Environmental Biology at Cedarville University
General Description
Our special program in Environmental Biology at Cedarville University seeks to equip students to integrate scientific knowledge with a biblical environmental stewardship ethic. This environmental ethic provides a framework within which students prepare for careers in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental education out of a desire to promote restoration of biotic communities and to promote mediation between the creation and human resource demands. Our students gain a broad understanding of life from "molecule to ecosystem" before specializing in ecology and field biology courses and completing an undergraduate research or internship experience. This breadth and depth in the sciences is essential to becoming cultural "gatekeepers" at a time when global and local ecosystems are being altered by such developments as global climate change, agricultural and urban impacts on landscapes, applications of biotechnology, and global transport of pathogens and invasive species.
Above: Mike Gerringer installs a bird box as part of a grassland bird project on the Cedarville University Prairie Restoration Site.
Program Description and Careers for Graduates
The special program in Environmental Biology prepares students for graduate studies and for careers in such fields as conservation biology, wildlife biology, environmental toxicology, and environmental health. In addition to formal courses in biology, chemistry, and mathematics, employment criteria for these professions include prior experience (e.g. summer internship), field biology skills (i.e., plant/animal taxonomy, habitat assessment and improvement), interpersonal skills, mathematical and communication skills, and the ability to reason critically and integrate across disciplines.
B.S. Biology Core - 30 hours
Departmental Requirements - 32 hours
Special Program - 16 hours selected from including:
- BIO-2210 Microbiology: 4
- BIO-3410 Invertebrate Zoology: 3
- BIO-3420 Vertebrate Zoology: 3
- BIO-3510 Plant Physiology: 3
- BIO-3520 Plant Taxonomy: 3
- BIO-3610 Environmental Physiology & Ecology: 4
- BIO-4910 Environmental Biology Internship: 4
- BIOA-____ Courses at Au Sable Institute: 4-12
Students pursuing environmental education (e.g. interpretive naturalist) may also elect to complete requirements for state teacher licensure through the university Department of Education. The environmental biology curriculum can also serve as a useful component for students who plan to serve in missions ministries through programs related to soil, water, and plant/animal resource management.
Right: Students prepare data loggers to collect round-the-clock temperatures of soil, snowpack, and air in Northern Michigan.
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