Natural Sciences
Department: Biology and Health Science
Program
…preparing students
for graduate and professional studies,
…training future scientists, health
care professionals, and teachers,
…connecting students to the natural
heritage of the southern mountains.
The Biology Program offers
majors in
Biology, Botany,
and Zoology.
It also houses the programs in Health
Sciences and Athletic
Training. These programs prepare students
for employment, graduate study, and teaching
in a wide variety of fields related to
biology.
What
makes the Biology Program at MHC unique?
The Botany
and Zoology
majors are unusual for a small
liberal arts college. The Botany and Zoology
majors provide structured training focusing
on plant or animal biology. These majors
are designed to prepare a student for
research and further training in graduate
or professional school.
Another strength of this program is the
level of
research activity involving
undergraduates. The faculty are active
in the fields of cytogenetics, biotechnology,
environmental consulting, field biology,
and landscape ecology. Faculty research
generates opportunities for undergraduate
research through faculty-student collaborations.
These research activities provide important
hands-on experience in learning the process
of science as conducted in the laboratory
and the outdoors. Research activities
are also incorporated into the classroom.
Individual instruction
and small classes are
the rule! Upper division classes typically
have <20 students, and all lab sections
have <20 students. Labs are taught
by faculty (not graduate students), and
therefore, provide opportunities for one-on-one
interactions between student and instructor.
Students receive individual assistance
from faculty in choosing classes and exploring
career options. These programs have a
record of
successful graduates .
The students are also actively
engaged in learning outside the classroom
. There is an active Biology
Club that includes members from science
and non-science majors. Student
internships are commonplace.
Students gain real-world experience by
doing an internship in the field of interest.
Academic credit is awarded based on the
time and skill demanded by the experience.
Examples of recent internships include:
assistant
at veterinarian clinic.
conservation
intern with Southern Appalachian
Forest Coalition.
wildlife
technician with National Park
Service on St. Croix,VI
technical
writer for US Fish-and-Wildlife
Service
animal
care at Indianapolis Zoo
crime
lab technician with State Bureau
of Investigation
summer
field studies in Kenya
patient
care at hospital and medical
clinics
Health Sciences Program
MHC offers a variety of programs which
allow a student to pursue a liberal arts
education while preparing for a career
in a health profession field. These programs
include:
Athletic Training
Preprofessional programs
in physician assistant, pharmacy, nursing,
and physical therapy.
The Athletic
Training major provides
skills in the areas of athletic
conditioning and treatment of
sports-related injuries, and
is designed
for the student interested in the
profession of athletic training. Mars
Hill College offers a CAATE-approved,
accredited undergraduate entry-level
curriculum program leading to a Bachelor
of Science in Athletic Training. The
course work and the clinical experiences
are designed to stress the theory and
practical application of athletic
training principles. The
curriculum provides the opportunity to
meet requirements for the Board of
Certification Exam. For information
regarding admission criteria to the
Athletic Training major, please see the
athletic training website: http://athletictraining.mhc.edu.
The Preprofessional
programs provide the background necessary
for graduate study in medical, dental,
pharmacy, veterinarian, physical therapy,
and physician assistant programs.
MHC provides the science requirements for
entry for these programs through concentrations
in biology and chemistry majors. These demanding
courses prepare students for the competitive
application process. The faculty maintain
relationships with universities providing
these graduate programs in North Carolina
and the Southeast region.
Another strength of this program is the
level of 
MHC offers a variety of programs which
allow a student to pursue a liberal arts
education while preparing for a career
in a health profession field. These programs
include: