Overview

Biology

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Program Overview

Biology is the natural science of life and living organisms. The field is immensely diverse with numerous branches from paleontology, the study of prehistoric life, to biochemistry, the study of life at the chemical level, to astrobiology, the study of life beyond Earth.

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Why Study Biology at Inver Hills?

Acquire a profound understanding of the natural world.

Studying biology teaches you how to relate to the nearly 9 million other lifeforms that share the Earth with human beings. You’ll develop a strong awareness of diverse ecosystems and how they interconnect and adapt to a changing climate.

Key into your individual biology in the context of human civilization.

Biology gives you insights into your own health and wellness while showing where you fit in the grand scheme of living things. You’ll discover how to make more informed decisions about your diet, habits, and healthcare. You’ll also better comprehend biological issues in society and nature such as genetically modified organism (GMOs), vaccines and antibiotics, invasive species, bioscience ethics, and more.

Fight to preserve our one and only planet.

As a biology student, you’ll have opportunities to examine leading-edge, eco-conservation efforts. You will get a handle on the most pressing environmental issues and learn how to combat exploitation linked to corporate farming, mining, energy production and consumption, deforestation, desertification, and more. Species extinction, ozone depletion, and extreme weather are just a few ecological problems that need your attention.

Explore a cornucopia of career options.

Most biologists pursue careers in seven main areas: forensic biology, microbiology, marine biology, wildlife biology, ecology, biological engineering, and biostatistics. Within those areas are myriad specialty occupations. Here are just a few: agronomist, biochemist, environmental analyst, fisheries scientist, forestry technician, genetics technician, plant pathologist, secondary school science teacher, zoologist, and the list goes on.

Transferable skills are the name of the game.

Biology majors need a really big toolbox for the skill set they’ll assemble during their biological studies. Included in that set are investigative, analytical, research, and communication skills obtained from identifying problems, cataloging information, designing experiments, conducting studies, reasoning logically, making data projections, writing research proposals, composing reports, and so much more.

Work in the wildest places.

Biological scientists working in the branches of botany, ecology, entomology, ornithology, and zoology frequently conduct fields studies in exotic locations, ranging from Arctic iceshelfs to temperate rainforests to coastal deserts to alpine belts to flooded savannas to oceanic midnight zones. If you like doing important, adventurous work while living in primitive conditions, biology could be your calling.

Discover solutions to the greatest challenges of your generation.

When you major in biology with the goal to earn an advanced degree, you will encounter opportunities to participate in world-class scientific research. Unanswered questions linked to biology are focused on biodiversity, the origins of life, brain mapping, virus evolution, sustainable agriculture, synthetic life, fatal diseases, DNA sequencing, and more.

Stamp your passport to the scientific universe of biology.

Our Transfer Pathway A.S. gives you the credits you need to transfer with junior-year status to a biology baccalaureate program at one of seven Minnesota State universities. Your education at Inver Hills will steamroll all obstacles on your road to academic and career success.

Biology Career Paths

Biology is the study of life.

Careers in biology are almost as varied as life itself. The field has branches and subdisciplines as prominent as ornithology, the study of birds, or the more obscure myrmecology, the study of ants. As a biology major, you will develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for rewarding careers in scientific research and healthcare.

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