About
Valpo taught me how to research, and how to communicate complex scientific ideas to people who’ve never been exposed to them before.
– David Goad ’14, Ph.D. student at Washington University in St. Louis
Possibilities as diverse as the natural world itself.
Valpo’s biology students go on to excel in careers from genetic research to natural resource management to high school teaching.
To acknowledge these diverse interests, the department offers five degree programs, each one leading to a specialized biology major, as well as two biology minors. The biology department also collaborates with other science faculty to offer a pre-medical arts program and an environmental science major.
A Depth of Expertise
The study of biology may be at many different levels: molecular, cellular, organismic, population, community, ecosystem, and evolutionary. The biology faculty includes experts at each of these levels, many of whom continue learning through research projects and faculty-student collaborations.
Grounded in Research
No matter which career our students are pursuing, they graduate with critical thinking skills and a deep understanding of the scientific process. From the first year, in-class research projects engage students’ curiosity and allow them to see themselves as scientists. After all, science isn’t a set of facts — it is a method for discovery.
Rich in Regional Resources
With its proximity to both the urban resources of Chicago and the rich ecology of the Indiana Dunes, Valpo’s biology department can tap into exceptional resources for biological study. This benefits all students in our department, whether they are learning in the region’s finest museums or at one of the country’s most diverse national parks.
Honoring Reason with Integrity
The biology faculty is dedicated to the highest standards of scientific ethics and intellectual integrity, and those values lead to the department’s philosophical position on teaching evolution. The faculty uses evolutionary principles as a central, unifying framework for understanding the unity and the diversity of the living world, while remaining sensitive to the faith roots of its students and alumni.