We feel strongly that a broad-based background in diverse areas of biology is important at the undergraduate level, so following a 3-semester sequence of Introductory Biology courses, our biology majors take six upper level biology courses covering a broad range of topics (see Requirements/Courses). This broadly based program preserves and presents more opportunities for our students and graduates than more specialized majors would, and our graduates are well prepared for a variety of different professional/medical programs, graduate programs, and other careers (as evidenced by the high proportion that go on to professional and graduate programs).

Our courses are rigorous, and a number of courses within the major include non-trivial original research as major components of the laboratory work. Many of our students also compete successfully for prestigious scholarships (several have been awarded Goldwater scholorships) and summer research/internship programs at the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and elsewhere.

We are a close-knit department whose faculty work closely with one another as well as with other departments. Because we teach our own labs and advise our own majors, we spend a lot of time with our students and come to know them well. The success of our students in securing outside opportunities such as scholarships, internships, jobs, and admittance to graduate and professional programs is in no small measure related to the detailed letters of recommendation we can write in support of their applications.