BIOLOGY
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The Dordt Difference • Do you want to explore the biological world, not just learn facts about it? • Are you looking for an education that gives you a competitive advantage in your career or in your medical or postgraduate training? • Are you looking for small classes and a friendly environment, where you get to know your classmates and work alongside your professors? • Do you want to be involved in original research, even as a first-year student? • Do you want to explore what it means to be a Christian in science? Then you’ll feel at home in Dordt’s biology department. At Dordt you can be involved in original research. We’ll teach you how to ask good, testable questions and help you develop your skills as a scientist, including presenting your work both on campus and at scientific conferences. Our program has two degree tracks and two minors for you to choose from, depending on your interests. Most of our students work as lab instructors or tutors. This hands-on experience allows you to work closely with a professor and peers, reinforcing what you’re learning in your classes. “Like” us on Facebook, where we post interesting stories and department news.
FACILITIES Dordt has exceptional science facilities for an institution of its size: several teaching, research, and project labs; facilities for maintaining and studying animals, microbes, and plants; and specialized equipment in fluorescence microscopy, cell culture, genetic analysis, and recombinant DNA technology. There is also a restored prairie on campus. We are also beginning a renovation of our science building, which includes the construction of new biology and chemistry labs, including a cadaver lab.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT My experience as a biology major at Dordt not only challenged me academically and successfully prepared me for a career in research, but it also challenged me spiritually. As I studied life alongside my professors and fellow students, I was able to form a more meaningful relationship with the Creator and with his creation.
THE PROGRAM
Brittany DeRuyter (’10)
Our bachelor of science in biology curriculum gives good preparation for graduate or professional school. The biology core includes a freshman seminar, cell and molecular biology, zoology, botany, and ecology. You will also take six elective courses in your areas of interest. The program is capped by a senior-directed research project that you will plan and present. The major, which also includes courses in chemistry and statistics, is a popular choice for students interested in pre-professional programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, and physical therapy. Four out of five Dordt biology majors applying to medical school are accepted. The bachelor of arts in biology starts with the same core and elective options as the bachelor of science but requires fewer courses. It is a good option for students wishing to double major. The general minor includes the core courses (except the freshman seminar) and two chemistry courses. The biomedical sciences minor is for students in other majors who are interested in careers in health professions. The medical technology degree, leading to certification by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, is a three-year program at Dordt followed by a year of clinical education at an approved school of medical technology. A biology education major is available to both elementary and secondary education majors. Environmental studies, a closely-related interdisciplinary program, includes biology, chemistry, economics, philosophy, and political science courses, plus six electives. You can study off-campus through Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, which offers summer courses and field work in Michigan, Washington, and South India, or the Creation Care Program in Belize or the South Pacific.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Your Dordt education will help you build and communicate a comprehensive vision for Christian discipleship that will enable you to serve in God’s kingdom in whatever career you choose. In the past decade, 95 percent of our biology majors found work or were admitted to graduate school within six months of graduation. • P rofessional and graduate schools look for candidates with rigorous undergraduate preparation and a comprehensive educational foundation. • Science teachers are in high demand at the upper elementary and high school levels. • The number of jobs related to environmental quality are growing, in both science and policymaking. • A dvances in genomics and bioinformatics are creating a demand for graduates capable of working in this field.
THE FACULTY Robert De Haan, Ph.D., University of Minnesota. Ecological agriculture and genetics Robbin Eppinga, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Cell biology and cancer
Robert.DeHaan@dordt.edu
Robbin.Eppinga@dordt.edu
Tony Jelsma, Ph.D., McMaster University. Developmental biology and molecular biology
Tony.Jelsma@dordt.edu
Jeffrey Ploegstra, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Botany, microbiology, and molecular biology
Jeff.Ploegstra@dordt.edu
Brittany De Ruyter, B.A., Dordt College. Biology/chemistry lab instructor August 2015
Brittany.De Ruyter@dordt.edu