Biology Department

Biology in either a B.A. or a B.S. program

Explore the matter of life.

You can also focus your studies in Pre-Med, Pre-Veterinary, Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Optometry, Pre-Pharmaceuticals, Pre-Physical Therapy, or Pre-General Medicine.

Advances in science and technology are taking man places he never thought possible—inside the human genome, for example. All those bits of DNA that make hair blonde, eyes brown, the mind quick, and feet fast, are slowly revealing themselves in modern laboratories. With each advance the potential for healing grows. So does the power to cause irreparable harm—using science in ways that violate the dignity of the human person.

Majoring in biology at Franciscan will enhance your understanding of living organisms and conditions necessary for life.  You will study life on the microscopic and macroscopic levels, discovering God’s design in plants, animals, ecosystems and the cosmos.  You will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on research in an award-winning facility. 

Our faculty strongly believes that a true understanding of science comes from personal experience and not merely through reading a book. To foster that experience, our students are encouraged to propose their own research projects as well as to work with professors on advanced projects. Only through this approach can students learn how to ask the right questions, and also develop the ability to pursue the answer creatively and directly.

And all of this in an atmosphere—both in and out of the classroom—that reverences the dignity of human life, in accord with the Catholic understanding of the world as created and loved by God.

The quality of the Biology major at Franciscan has enabled recent graduates to continue their education in biology, medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, and physical therapy. Others have found work in research labs, allied health labs, and science classrooms.

Meet the Faculty

• Dr. John Perozich, Chair
• Prof. Edwin Bessler
• Derek Doroski
• Dr. Eric Haenni
• Dr. Daniel Kuebler
• Dr. Joseph Pathakamuri
• Fr. Joeseph Yelenc, TOR