Dec 10, 2024  
Mercy College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Mercy College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biology, Animal Sciences Track, B.S.


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Renee E. Haskew-Layton, Ph.D., Program Director
914-674-7145
rhaskewlayton@mercy.edu

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Animal Sciences Track 

General Education Requirements            60 credits
Major Concentration  
Major Core Courses 60 credits 
Total 120 credits 

 

Students who choose the major concentration in Biology Animal Sciences Track must complete all the required general education and required major courses as listed below. General Education courses are indicated with *, **, or *** and explained below.

Notes:

  • If students qualify for MATH 201  as their Math requirement under general education, they must complete 3 credits of major electives, to be chosen with program director.
  • If students are required to take MATH 116  to meet the general education math requirement, MATH 201  will count towards major requirements.
  • To complete the major concentration, corequisite lab courses must be taken.

There is a 15-credit residency requirement in the major concentration of Biology that must be completed with courses numbered BIOL 230 and above. CHEM 354  may also be used to meet this requirement.

Required Courses


*Fulfills 3 credits of General Education Scientific Perspectives credits
** Fulfills 15 credits of General Education Liberal Arts electives
*** Fulfills 3 credits of General Education Mathematics credits

Biology Learning Outcomes


Students who completed this program will be able to:

  • Synthesize core concepts to demonstrate a broad and in-depth knowledge of the biological sciences
  • Access and critically evaluate and interpret the scientific literature
  • Effectively communicate scientific concepts through oral and written modes
  • Apply the scientific method to formulate hypotheses, design and conduct experiments, and interpret experimental results
  • Exhibit proficiency in laboratory techniques in the biological sciences, troubleshoot experiments, and demonstrate safe laboratory practices
  • Critically evaluate experimental findings and scientific information using statistical and quantitative analyses
  • Exhibit ethical behavior in science and evaluate the implications of unethical scientific conduct
  • Critically examine basic, applied and societal problems in the biological sciences and, through the lens of life science professionals, propose problem solving strategies to address these problems
  • Work as effective team members on collaborative projects

Additional Learning Outcomes for the Animal Sciences Track


Students who complete the Animal Sciences track will be able to:

  • Evince the tenets of professional behavior and communication, ethical value and culture sensitivity
  • Explain disease processes underlying common exotic and small animal diseases and evaluate their clinical implications relative to optimizing treatment
  • Demonstrate a working knowledge of mammalian anatomy and the relationship between anatomical structure and function
  • Exhibit a foundational knowledge of the physiologic mechanisms, functions and metabolism organ systems of domestic species
  • Perform common clinical tests commiserate with the current standard of care of veterinary practice and explain the clinical significance of the tests and their results
  • Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of veterinary pharmacology and the ability to accurately perform dosage calculations

Animal Sciences Track Progression Criteria and Standards


1. Students must earn a minimum letter grade of B or better in all veterinary technology and natural science courses, ENGL 111 , MATH 116  and MATH 201  to remain in the Animal Sciences track. If a grade of B is not met, the student can repeat the course as outlined below in #3 and #4.
2. Students must maintain a 3.2 cumulative index in all-natural science courses and veterinary technology courses in order to take VETC course work.
3. Students may not repeat a course required in the curriculum more than once.Two withdrawals from a course constitutes one completion of that course, resulting in only one more opportunity to successfully complete the course.
4. Any student who earns a B- or below in a course required in the curriculum must repeat the course the next semester it is offered at Mercy College in order to progress to any course for which it is a Prerequisite.
5. Any student who receives a B- or below in a course required in the curriculum more than once will no longer be eligible to take VETC course work.
6. For any veterinary technology lecture course that has a laboratory course as a corequisite, both the lecture and laboratory courses must be taken concurrently. If a student must withdraw from the lecture course, the student must also withdraw from the corequisite laboratory course. Students who wish to take the lecture or laboratory course alone will require authorization from the Program Director and may be required to participate in relevant labs or audit relevant lecture topics.

Additional Program Information


The Bachelor of Science degree in Biology provides students with a comprehensive foundation in the Biological sciences and other life sciences. Students in the Biology major achieve competencies in the life sciences through active learning modules designed to deepen critical thinking skills and strengthen quantitative reasoning.
Through inquiry-based laboratory projects and faculty-student authentic research collaborations in areas such as Neuroscience, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Microbiology, students will put classroom theory to practice by engaging in key aspects of the scientific process.

The Animal Sciences track is for students interested in applying to schools of veterinary medicine or graduate programs in animal sciences. The track offers a unique combination of natural sciences and veterinary technology courses that expose students to authentic veterinary practices and provide a foundation in animal medicine and Anatomy and Physiology.

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