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Biology
Biology. The Department of Biology offers a dynamic and modern program in biology which prepares students both academically and practically for vocations in science and science-related fields or for entry into graduate studies. The major is designed to present a basic background in modern biology and in the supportive disciplines of chemistry, mathematics and physics, and to provide specialized training selected by the student from a variety of areas. The wide range of faculty expertise and research interest allows the department to offer a curriculum which includes general and advanced courses in plant and animal sciences, marine sciences, genetics and physiology, ecology, molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, endocrinology, entomology, evolution, and systematics. Formal programs of study within the major include Emphases in Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, Marine Biology, and Zoology. Special studies opportunities with SDSU faculty and scientists at cooperating institutions allow qualified students to gain research experience on an individual basis.
The department offers a specific program of courses to fulfill the state of California's science requirements for the Single Subject Teaching Credential in Science (beginning January 1995) and the current Life Science Teaching Credential. Students successfully completing one of these programs may be certified by the department as having demonstrated subject competency as required in part for acceptance into College of Education single subject credential program.
The department also offers a program leading to the Recombinant DNA Technology Certificate. The purpose of this program is to prepare undergraduate and graduate students for employment in public and private organizations utilizing recombinant DNA technology.
The rapid advances in theoretical and applied biology, the growing demands in health care and the expansion of general interest in and concern for the environment are just a few of the factors which continue to increase society's need for biologists. Some examples: a biology degree is the common precursor for the medical, dental, veterinarian and allied health professions; government agencies involved in environment protection, public health and conservation need ecologists, inspectors, laboratory technicians and wildlife, forest, coast and park managers; government and private agriculture agencies need entomologists and botanists; private companies, government laboratories and universities involved in biotechnology need microbiologists and molecular biologists; zoos, wild animal parks and aquaria need zoologists; the secondary school system needs biology teachers; textbook and scientific supply companies need science majors. Whether your goal is to work in a laboratory or a forest, there is opportunity for fulfillment and growth in the field of biology.
Environmental Health. (No new students are being admitted to this program.) Those who are interested in such problems as solid waste disposal, air pollution, hazardous materials and similar environmental concerns, may want to choose a major in environmental health.
The major includes preparatory coursework in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Upper division students are exposed to a variety of areas concerned with environmental health such as epidemiology, which studies the transmission, distribution and control of diseases; microbiology, which studies agents of disease; and a course which examines the treatment of water and wastewater.
Employment opportunities for graduates are keeping pace with the growth of public and legislative interest in environmental health and are plentiful in both the public and private sectors. Graduates may find positions in housing and land development, housing inspection, vector control, safety inspection, environmental impact, industrial hygiene, and occupational health.
The Environmental Health program is approved by the California Department of Health Services to satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a specialist. An environmental health graduate may immediately take the State of California examination to become an Environmental Health Specialist. Environmental Health Specialists, also known as public health inspectors, are involved in restaurant inspection, communicable disease investigation, and water and wastewater disposal and management. These individuals, who normally belong to state and national environmental health associations, may also be involved in the areas of food safety, radiation, vector control, and environmental impact.
Microbiology. Microbiology is the study of bacteria, viruses, yeasts, molds, algae and protozoa. These microorganisms are found associated with plants and animals, in soil, and in fresh and marine waters. Many of the free-living species participate in maintaining the quality of our environment. Certain species affect the health and well-being of plants and animals, including humans, by causing infectious diseases. Microorganisms are often used in the molecular biology laboratory as research tools, for experiments in genetic engineering, and in the manufacture of food and chemicals.
The microbiology major is designed to provide the student with a background in basic biology, microbiology, and the disciplines of chemistry, mathematics and physics. The curriculum includes introductory and advanced courses (most with laboratories) in general and pathogenic microbiology, immunology, virology, physiology, and genetics as well as courses in food and industrial microbiology, marine microbiology, and molecular biology.
Microbiologists find positions with governmental agencies, in university and private research laboratories, in biotechnology, medical and industrial laboratories, in schools as teachers, with scientific supply companies, or with textbook companies. Depending on the situation, a microbiologist may conduct fundamental and applied research, identify disease-causing microorganisms in medical or veterinary specimens, participate in studies of the environment (e.g., soil, ocean, lakes), aid in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, food, or beverages, or provide quality and safety control. The microbiology major is excellent preparation for entrance into medical, dental, veterinarian, and graduate schools. The Emphasis in Medical Technology and Public Health Microbiology prepares students to become, after a postgraduate internship, licensed medical technologists or certified public health microbiologists.
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