Content: Graduates should have a broad base of factual information and principles in biology, including basic knowledge of all major organismic groups, biochemistry and metabolism, and the structural and functional components at all levels of biological organization. In addition, they should have reasonable depth in one sub-discipline of biology.
Synthesis: Graduates should be able to integrate and synthesize material from different sub-disciplines of biology. This goes beyond simply having knowledge of different areas, but should integrate sub-disciplines of biology, relating biological processes at various levels of organization.
Communication: Biology graduates should be able to communicate with professional and lay audiences about biology. This includes the ability to communicate in both oral and written form coherently, in plain language, about biological matters, and the ability to use discipline-specific formats as appropriate for professional audiences.
Critical thinking: Graduates should be able to interpret biological research reports and journal articles, and to analyze data. They should have the ability to design a useful, workable experiment to address a particular biological question and be able to use problem-solving skills to modify a planned experimental approach.
Technical proficiencies: Graduates should demonstrate basic laboratory "bench" skills common to the discipline (e.g., use a microscope, perform dilutions, operate a spectrophotometer); be familiar with field techniques such as sampling, habitat analysis and collecting and preserving samples; follow and use experimental protocols, including recording and maintaining accurate data records; and understand the factors involved in maintaining and handling organisms – plants, animals and microbes – for study.
Research: The ability to conduct a research experiment incorporates many of the goals the faculty would like students to achieve – knowledge of content, synthesis, technical proficiencies, and communication skills.
