Biology
Bachelor of Science
World-class teaching and research: integrated and authentic
Overview
Studying God’s creation is a part of loving God with all your mind. Biologists are confronted daily with evidence of God’s creative genius. And being a Christian biologist, in particular, requires excellence in understanding and applying the principles of biology combined with a distinctly biblical perspective on science.
At BJU, we offer a ground-breaking biology curriculum taught by uniquely qualified faculty committed to the inerrancy of Scripture. Our program allows you to specialize and will involve you in significant real-world research opportunities. The challenging and rewarding experience of majoring in biology at BJU is unmatched in the world of Christian higher education.
Program
A unified, conceptual curriculum. Each of the core classes is conceptually based and committed to moving you to understanding, not simply fact memorization. From your first semester onward, you will be challenged to demonstrate your understanding as you apply what you learn to solve authentic problems, as well as to design your own experiments in the lab.
A uniquely qualified faculty. The BJU biology faculty is truly unique. Each holds a PhD in a specialized area of biology, brings a unique set of research experiences to the classroom, and is committed to a biblical philosophy of science including a firm belief in a recent six-day creation.
Significant hands-on opportunities. Whether it’s our sizable serpentarium, our cancer research lab or our cadaver lab (rare for undergraduate programs), there’s no shortage of hands-on opportunities. Many of our everyday labs are modular in nature as well, focused on sharpening real-world skills used in the field.
Concentrations
Biology concentrations enable you to customize your biology program. You can specialize so that you are prepared for a wide variety of graduate programs and careers.
Available Concentrations
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Zoo and Wildlife Biology
Regardless of the route you take, you will explore foundational concepts at the molecular, cellular, and/or organismal levels. This best prepares you to enter the exciting field of biology, which—despite its highly specialized subfields—is also increasingly interdisciplinary and integrative.
BJU Core
At BJU you’ll also benefit from the BJU Core, a unique combination of Bible and liberal arts courses. These courses will help mold you into a well-rounded Christian biologist who can communicate clearly and compassionately to people from many different walks of life.
Electives
Each concentration is richly endowed with solid, required biology courses, but there are also many biology electives to choose from on the junior and senior level.
Success
Cedric and Hannah Taylor, ’15
During our time in the Bob Jones University Science Department, we greatly valued the curriculum and the technical skills we gained. Every faculty member we interacted with cared about our success, regardless of whether we were in their class or not. The low student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes significantly enhanced our learning experience. We especially appreciated the faculty’s consistent willingness to dedicate time to answering our questions and troubleshooting challenging lab exercises.
The rigorous lab training and emphasis on critical thinking skills at BJU directly prepared us to pursue our current careers. Cedric pursued a M.S. degree in Microbiology at Clemson University and is now a Scientist in Zoetis’s analytical vaccine development group. Hannah is currently a Pharmacokinetic Support Scientist at Charles River Laboratories.
Your Future
With the science knowledge, research skills and lab experience BJU provides, our graduates are prepared for countless opportunities. A biology degree can lead to hundreds of careers in the science and medical fields, including positions in medical labs, research institutes, zoos, national parks, corporate industries and forensics labs. While there isn’t one main career path our graduates take, many decide to further their education in a specific field by attending graduate school.
Career Support
BJU’s Career Services office helps both students and alumni through career advising, resume preparation, job search assistance, recruitment conferences and more.
Career Opportunities
An undergraduate degree in biology prepares you to either directly enter the industry in an entry level technician job in a wide variety of fields, or it prepares you for advanced education through specialized certification programs, graduate school, or medical/dental/veterinarian schools.
- Agronomist
- Biotechnologist
- Bioinformaticist
- Botanist
- Crime Lab Analyst
- Cytotechnologist
- Ecologist
- Entomologist
- Environmental Health Inspector
- Epidemiologist
- Geneticist
- Histologist
- Horticulturist
- Marine Biologist
- Medical Laboratory Technologist
- Microbiologist
- Molecular Biologist
- Park Naturalist
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacologist
- Physician Assistant
- Toxicologist
- Veterinarian
- Wildlife Biologist
- Zoologist
Graduate Schools
Biology graduates from BJU have completed grad work in schools such as:
- Arizona State University
- Case Western Reserve
- Clemson University
- Indiana State University
- Lexington Medical Center – Medical Laboratory Scientist Program
- Louisiana State University
- Medical College of Georgia
- Miami University of Ohio
- North Carolina State University
- Oakland University
- Ohio State University
- Southeastern Louisiana University
- Tuskegee University, College of Veterinary Medicine
- University of Georgia Veterinary School
- University of Maryland
- University of South Alabama
- University of South Carolina Columbia
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
- University of West Florida
- Yale School of Public Health
Graduate Placements
Graduates from BJU have acquired positions in the following areas upon completion of all required education and training:
- Medical Laboratory Scientist II
- Method Development Scientist, Charles River Labs
- Scientist in Pharmacokinetics/Toxicokinetics department, Charles River Labs
- Quality Control Technician, Vitamin Corporation
- Quality Control Microbiologist, Bausch & Lomb
- Veterinarian, Foothills Veterinary Clinic
- Physician Assistant, Center for Urology, Spartanburg Regional Hospital
- Field Service Engineer, Genetic Sequencing Equipment, Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Ungulate Keeper, Ararat Ridge Zoo
- Zoo Director, Ararat Ridge Zoo
- Conservation Tech Supervisor, Greenville Water
Learning Experience
Biology is a broad and dynamic discipline with one underlying goal—to explain how living things work. The Biblical command for us to exercise dominion over living things (Genesis 1:28) requires a deep understanding of how they operate. Such knowledge can be gained through a detailed study of what others have discovered (i.e., classes) and by pursuing new knowledge (i.e., research). Our program provides the best of both pursuits, guided by experts in their fields with a heart for teaching and a dedication to honoring God as the Creator!
Every biology course you take will focus on understanding core ideas and applying them to solve relevant problems. From your very first labs, you will learn how to properly design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and communicate scientific ideas effectively. Early on, you will also benefit from a stand-alone course dedicated to biological investigative skills. And as you move into courses within your specific concentration, you will gain plenty of specialized learning experiences! Here are some unique opportunities available to BJU biology students that are not commonly available to undergraduates at other universities, based on concentration:
| Biotechnology | Cell Biology | Zoo & Wildlife |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer and Biotechnology Laboratory (on-site summer internships also available) |
Serpentarium | |
| Hydroponics | Zebrafish Lab | Spider Lab |
| Human cadaver lab | ||
| Molecular Design & Intellectual Property courses | Fluorescence microscopy lab | Ecology & Animal Behavior courses |
| Greenhouse and Arbor | ||
| Regulatory Affairs & Biomanufacturing courses | Immunology & Histology courses | Entomology course |
| Bioinformatics (EXP course) | Parasitology (EXP course) | |
Faculty
Division of Natural Science
The BJU biology faculty is truly unique. Each holds a PhD in a specialized area of biology, brings a unique set of research experiences to the classroom, and is committed to a biblical philosophy of science, including a firm belief in a recent six-day creation.
Out from this flows a commitment to excellence in teaching, and the desire to train students to serve Christ wherever He places them. Each biology faculty member is committed to developing your God-given abilities in the classroom as well as in the laboratory and the field.
Our faculty are passionate about teaching, and they hone their teaching skills and their courses in our Summer Institute in Teaching Science each summer.
Courses & Objectives
Sample Course Outline
The cell biology concentration focuses on developing a deeper knowledge of cellular and molecular biology. This is the natural concentration for pursuing a research career.
The zoo and wildlife biology concentration emphasizes selected organisms in their natural habitats. So if you’re thinking about a career in veterinary medicine, this is the concentration for you.
The biotechnology concentration provides students with tools for practical success in the biotech industry and research through interdisciplinary approach of scientific disciplines, business practices, and regulatory considerations. This is the ideal concentration for the next generation of industry leaders and innovators in medical, environmental, aquatic, forensic, animal, agriculture, or microbial biotechnology.
1st Year
2nd Year
- Biostatistics
- General Chemistry II
- Hermeneutics: Interpreting the Bible for Life
- Electives
(4 credits)
3rd Year
4th Year
- Biotechnology Research-EXP
- Foundations of Economics
- Worldview & Apologetics
- Biotechnology Elective
(3 credits) - Electives
(4 credits)
- Research in Biotechnology
- Biotechnology Elective
(3 credits) - Electives
(8 credits)
- Program
- BJU Core
- Elective
Program Objectives
General
- Critically evaluate the limitations of science, materialistic and naturalistic philosophies, and demonstrate the superiority of the biblical worldview in explaining origins.
- Interpret and critique experimental data and experimental designs, formulate testable hypotheses and competently investigate hypotheses in the laboratory or in the field as appropriate.
- Compare and contrast the interrelationship between basic life processes with special emphasis on the role of information and energy transduction.
- Apply the relationship that exists between structure and function at multiple levels of biological organization and correctly predict the consequences of change or failure.
- Solve inheritance problems that demonstrate an understanding of fundamental transmission genetics.