Biological Sciences Department

College of the Sciences
Ellensburg
Science Building, room 338
Mail Stop 7537
509-963-2731
Fax: 509-963-2730
www.cwu.edu/biology
See website for how this program may be used for educational and career purposes.

Faculty and Staff
Chair
James E. Johnson, PhD

Professors
Daniel D. Beck, PhD, physiological ecology and herpetology
Lucinda Carnell, PhD, molecular behavioral genetics
Tom R. Cottrell, PhD, plant ecology (emeritus)
David M. Darda, PhD, evolutionary vertebrate morphology, herpetology
Kristina A. Ernest, PhD, terrestrial and community ecology
Jason T. Irwin, PhD, animal physiology
Paul W. James, PhD, ecology and fisheries biology
James E. Johnson, PhD, mycology, systematics
Sheldon R. Johnson, PhD, zoophysiology, mammalogy (emeritus)
Holly C. Pinkart, PhD, microbiology, microbial ecology
Mary E. Poulson, PhD, plant physiology
Wayne S. Quirk, PhD, sensation and perception, neuroscience
Ian J. Quitadamo, PhD, science education, cell and molecular biology
Linda A. Raubeson, PhD, evolutionary biology and genetics
Stamford D. Smith, PhD, entomology (emeritus)
Lixing Sun, PhD, behavioral ecology and evolution
R. Steven Wagner, PhD, conservation genetics and herpetological science

Associate Professors
Clay Arango, PhD, stream ecology and nitrogen biogeochemistry
Jennifer Dechaine, PhD, plant biology
Blaise Dondji, PhD, human physiology, microbiology, parasitology, immunology
Alison Scoville, PhD, ecological and evolutionary genomics
Gabrielle Stryker, PhD, microbiology, immunology and parasitology

Assistant Professors
April Binder, PhD, molecular developmental biology

Lecturers
Lucy Bottcher, PhD, ecologist, herpetologist
Raymon Donahue, PhD, plant ecology, physiology
Eric Graham, PhD, plant ecology
Fabiola Serra-Fuertes, DVM, animal biology, physiology

Staff
Emil Babik, engineering technician
Jonathan Betz, instructional classroom support technician
Eric Foss, instructional classroom support technician
Mari Knirck, fiscal specialist I
Kariann Linnell, secretary supervisor
Ormacinda White, engineering technician
Mark Young, instructional classroom support technician

Program Description
The graduate program in biology is designed to provide training and expertise for those needing a terminal degree for entry-level biological science positions in state, federal, and tribal agencies, as well as for positions in private industry or teaching at the secondary or community college level. It serves other students by providing them with the skills and techniques required for further graduate study beyond the MS degree. Students considering further graduate study should work closely with their major advisor to design a program of coursework that meets the requirements for PhD programs. Graduate students in biology may tailor their program to emphasize a specific discipline within the biological sciences.

Admission
Admission is a two-step process. Applicants must first meet the general requirements for graduate study as determined by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, and then the specific requirements of the Department of Biological Sciences. Items needed to enroll:

An undergraduate degree in biology or closely related field. Deficiencies in the student’s undergraduate training as determined by the Department of Biological Sciences at the time of admission to the program must be removed without graduate credit during the first year of graduate study.
Students must submit GRE scores for the general test. Students applying to the masters in biology with a specialization in biomedical sciences may substitute MCAT scores for GRE scores.
International students for whom English is a second language must provide TOEFL scores to demonstrate English proficiency.
Students must arrange for a graduate faculty advisor in the Department of Biological Sciences to serve as their major advisor.

Programs

Master of Science (M.S.)

Biology, MS

Courses

Biological Sciences (BIOL)