General Catalog 2025-2026
Biology
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About the Department
Dr. Karine Gousset, Department Chair
Science Building, Room 106
559.278.2001
csm.fresnostate.edu/biology
…innovative and state of the art education and research in Ecology, Evolution, and Cellular and Molecular Biology
The Department of Biology offers diversified undergraduate and graduate programs that match the breadth and excitement of modern biology and prepare students for career opportunities that use biology as a foundation. Biology is the scientific study of life: its processes, complexity, and incredible diversity. The Department offers diversified undergraduate and graduate education that spans the breadth of modern Biology - from the inner workings of cells to the structure of whole ecosystems.
The undergraduate biology major we offer has three programmatic goals:
- To provide students with a solid foundation in all aspects of modern biology and the intellectual skills that will serve as the basis for a lifetime of future achievement.
- To provide students with specialized educational opportunities that will allow them to compete successfully for careers in the biological sciences or for advanced studies in doctoral programs.
- To provide preprofessional students with the knowledge needed for advanced study in the many fields that build upon a biological foundation.
Our undergraduate biology major is excellent preparation for graduate programs in clinical laboratory science, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, optometry, doctoral programs, and many others. The department offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in biology and a professional science Master of Biotechnology for qualified students who wish to explore some part of biology in greater depth.
Facilities
The department is housed in a well-equipped science building. Among the specialized equipment and technologies available for students are Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) thermocyclers; apparatuses for conducting molecular and immunological analyses of nucleic acids and proteins; genetic recombination, including use of electroporation and gene guns; computational servers; cell and tissue culture facilities; fermenters and bioreactors; fluorescence and laser capture microdissection microscopes; ultracentrifugation; radioactive materials methodologies; and metabolic studies on all types of life forms. Greenhouse and animal care facilities, as well as media/reagent production complexes, support the instructional and research programs.
Fresno’s proximity to both the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific coast provides a natural laboratory with numerous field trip opportunities that are rarely equaled at other institutions. High Sierra, Mediterranean, desert, foothill, coastal, and forest environments are all within a three-hour drive of the campus. The department maintains a wealth of field equipment to observe and collect wild organisms. A self-contained pond ecosystem offers a unique, on-campus study resource. The department also maintains extensive collections of museum specimens of insects, vertebrates and an herbarium.
Faculty
The Department of Biology is a vibrant group of tenure-track faculty members; excellent teachers with active and externally funded research programs. Fresno State biologists are investigating the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes, the ecology of the Sierra Nevada forests and watersheds, and the evolution of life in the world’s oceans. The Department offers a diverse graduate and undergraduate curriculum to prepare students for an array of career paths in the biological sciences. Motivated students have a wealth of independent research opportunities with Biology faculty.
Interesting Classes You Might Take
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- General Ecology
- Evolution
- Plant Taxonomy
What You Can Learn
- The role of microorganisms in causing infectious disease
- Ecology, evolution, and diversity of the fish of the world
- Macroscopic and microscopic study of the structure and functional relationships of the human nervous system
- The role of evolution in environmental relationships
Career Opportunities
What You Can Do
- Prepare for Graduate Programs in Medicine
- Dentistry
- Pharmacy
- Veterinary Medicine
- Optometry
- Doctoral Programs
What You Can Earn
- High School Biology Teacher, $56,101 (in our region)
Source: HR Data from Salary.com as of December 2012
ProgramsBachelorMasterMinorCoursesBiologyPage: 1
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