Undergraduate Biology Program at Stony Brook

Mission:  Provide a rigorous, engaging Biology curriculum that develops an interdisciplinary understanding of the living world and links learning to the excitement of discovery.

Goals:

• Together with faculty from the life sciences departments, provide coherent course sequences that meet student demand and enables timely progress to graduation.
• Mount and staff introductory laboratory courses in biology, and provide technical support for advanced laboratory courses.
• Provide student services including orientation, academic advising, transfer course evaluation, clearance for graduation, and alumni contact.
• Help faculty with course scheduling, student registration, exam administration, and grade reporting.
• Continually improve student success by regular assessment of all these activities.

In order to achieve these goals, there is an Undergraduate Biology Executive Committee of faculty that provides feedback and advice to the Director regarding the following objectives:

1. Students are provideda scientifically accurate, up-to-date, conceptually coherent, and engaging introduction to the life sciences
2. Introductory laboratory and lecture courses are conceptually coherent and have aligned learning objectives
3. Curriculum and instruction are guided by evidence-based policy recommendations from major scientific organizations (e.g., American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Academies of Sciences)
4. Course and sequence outcomes (e.g., learning, persistence, satisfaction) are documented annually
5. Faculty have access to instructional facilities (e.g., classroom space, equipment) that promote the academic success of all students
6. A brief annual report summarizing the state of objectives 1-5 is delivered to the Chairs of the three Life Sciences departments and the Director of Undergraduate Biology to inform their actions on behalf of the introductory curriculum in Biology