Interdisciplinary Majors

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

Faculty

Kathleen G. Dwyer, Ph.D., Co-Director, Biology Department
Joan Wasilewski, Ph.D., Co-Director, Chemistry Department
Timothy D. Foley, Ph.D.

Overview

The Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology major is an interdisciplinary program of study between the Biology and Chemistry departments. The program provides students with an understanding of the fundamentals of biology and chemistry and the key principles of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, as suggested by the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. There is a strong emphasis on genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics.

The program is designed to provide students with expertise in both the fundamentals and frontline applications of these rapidly expanding fields, especially in the areas of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. Students who graduate from the program are expected to possess skills suitable for (a) biotechnical work in the pharmaceutical, health and agricultural industries and for (b) further academic pursuits in graduate or professional schools.

Course Information

Courses for Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology are listed under the prefixes BCMB. For more information on all courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For information on this major visit our Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, BS page.

Environmental Science

Arthur J.Catino Ph.D., Co-Director, Chemistry Department;
Robert J. Smith, Ph.D., Co-Director, Biology Department

See Biology and Chemistry for faculty listings.

Overview

The Environmental Science major is an interdisciplinary program of the Biology and Chemistry Departments at The University of Scranton. The Environmental Science major has the following objectives:

To prepare students for positions (in the public or private sector) in the broad field of environmental analysis, compliance, and technology;
To prepare students for advanced study in environmental science;
To provide a sufficiently comprehensive science and liberal arts background to allow students to pursue advanced training or work in other fields that deal with environmental issues, e.g., environmental law, environmental health, and environmental regulation in business and industry.

The Environmental Science program provides a rigorous and comprehensive grounding in the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of the natural environment, and in the analytical and instrumental techniques used to investigate environmental problems. Upper-class students may choose to focus more closely on either the chemical or biological aspects of environmental science, and must complete either an undergraduate research project or an internship in environmental science. The program also is designed to expose students to the social, political, regulatory, economic, and ethical concerns that are commensurate with defining and addressing environmental issues in today’s world.

Course Information

Courses for Environmental Science are listed under the prefixes CHEM, BIOL and ESCI. For more information on all courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For information on this major, visit our Environmental Science, BS page.

Individualize Major

Board Members

Josephine Dunn, Ph.D.
Kathleen G. Dwyer, Ph.D.
Richard Klonoski, Ph.D.

Overview

The Individualized Major (IM) program provides University of Scranton students the opportunity to design interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary programs of study not presently available within the established University structure. Students may create their own unique programs of study, including specific learning outcome objectives, upgrade existing concentrations into majors, and use an IM major as a second major to explore interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary extensions of an established major. Students are not guaranteed an IM major program of study. Approval of all IM major program proposals is predicated on availability of faculty mentors and on an academically sound IM proposal.

Course Information

For information on courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For information on these courses, visit our Individualized Major page.

Latin American Studies

Associate Faculty

Susan Méndez, Ph.D., Director of Latin American Studies
Michael Allison, Ph.D.
Aiala Levy, Ph.D.
Kevin Nordberg Ph.D.
Yamile Silva, Ph.D.
Janice Voltzow, Ph.D.

Overview

The Department of Latin American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies houses the two largest interdisciplinary programs at The University of Scranton. While each program functions autonomously, both share a common administrative structure and a commitment to providing extra- and co-curricular programming to supplement their curricular offerings, and both are organized around the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary study of social, political, and cultural issues. The governance structure of the department is intended to foster these goals and to insure our commitment to multiple forms of faculty involvement in the teaching, research, and service activities of the department. The department offers two majors, one in Latin American Studies and one in Women’s and Gender Studies.

The Department currently offers two concentrations, which are the equivalent of multi-disciplinary minors, one in Latin American Studies, and one in Women’s and Gender Studies. Most courses in the concentrations are cross-listed with other departments and may be counted towards completion of a concentration as well as other requirements that the course might fulfill (e.g., GE, major, minor, or cognate).

Course Information

Courses for Latin American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies have many prefixes because most courses are cross-listed with other departments. In addition, we run courses that count for both Latin American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies with the prefix LAWS; courses that count for Women’s and Gender Studies with the prefix WOMN and courses that count for Latin American Studies with the prefix LAS.

For course information on all courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For a list this major, visit our Latin American Studies, BA page.

Neuroscience

Faculty

Primary

Robert F. Waldeck, Ph.D., Program Director
J. Timothy Cannon, Ph.D.
Gary G. Kwiecinski, Ph.D.
Patrick T. Orr, Ph.D.
Marc Seid, Ph.D.
Jong-Hyun Son, Ph.D.

Secondary

Yaodong Bi, Ph.D.
Bryan R. Burnham, Ph.D.
Timothy D. Foley, Ph.D.
Jason M. Graham, Ph.D.
Jerry R. Muir Jr., Ph.D.
Katherine Stumpo, Ph.D.
Jill A. Warker, Ph.D.

Overview

The foundation courses of this interdisciplinary curriculum are selected from the Biology, Psychology and Chemistry departments. Depending upon the electives chosen, the program can prepare students for a variety of graduate programs within the field of neuroscience. Such graduate training may draw from a range of disciplines, including biology, psychology, anatomy, pharmacology, toxicology, biophysics, biochemistry and medicine. Students have ample research opportunities in laboratories that can support a diversity of behavioral, biochemical, neurophysiological and neuroanatomical investigations. The program is administered by an interdisciplinary committee.

Course Information

Courses for Neuroscience are listed under the prefixes BIOL, CHEM, and PSYC. For more information on these and all courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For information on these courses, visit our Neuroscience, BS page.

Women’s and Gender Studies

Associate Faculty

Marzia Caporale, Ph.D., Director of Women’s and Gender Studies
Paul A. Datti, Ph.D.
Marian Farrell, Ph.D.
Michael Friedman, Ph.D.
Jean Harris, Ph.D.
Aiala Levy, Ph.D.
Susan Méndez, Ph.D.
Kimberly Pavlick, Ph.D.
Virginia Picchietti, Ph.D.
Susan Poulson, Ph.D.
Meghan Rich, Ph.D.
Yamile Silva, Ph.D.
Carole Slotterback, Ph.D.
Stephen Whittaker, Ph.D.
Loreen Wolfer, Ph.D.
Habib Zanzana, Ph.D.

Affiliated Faculty

Josephine Dunn, Ph.D.
Billie Tadros, Ph.D.
Gretchen T. Van Dyke, Ph.D.

Overview

Course Information

For a more information on this major visit our Women’s and Gender Studies, BA page.