Biology
Department
The Faculty
All faculty members in the Biology Department have earned the Ph.D., and two members hold endowed chairs. The biology faculty includes a biochemist, a specialist in the taxonomic relationships of Costa Rican rodents, and a neuroscientist studying the development of the mammalian nervous system. Additionally, the department faculty includes a professor working with the genetics of human mutations, the founder and director of the Centenary College Arboretum, and an animal behaviorist who studies the behavior of a variety of animals, including humans.
About the Major
The Biology Department strives to challenge the intellectual
curiosity of students by emphasizing the complexity
and interrelatedness of life systems as revealed through
the unifying theory of evolution. We provide a broad,
rigorous biological background for all students. Although
the department has a rich tradition in training students
to become physicians, dentists, and veterinarians, the
diversity of its course offerings and faculty expertise
makes it an ideal choice for any student who is interested
in knowing more about living systems.
Learning about biology does not stop at the classroom doors. Because the Biology Department faculty believe that students learn best by experiencing biology, all courses contain a laboratory component. There are also opportunities to work with faculty both at Centenary College and at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) about two miles from the Centenary campus. A Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant to Centenary and numerous grants awarded to faculty in the Biology Department have allowed the department to purchase sophisticated equipment suitable for student research. Students are encouraged to design and implement independent research projects under the guidance of the biology faculty. Additionally, many biology majors work in laboratories at LSUHSC, where they assist researchers with their projects. Because of these opportunities, some participating Centenary biology majors have published scientific papers before they graduate.
Career Opportunities
Although the majority of biology majors continue their studies in medical, dental, veterinary, or graduate school, other majors have become teachers, naturalists, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses, and lawyers. Because the department offers rigorous and broad training in the biological sciences, biology majors are well equipped to compete successfully in whatever field they choose to pursue.
