Biology (BS)

Overview

Viterbo’s biology program provides students with a breadth of knowledge within the biological sciences, including cellular and molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, ecology, behavior, and evolution; as well as the opportunity to gain a greater depth of knowledge in specialized areas of interest. The biology program at Viterbo offers a student-centered learning environment including hands-on experiences, career exploration, research, and internships within the curriculum.

Policy
  • Students majoring in biology must maintain a biology grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 to continue in and graduate from this program. The biology GPA is based on all grades earned in the required and elective courses taken in biology and required support courses. Any student whose biology GPA falls below 2.25 will be placed on probation for one semester. If the biology GPA is not raised during that semester, the student may not enroll in further biology courses. An earned grade of a D or lower in any biology or support course will not be credited toward the biology major.
  • Directed research must be faculty-approved, but may be conducted at an institution other than Viterbo University with prior approval. Special topics are offered periodically. Credit for these courses may substitute for one or more of the listed courses with faculty approval.
Learning Outcomes
  • Understand importance of interrelationships and unifying themes of major biological concepts
  • Understand the elements of the scientific method, design and implement experiments independently, and analyze and present data to the faculty and peers in a competent and professional manner
  • Students should be familiar with the principles, operation, and problems of common laboratory procedures and instrumentation
  • Students should understand the complexity of ethical issues surrounding science
Addendum

Viterbo University Degree in Three Program for Biology Majors

This accelerated degree program provides an opportunity for outstanding, highly motivated students to complete their bachelor’s degree in three years rather than the traditional four. This program is available to students who wish to major in biology.

Legal Studies (Minor)

Overview

In our legal studies minor, you will explore legal issues in a variety of ways. This minor is perfect if you want to apply to law school upon graduation and wish to gain an intellectual base in legal studies at the undergraduate level. Legal studies is also relevant if you have an interest in the law and pursue the minor in order to complement your major—generally one in the humanities. The minor includes courses in business law, philosophy, and criminal justice courses and consists of 18 credit hours.

Policy

No more than six credits may come from the courses required in the student's major or any one department.

Mathematics (Minor)

Overview

Minors at Viterbo University generally require between 15–25 credits upon completion. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions could modify these credit totals.

Policy

A minimum of eight credits must be unique to the minor and must not be part of the student's major, prerequisites or support courses for the major, nor part of another minor. A student may be required to take MATH 112 or 113 as preparation for 220, depending on their initial placement.

Interpreting Studies (Minor)

Overview

The interpreting studies minor is aimed at helping bilingual speakers become qualified interpreters, and is usable with all languages. It is a great choice for those who intend on having language interpreting as an aspect of their future careers- which, with this minor at Viterbo University, can be in medical, educational, legal, business, and social settings.

Spanish (BA)

Overview

Viterbo’s Spanish program provides the language and cultural skills that prepare students for a global market. This program allows students to explore the cultures of Latin American and Spain as well as Latinos in the U.S. with a focus on social Justice. With a 100 percent placement rate, graduates of this program are professionally and culturally competent to grow in a wide range of careers.

Policy
  • A target proficiency at the Advanced-Low level (ACTFL guidelines) in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as evidenced through course assessment and a course-embedded capstone project
  • A period of residency of at least one month in a country where the target language is spoken is required for Spanish majors
Learning Outcomes
  • Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes
  • Interact with cultural competence and understanding
  • Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career-related situations
  • Develop insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural competence
  • Communicate and interact with cultural competence in order to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world
  • Read and understand a variety of texts
  • Translate a variety of texts
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