The biology department, one of the largest departments at Franklin College, is able to offer a wide range of courses which provide a solid foundation for a variety of careers. Lecture and laboratory sections for the biology major are taught by full-time professors with doctorate degrees in their appropriate area of expertise. The commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching in the biology department is demonstrated by grant awards for instructional equipment provided by the National Science Foundation and awards from the Lilly Endowment Inc. for course preparation.

In addition, three of the full-time biology faculty have received the Franklin College Teaching Excellence Award and three have won the Dietz Award for Faculty Excellence. This dedication to quality undergraduate education has translated into considerable success for our graduates. Since 1981, the medical school acceptance rate has been 83% (72/87). The national acceptance rate is approximately 49%. During that same period of time, more than 85% of our biology graduates have found employment in science careers or continued their education in graduate programs.

The biology program at Franklin College is designed to provide students with knowledge of the content of the various disciplines of biology. The program will provide experiences which help students to better understand the nature of science and the role of scientists in society. To fulfill this mission, the program provides courses which stress the important areas of contemporary biology. Through laboratory, lecture, and discussion, science is presented not simply as a collection of facts but also as a process by which concepts may be generated. Upon completion of the major, students will have a well-rounded knowledge of biology as well as an understanding of the ways to use scientific methodology to solve problems. To that end, the biology department seeks to help students succeed in the area of their particular interest by offering the following programs:

• Click here to learn about the professors

• Click here to visit the natural sciences website

Laboratory & Field Research

For motivated students, opportunities exist to carry out independent and honors research studies under the guidance of a faculty member. Some of the laboratory research projects completed in the past include:

• A study of the effect of diet on arteriosclerosis in rats
• A study of blood serum proteins by electrophoresis
• The effect of disturbance on the herbaceous species in a central Indiana mesic forest
• Soil analyses of the siltstone glades in southern Indiana
• Thermoregulation in dragonflies
• A survey of Indiana dragonflies
• Independent field studies of plant and animal populations can be carried out in wooded areas near the campus or in the Camp Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area.  Studies have included the migrational patterns of waterfowl at Camp Atterbury and a study of plant diversity.

Travel Opportunities

During the past five years, our faculty has provided study/travel trips to Big Bend National Park (Southwest Texas), the Smoky Mountains, South Africa, New Zealand, and Belize Central America. These trips provided outstanding opportunities to study in small groups with direct faculty supervision.

Practical Experience & Internships

Franklin College's academic calendar consists of two 15 week semesters and a one-month winter term during the month of January. During the winter term, students take a single course or internship.

After your freshman year, you are able to take an internship during winter term. This allows you to begin exploring a potential career by spending an entire month working 40 hours/week in an area of your interest.

Students may set up their own internships, seek advice about internships from the biology faculty, or seek input from Career Services about possible internships.

Franklin College faculty and the Career Placement Center work closely to place students in internship experiences in a variety of settings. Recent placements include:

• Medical and veterinary settings
• I.U. Medical Research Centers
• Environmental Management
• Shedd Aquarium
• Department of Natural Resources

Senior Year Experience

All Franklin College biology majors are required to complete a Senior Year Experience (SYE) the summer prior to or during their senior year at Franklin College. Students develop a proposal for their SYE during the spring semester of their junior year and the proposals are reviewed on a competitive basis by the faculty of the Biology Department. The SYE carries academic credit and the student may propose a project for as few as 3 credit hours (allowing them to take additional classes on campus) up to a maximum of 15 credit hours (which allows the student the opportunity to spend up to an entire semester working on their SYE). The following are examples of SYE projects carried out by Franklin College biology students.

• Research Asst. in Anatomy
• Research Asst. in Bioinformatics
• Research Asst. in Cell Biology
• Cardiac Device Internship
• Pharmaceutical Development
• Center for Orthopedic Surgery
• Cardiology Research in Pediatrics
• Lithotripsy and Kidney Research
• Optometric Tech/Ocular Research
• Commercial Lab Sample Prep.
• Chiropractic Center