Exploring the Biology Program at Carthage College

Carthage College offers a comprehensive biology program designed to prepare students for a variety of careers and advanced studies in the biological and biomedical sciences. With a focus on hands-on learning, research opportunities, and faculty mentorship, the program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in a rapidly evolving scientific landscape. Students can major or minor in biology, or even get licensed to teach biology.

Curriculum Overview

The Biology Department at Carthage College offers a wide range of courses, catering to both biology majors and students from other disciplines. Some courses are designed for non-science majors, providing a general introduction to biological concepts. Here's a glimpse into the course offerings:

Introductory Courses:

BIO 1010 - A study of life phenomena: This course studies life phenomena with a focus on macromolecules, cells, inheritance, and the structure and function of bacteria and plants.
BIO 1011 - Global Climate Change: This course explores the science of global climate change, focusing primarily on biology. Students will study the effects of climate change on organisms and ecosystems as well as the role living organisms play in maintaining the global climate. Implications of climate science for public policy will also be examined.
BIO 1012 - Evolution by Natural Selection: This course explores the contemporary applications and historical development of the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection, which underlies much of modern biology. In addition to exploring how scientific knowledge is developed through a rigorous process of experimentation, contemporary applications of the theory will be studied (applying evolutionary science to understand and combat infectious disease, improve agricultural yields to feed a growing population, etc.). The application of evolutionary concepts to other fields of study will also be explored.
BIO 1020 - Fundamentals of Growth and Development of Plants: Fundamentals of growth and development of plants with special reference to the history and social influence of cultivated plants.
BIO 1030 - Principles and Problems in Conservation: A survey of principles and problems in conservation, the historical and ecological backgrounds to these, and how they have impacted public and private stewardship of natural resources.
BIO 1040 - Human Anatomy: A study of structure and function of organs and systems of the human body. This course is designed for students interested in Exercise and Sport Science or Dance.
BIO 1110 & BIO 1120 - First-Year Research Experience: These combined lecture/lab courses provide first-year biology majors with hands-on original research experience. The research focus will reflect the expertise of the faculty member and contribute to ongoing authentic research.
BIO 2010 & BIO 2020 - Human Anatomy and Physiology: This two-part sequence explores foundational concepts of human anatomy and physiology, emphasizing the integration of anatomical structure with physiologic functions and processes.
BIO 2030 - Principles of Microbiology: This course focuses on the principles of microbiology with an emphasis on health care applications for students pursing careers in nursing or other health sciences.

Seminars:

BIO 2100 - Biology Seminar: This seminar will facilitate the development of a personal framework for shaping and reflecting on one’s experiences as a biology major, and for constructing a path of study relevant to one’s anticipated goals.
BIO 2110 & BIO 2120 - Biotechnology Seminar: This seminar will emphasize networking, development of professional skills, setting of goals, ethical responsibilities of scientists, and scientific communication.

Ecology and Field Biology:

BIO 2200 - Field Ecology: A field ecology course examining the factors influencing the distribution and abundance of organisms including the physical environment, species interaction, evolutionary adaptations, and behavioral strategies.
BIO 2330 - Vertebrate Paleontology Fieldwork: This is a summer course designed to provide students with firsthand experience of vertebrate paleontology fieldwork in eastern Montana in July.
BIO 2650 - Digital Photography for Biologists: This course introduces the student to the use of digital photography to explore plant and animal species and their habitats.
BIO 3100 - Ecology: An ecology course focused on exploring modern-day approaches to quantifying behavioral and species interactions, understanding evolutionary adaptations, and correlating biotic and abiotic factors that affect species distribution.
BIO 3200 - Limnology: A study of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of lakes and streams with an emphasis on macroinvertebrates.
BIO 3210 - Animal Behavior: An examination of the interactions of organisms with their environment, specifically responses to various environmental stimuli. The physiology, development, evolution, and adaptive nature of behaviors, including human behavior, will be addressed.
BIO 4150 - Plants and Fungi of Wisconsin: A field study of the plants and fungi of Wisconsin, emphasizing methods of identification, characteristics of major lineages, and plant and fungal ecology and conservation.
BIO 4200 - Advanced Ecology: An examination of the relationships between organisms in their environments stressing quantitative methods of data collection and analysis and a more thorough examination of the theoretical basis of ecology.

Advanced Courses:

BIO 2400 - Genetics: A study of Mendel’s concepts of particulate inheritance, recent advances regarding the physical nature of the hereditary material, and genetic variation in populations.
BIO 3050 - Plant Biology: The scientific study of plants with a focus on how the structure and function of plants enable these organisms to respond dynamically to a wide variety of environments.
BIO 3300 - Human Anatomy: This course is an advanced examination of structure as it relates to the organization of tissues, organs, and systems of the human body.
BIO 3310 - Human Physiology: A systemic approach to the study of human physiology.
BIO 3320 - Entomology: A study of the structure, function, life cycles, economic impact, and taxonomic classification and identification of arthropods, with an emphasis on insects.
BIO 3330 - Vertebrate Zoology: A study of structural, functional, and phylogenetic relationships among the chordates, particularly the vertebrates.
BIO 3340 - Microbiology: An introduction to microorganisms and how microbes interact with their environment, with emphasis on microbial-human interactions.
BIO 3350 - Parasitology: A survey of symbiotic relationships in humankind and animals, with emphasis on animal parasites causing harm, and evaluation of humankind’s efforts throughout history at combating parasites.
BIO 3400 - Conservation Biology: The multidisciplinary science of conservation focuses on the preservation of biological species and ecosystems.
BIO 3450 - Phage Hunters II: Bioinformatics: The Phage Hunters II bioinformatics course is a lecture/lab combined course focused on utilizing bioinformatics techniques as part of an authentic research project.
BIO 3500 - Advanced Cell Biology: Cells are the fundamental units of all living organisms. Recent advances in cell and molecular biology have facilitated examination of the complex processes occurring within these dynamic structures and have led to an in-depth understanding of diseases such as cancer.
BIO 4300 - Immunology: An introduction to the immune system and mechanism of defense in the human body with emphasis on antigen-antibody reactions, roles of immunoglobulins, cellular immunity, allergic reactions, and autoimmune diseases.
BIO 4310 - Developmental Biology: The study of the development from egg and sperm to mature adult of representative organisms.
BIO 4350 - Dinosaur Biology: The lectures in this course present an introduction to the evolution, anatomy, growth, and behavior of dinosaurs, and will promote discussion of the function and evolutionary importance of adaptive changes.
BIO 4400 - Cancer Biology: This course will explore the molecular biology of the hundreds of diseases classified as “cancer.”

Research and Thesis:

BIO 4100 - Research Methods: An introduction to the techniques necessary to design and carry out original research in biology.
BIO 4120 - Senior Seminar: Students will write and successfully present research results to a broad audience. The course culminates in a completed Senior Thesis.

Hands-on Research Opportunities

A hallmark of the Carthage biology program is its emphasis on hands-on research. All freshman biology majors gain authentic research experience in introductory biology courses supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Agencies such as the National Science Foundation and NASA support other ongoing experiments. Independent research opportunities are also available as part of the paid Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). Recent student research projects have involved novel antibiotic identification, cancer biology, physiology of carbon dioxide exposure, animal vocalizations, and paleontology. Students work with faculty mentorship on their own or in a small group, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and making significant contributions to science. Molecules, Cells, and Organisms is an introductory biology course that provides all of our first-year biology majors with a hands-on research experience in collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute discovering novel bacteriophages. Students contribute to authentic ongoing research in the field early in their Carthage careers.

J-Term Study Tours

J-Term is a month-long period of study in January in which all academic departments at Carthage offer innovative courses on campus, as well as study tours around the world. The Biology Department offers many of the College’s most popular J-Term trips, including trips to China, Arizona, Belize, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. On faculty-led J-Term study tours, you can assist with medical care or water quality in Nicaragua or hunt for dinosaur fossils with a renowned paleontologist in Montana. During the semi-annual J-Term study tour in Nicaragua, students volunteer in rural medical clinics. They shadow physicians, work with patients, and observe and participate in-patient care.

Pre-Health Program

Carthage offers many ways for students to prepare for medical school or graduate programs for the health professions. Aspiring healthcare professionals frequently consult a faculty coordinator to select courses matching their abilities and goals. Carthage serves students who are interested in medicine, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, veterinary, and public health.

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Biotechnology Program

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary program focused on solving real-world problems by scientific inquiry using tools from multiple fields.

Math/Science Scholarships

Carthage awards two full-tuition Math/Science Scholarships each year to incoming students.

Student Organizations

Carthage biology students can get involved in a number of student organizations dedicated to putting what’s learned in the classroom into practice.

Degree Requirements

At Carthage, students can major in biology, minor in biology, or earn teaching licensure in biology. The biology curriculum at Carthage prepares students for graduate study and entry into medical, veterinary, dental, physical therapy, and other professional schools. Students will be required to take five upper-level (3000 or 4000) courses, not including BIO 4120 (Senior Seminar). A minor in biology consists of six courses in biology or five courses in biology plus CHM 3010. Biology topic courses also count towards the biology minor. The Senior Thesis is developed in consultation with the department faculty in BIO 4120. Theses may include a scholarly manuscript of research performed or a detailed proposal for future research.

Outcomes for Graduates

Biology majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Carthage go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $37,903 a year. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 31 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from Carthage. About 29% were men and 71% were women. The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at Carthage are white.

Tuition and Fees

Part-time undergraduates at Carthage paid an average of $900 per credit hour in 2022-2023. The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.

	In State	Out of State
Tuition	$36,500	$36,500
Books and Supplies	$1,200	$1,200
Room and Board	$12,950	$12,950
Other Expenses	$2,400	$2,400

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