Biology Department
To prepare our graduates for all careers in the Life Sciences, the Biology major at Whitman College offers a well-rounded degree with coursework covering all the major areas of biology, from the molecular to the ecological. All courses are integrated with modern molecular and evolutionary concepts. The senior year requires a research thesis and comprehensive exams (click Policies and Requirements link here or above). Our students leave Whitman fully prepared to go into any biologically related graduate program, medicine and other health fields, laboratory and administrative positions at biotechnology companies, business and law school, and teaching. And they are prepared to enter the world in any other field as scientifically literate thinkers.
In addition to our comprehensive Biology degree, we also offer combined degrees in other Life Science areas:
- Biology-Geology
- Biology-Environmental Studies
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (BBMB: molecular/genomics sciences).
- Oceanography/Biology: joint 5-year program with University of Washington
- Forestry and Environmental Management: joint 5-year program with Duke University
- Individual students have designed their own majors in such areas as Biology-Psychology, Astronomy-Biology, and Bioethics.
See Policies and Requirements for major requirements.
News
- Sue Weiler in the White House: Dr Weiler (Whitman Biology Research Assoc.) is currently a program director at NSF. She was one of just 6 people who were charged with designed a new family-friendly Career Balance policy at NSF. This is deemed so important -- in part because other govt agencies may adopt it -- that their policy was announced in the White House on Sept. 28 by the NSF director and Michelle Obama. Watch the video here.
- We are joined by visiting professors Kirsten Bohn and Severine Groh.
345 Boyer Ave.