-Medical and Pre-Professional Information

The B.A. degree is recommended for all pre-professional students; however, any of the B.S. options may be followed by students with special interests. Pre-medical, pre-dental and other students pursuing health-associated professional careers should consult with the Pre-Professional advisor, Terri Richardson. For more information, see Pre-Professional Advisement, Health Professions in this Catalog.

Contact

Department of Biology
Chair: Cheryl Courtney-Hogue
Chaparral Hall (CR) 5101
(818) 677-3356