The Biology program at Bethel gives students the space and tools to investigate the wonder and intricacies of life. Here are a few of the unique characteristics of our program:

• Thoughtful Christian approach. We’re a Christian liberal arts university with a strong evangelical foundation. This means we thread several important questions throughout our courses: 
  • How does a Christian perspective change how we do science?
  • What illumination does biology give us on faith (and vice versa)?
  • What points of tension call for continuing reflection?

• Individual focus. Unlike large universities where professors delegate classroom work so they can do research, Bethel biology faculty live to teach. We place a high value on effectively helping each student learn and succeed. Upper-level class sizes are kept small so students can participate in cooperative learning and small-group collaborative projects, with quick access to lab facilities. 

• Research opportunity. Every biology student at Bethel has an opportunity to work with a faculty member on authentic research—a rare experience for undergraduates and a big advantage for students competing for graduate admission and scholarships. These projects involve one-on-one collaboration with a faculty mentor, and often culminate in journal co-publication or co-presentation at a conference.

• State of the art equipment. Our modern facilities are geared especially for students and include:

• A fully equipped biotechnology laboratory with UV/VIS spectrophotometer, electrophoresis equipment, real-time PCR, DNA sequencing apparatus, microinjection apparatus, microplate reader, and more
• A cell culture laboratory with carbon dioxide incubators, gas exchange analyzer, laminar flow sterile hood, and inverted fluorescence microscope for advanced digital imaging of cells and tissues, with capacity for 3-D reconstruction
• Data acquisition and analysis systems for human and animal physiological and pharmacological studies
• Human cadavers for anatomy studies
• Two walk-in environmental chambers
• Several photomicroscopes
• Boats for aquatic studies
• Greenhouse and herbarium
• Darkroom
• Access to many field environments for sampling aquatic diversity, trapping and releasing small mammals, surveying bird populations, and participating in plant restoration projects

• Off-campus study and internships. We take students to the rainforests and mountains of Ecuador and the delights of the Galapagos Islands. Plus, they have access to other off-campus study programs including Au Sable Institute for Environmental Study, in 4 locations around the world. Our students also secure internships at well-known institutions, including the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota DNR, McNeely Conservatory, The Wolf Project, Medtronic, National Institutes of Health, and the national program Research Experiences for Undergraduates.

• Student clubs and organizations. Through an award-winning biology club, a national honor society, and our own Creation Restoration environmental stewardship team, biology students have their pick of co-curricular groups related to the field they love.