Mission of DSU's Biology Program

The mission of the Biology Program is to provide our students with an extensive education in the biological sciences through an integrated perspective of study allowing them to consider the many facets of living systems.The program trains students in the epistemology and application of science through traditional coursework, extensive laboratory experience, and student-driven research projects.

Our graduates are prepared to meet the challenges of the advanced research and training encountered at graduate and professional programs in the biological and medical sciences. The Program’s mission supports the overall mission of Dixie State University to provide the education necessary for our graduates to compete in educational and professional fields.

Why Biology?

The biological sciences are at the forefront of scientific knowledge in the 21st century. Advances in biology have revolutionized our understanding of the natural world and ourselves. The application of this knowledge is progressing our technologies to previously unimaginable heights.

Why Dixie State Biology?

The DSU Biology program introduces students to an integrated perspective of study allowing them to consider the many facets of living systems. From its intricate molecular machinations, to the function and form of organisms, to the complexities of ecological communities, students gain an understanding of life through the entire spectrum of its properties.

The DSU Biology program offers students the opportunity to learn through traditional coursework, extensive laboratory experience, and student-driven research projects. Advanced laboratories for molecular and microbiology experiments, a controlled desert garden and greenhouse facility, a marine reef aquarium, and extensive fieldwork in the unique ecosystems of the surrounding areas are some of the resources utilized for scientific study.

The Dixie State Biology Program

The Biology Department offers programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. Majors will complete a core of courses that provide an understanding of foundational biological principles. Upper-division coursework provides integration, in-depth study, and an opportunity for specialization within the different degree emphases. Additional coursework in chemistry, physics, statistics, and mathematics provides knowledge and analytical skills.

Dixie State University offers threee degrees through the biology program:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science in Biology Secondary Education
- Bachelor of Science or Arts in Integrated Studies, Biology emphasis

The course content for all emphases is similar, but each emphasis degree requires specific coursework in its related area. Degrees in Education or Integrated Studies are co-coordinated through their respective Departments.

Program Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

The pedagogical vision of the Biology Program is built upon three goals, interacting synergistically, to develop nascent scholars of the biological sciences. Our faculty has identified assessable learning outcomes supporting these goals to ensure that students of the Program possess the knowledge and capacities expected for their level of education and to allow the Department to continuously gauge the effectiveness of the Program.

Goal 1: Demonstrate breadth of discipline-specific knowledge

Outcome 1: Students will describe and explain fundamental topics in five principal perspectives of biology:

• The chemical and molecular machinations operating within all biological processes
• The centrality of genetic systems' governance of life's actions from the cellular to the phyletic
• The coordinated regulation of integrated cellular systems and their effect on the physiological functioning of organisms
• The dynamic interaction of living systems with each other and their environments
• The transforming role of evolution in changing life forms and how evolution explains both the unity and diversity of life

Goal 2: Demonstrate the capacity to think independently and critically

Outcome 2: Students will employ scientific methods to acquire, analyze and apply knowledge of biological phenomena.

Outcome 3: Students will evaluate scientific ideas and information while maintaining receptivity to potential alternative predications.

Goal 3: Effectively convey scientific literacy through various mediums of communication

Outcome 4: Reading Comprehension: Students will analyze and critique scientific literature: identifying hypotheses, critiquing methods, interpreting data and results, and articulating the context of discussions.

Outcome 5: Written Communication: Students will produce well-written reports and/or research papers covering topics in biology. These papers will be presented in the accepted formats of scientific research articles.

Outcome 6: Oral Presentation: Students will publicly present scientific information covering specific topics in the biological sciences. Presentations will adequately communicate data and information in a clear and logical format.

Career Opportunities in the Biomedical Sciences

Careers associated with an educational background in the biological sciences represent some of the most ‘in-demand’ fields today and for the foreseeable future. Careers in health care, biotechnology, and science education are in constant need of qualified and experienced applicants. While the earning potential varies by industry and position, the opportunities available are as diverse as the science itself.

The DSU Biology degree prepares students for graduate or professional training in the biomedical sciences, science education, or employment in research, industry, or governmental agencies. DSU biology alumni can be found at professional and research institutions across the nation.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the department chair, the secretary, or any of the faculty.

Department Chair:
David W. Jones
Office: SCI 102
Email: dwjones@dixie.edu
Phone: (435) 652-7632

Department Secretary:
Kathi Steadward
Office: SCI 101
Email: steadward@dixie.edu
Phone: (435) 652-7760

Mailing Address:
Department of Biological Sciences
Dixie State University of Utah
225 South 700 East
St. George, UT 84770
Fax: (435) 656-4022