Welcome to the Department of Life Sciences (LSCI)

We appreciate your interest in our department and hope that you find the information you seek about its degree programs, outreach programs and research emphases.

The Department of Life Sciences offers four degree programs (two undergraduate and two graduate):

The Biology Program offers the Bachelor of Science in Biology and the Master of Science in Biology.
The Biomedical Sciences Program offers the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences.
The Mariculture Program offers the Master of Science in Mariculture.
The Marine Biology Program offers the Master of Science in Marine Biology and the Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology.

In courses and in research, students in the Department of Life Sciences meet high standards of performance. Each program of study is interdisciplinary and requires course work from other programs and departments. Likewise, the courses offered through the Department of Life Sciences attract students majoring in other programs, departments and colleges. Our graduates are admitted to positions of responsibility, and to noted graduate and professional schools throughout the state, nation and world.

A dedicated faculty using excellent, modern facilities provides the classroom, field, and laboratory experiences necessary to help the students achieve their goals. Most faculty members in the Department of Life Sciences are actively engaged in research, giving undergraduate and graduate students many opportunities to participate in faculty-supervised research experiences. Faculty members belong to one of two departmental Divisions based on their general research interests:

The Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Division focuses on life processes from the molecular/biochemical level to the organismal level. In addition to discovery and the expansion of the knowledge base in these areas, this division also explores the practical application of concepts and theories to health care, industry and government.
The Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology Division explores the interactions of organisms with each other and with their physical environment. Over time, such interactions produce changes in both the organisms and the environment, so this division's research interests range from the development of an understanding of processes, to modeling such processes, to practical applications in business, law, and public policy.

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