Start Date
End Date
Years
2223

Biology

Contact Information

Address:  2001 New Science Facility
Phone:  906-227-2310
Fax:  906-227-1063
Department Email:  biology@nmu.edu

Biology at NMU

The Biology Department offers programs leading to the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science and master of science in biology. The department offers three separate majors: biology, fisheries and wildlife management and secondary education biology. Students with a biology major have the opportunity for further specialization by choosing from one of six concentrations: botany, ecology, general biology, microbiology, physiology and zoology. The department also contributes course work for interdisciplinary programs in biochemistry, environmental science, neuroscience, diagnostic genetics and science technologist. The department offers three minor programs of study: biology, secondary education biology and human biology. The offerings complement programs in nursing, health, liberal arts and sciences, physical education, clinical laboratory sciences, and environmental conservation, among others. The courses emphasize fundamental concepts of biology at the subcellular, organismic and population levels. The laboratory courses provide students with first-hand experience in understanding biological concepts, thus furthering their understanding of life.

Biologists should have a knowledge of organisms at all levels ranging from molecular activities within cells to ecosystem dynamics. For this reason, the biology tracks and the zoology major are built around a common core of courses. The remaining courses for the major are selected to satisfy the student’s interests and career plans. A strong background in the physical sciences is helpful to a biological career.

Student Organizations

  • Pre-Dental Club
  • Pre-Medical Club
  • Pre-Veterinary Club
  • Student Michigan Education Association
  • Tri Beta Society
  • Wildlife Society

Department Facilities

  • greenhouse
  • herbarium
  • Lake Superior research boat
  • Longyear Forest
  • molecular biology facilities
  • small-animal facility
  • zoological collections

Department/Program Policies

A 2.00 grade point average is required for all biology courses taken for any non-teaching major in the department. Exceptions must be requested via petition to the department’s academic programs committee. 

Students enrolled in biology laboratory courses must pay replacement costs for damaged supplies (e.g., glassware and microscope slides) or equipment (e.g., microscopes) having value in excess of one dollar. Records of assessments for damage are maintained in the department, and students are notified of any costs due no later than the last laboratory meeting.

Secondary Education Biology
Students with a major or minor in secondary biology education must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or greater overall, in the major, and/or minor(s) with no grade below a "B-" in the professional education sequence and no grade below a "C" in the major and/or minor(s).

Recommendation for Students Bound for Graduate School

Students who plan to apply to a professional school or pursue graduate work in biology are strongly advised to take Organic Chemistry I and II (CH 321, 322) and a year of physics.

Many graduate programs in the biological sciences, including the one at Northern Michigan University, require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission. Students intending to pursue graduate study in the biological sciences should take this examination early in their senior year.

Interdisciplinary Programs

See Interdisciplinary and Individually Created Programs for more information on the following programs.

Neuroscience Major 
Integrative Science Minor (for Neuroscience Majors only)
Pre-Professional Science Minor (for Neuroscience Majors only)

Programs


Bulletin Year: 2022 - 2023 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.

Art and Design

Contact Information

Address:  159 Art and Design
Phone:  906-227-2194
Fax:  906-227-2276
Web Address:  https://www.nmu.edu/art
Department Email:  art@nmu.edu

Art and Design at NMU

The School of Art and Design faculty mentor students in the development of unique visual voices within a larger visual culture. Students are engaged in creative problem solving and independent production of art and design toward a path of becoming engaged professionals in their respective fields. The School offers a foundation program that teaches students to communicate effectively by gaining a theoretical understanding of visual culture across diverse communities and developing an awareness of the evolving nature of Art & Design. Students acquire hands-on material techniques and technological skills while exploring diverse modes of thinking during the production of art & design work, fostering a sustainable creative practice. The DeVos Art Museum and Visiting Artist Program support the mission of the school by providing global, national, and regional exhibitions, educational and research opportunities, and providing students with direct interactions with recognized professional artists.

General Education and art/design courses are combined in programs that lead to the bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or a two-year associate of applied arts degree. The school also offers the required courses for art teacher certification, a non-teaching art and design minor and an art history minor.

All of the school’s faculty members are regionally and nationally recognized for their work.

In each area of concentration, the Art and Design curriculum provides students with a broad knowledge of concepts, issues, procedures, and tools to prepare them for the design and production of art/design objects at a professional level. Areas of concentration include:

  • ceramics
  • computer art
  • digital cinema
  • drawing/painting
  • graphic design
  • human-centered design
  • illustration
  • metalsmithing/sculpture
  • photography
  • woodworking/furniture design

Student Organizations

  • American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
  • Art Students League
  • Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA)
  • Ceramics Collective (ceramics group)
  • Student Photographic Society (SPS)
  • Student Michigan Education Association

Department Facilities

The School of Art and Design has professionally equipped, safe, new, state-of-the-art studios to support 10 concentrations. Equipment includes: 

  • large induction furnace 
  • ceramic kilns 
  • casting and blacksmithing facilities 
  • computer labs 
  • woodworking, digital video facilities
  • photography darkrooms (color and black and white)
  • professionally equipped lighting studios
  • combination machine lathe and mill
  • CNC routers, 3D printers, and 3D scanner


The library collection in Art and Design includes:

  • over 10,000 volumes
  • 50 journals and periodicals 
  • large slide collection


The school uses the DeVos Art Museum for its many national, regional, local, faculty and student exhibitions, as well as the Students’ Art Gallery.

Types of Course Offerings

The following courses provide artists with greater depth in the supporting knowledge of the visual arts.

Concentration: Courses comprising one studio area or studio concentration: 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-level seminar courses.

Foundations: Courses developing core art/design concepts with relevant concepts drawn from history, sociology, psychology, and the physical sciences.

Art History: Courses devoted to the study of Western and non-Western art, design, and architecture within a historical framework. Since the School of Art and Design is primarily a studio school, art history courses take as their central concern (though not exclusive) concepts that are relevant to the studio artist.

Individual Art Review: A series of courses required of art and design majors to develop at each level as professional artists. All work is evaluated by the faculty.

School/Program Policies

Students must purchase supplies individually and/or contribute to a purchasing cooperative for the studio courses in which they are enrolled.

Community college transfers should take general education courses and art/design courses in the areas of design, drawing, and history of western art.

Art and Design Education
Teaching certification for K-12 art is obtained by completing a major/minor in art and design and the professional education sequence.

Students majoring in art and design education must maintain a grade point average 3.0 or greater overall, in their major, and/or minor(s) with no grade below a "B-" in the professional education sequence and no grade below a "C" in the major and/or minor(s).

Prerequisites for Individual Art Review

Students registering for AD 303 Individual Art Review and AD 403 Senior Exhibition must complete the following prerequisites prior to enrollment:

  1. Instructor permission.
  2. Receive a grade of “S” in AD 303 Individual Art Review for enrollment in AD 499 Senior Capstone Project.
  3. Complete or co-enroll in the 2D Studio, 3D Studio, and Digital Studio Foundation courses with a "C-" minimum grade.
  4. Complete the selected studio concentration with at least a "B-" (2.70) average.

Criteria for Remaining in the Art and Design Program

  1. Students in AD 303 Individual Art Review must receive a passing grade of “S.”
     
  2. AD 303 Individual Art Review may be repeated. Although this course may be repeated, students receiving either two "U" grades or who withdraw twice from the course will not be allowed to continue the program. 

Programs


Bulletin Year: 2022 - 2023 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.

Deaf Studies Certificate

Required course work provides students with theory and practical application of American sign language with knowledge and appreciation of deaf culture and deaf history. The program will provide students with the skills and ability to interact with the broader deaf community. Graduates will have enhanced skills and credentials in professions such as speech language hearing sciences, nursing, education, social work, criminal justice and the general service industries.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Languages, Literatures and International Studies department page.

Total Credits Required 20

Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation Major

The Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation combines three important areas of education to prepare students for careers in socially responsible enterprises.

Graduate preparation includes:

  1. A knowledge of economic analysis. This prepares students to utilize economic analysis to problems in sustainable business faced by for-profit and non-profit organizations.
  2. A knowledge of environmental science and policy. Graduates will understand the social and political climate as well as scientific issues in sustainability and free enterprise.
  3. A knowledge of successful business and management principles. This preparation will provide the skills to succeed in business structured organizations.

Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation is a way of doing business that makes profits through means that reduce harm to society and the environment. It turns challenges into business opportunities that serve a triple bottom line of profits, society and the environment.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Business, College of department page.

General Education
30-40
Foundation Courses 36
ACT 230 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting 4
CIS 222 Quantitative Business Problem Solving 4
EC 201 Microeconomic Principles 4
GC 101 Introduction to Environmental Science [INTT] 4
GC 269 Introduction to Sustainability 4
MGT 121 Introduction to Business [PERS] 4
MGT 215 Entrepreneurship 4
MGT 221 Business Law I: Legal Environment of Business or 4
     GC 320 Environmental Policy and Regulation (4 cr.)  
PR 332 Corporate Social Responsibility [SOCR] 4
Major Course 52*
Students must complete at least 8 credits in 300-400 level courses.*
 
Student must complete 20 credits in two of the following areas and 12 credits in the other.
 
Science Focused 12-20
GC 220 Economic Geography (4 cr.)  
GC 310 Urban Geography (4 cr.)  
GC 317 Geography of Food Systems (4 cr.)  
GC 342 Energy and the Environment (4 cr.)  
GC 360 Population Geography (4 cr.)  
GC 424 Environmental Justice (4 cr.)  
BI 111 Introductory Biology: Principles (4 cr.) [SCII]  
BI 210 Principles of Ecology (4 cr.) [SCII]  
BI 240 Conservation Biology (4 cr.)  
CH 112 General Chemistry II (5 cr.)  
CH 189 Medicinal Plant Chemistry Seminar I (1 cr.)  
CH 215 Chemistry of the Elements (4 cr.)  
CH 220 Introduction to Organic Chemistry (5 cr.)  
 
Economics & Policy, Indoor Ag & Renewable Energies 12-20
EC 202 Macroeconomic Principles (4 cr.)  
EC 320 Money and Banking (4 cr.)  
EC 330 Law and Economics (4 cr.)  
EC 345 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (4 cr.)  
EC 405 Economics of Public Choice (4 cr.)  
EC 410 Managerial Economics (4 cr.) [QUAR]  
EC 415 Labor Economics (4 cr.)  
IA 101 Indoor Farming Foundations (3 cr.)  
IA 130 Indoor Living Environments (3 cr.)  
IA 220 Innovative Growing Systems (3 cr.)  
IA 250 Future Farmers (3 cr.)  
REN 200 Introduction to Renewable Energies (3 cr.)  
 
Business 12-20
ACT 240 Fundamentals of Managerial Accounting (4 cr.)  
CIS 440 Management Information Systems (4 cr.)  
FIN 201 Introduction to Risk Management (4 cr.)  
FIN 224 Personal Financial Management (4 cr.)  
FIN 351 Financial Management I (4 cr.)  
FIN 413 New Venture Finance: Capital Formation and Legal Issues (4 cr.)  
MGT 240 Organizational Behavior and Management (4 cr.)  
MKT 230 Introduction to Marketing (4 cr.)  
MKT 310 Marketing for Entrepreneurship (4 cr.)  
MKT 335 Consumer Behavior Analysis (4 cr.)  
PR 231 Introduction to Public Relations (4 cr.)  
PR 432 Environmental Campaigns (4 cr.)  
Additional choice(s) from the above categories may be used as electives to meet 120 credit hours total with approval of advisor.
 
Other Required Courses 12
DATA 109 Introduction to Statistics [QUAR] 4
MA 113 Finite Mathematics [QUAR] 4
SO 101 Introductory Sociology [PERS] 4
 
Other Recommended Courses  
Some courses may also fulfil General Education requirements.
BI 100 Biological Science [SCII] 4
CH 105 Chemical Principles [SCII] or 4
     CH 111 General Chemistry I (5 cr.) [SCII]  
GC 164 Human Geography [SOCR] 4
NAS 204 Native American Experience [SOCR] or 4
     NAS 330 Native Cultures and the Dynamics of Religious Experience (4 cr.) [PERS] or  
     NAS 342 Indigenous Environmental Movements (4 cr.) [INTT]  

Theatre Technology - Associate of Arts

This program is designed to educate students looking to learn the many facets of theatre technology. This  two year associate's degree program is for students intending to work in the many fields of study for technical theatre, but are not looking to specialize in learning about the areas of design for theatre specifically.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Theatre and Dance department page.

Total Credits Required 62
General Education Required Courses 32
Human Expression (1 Course)  
Integrative Thinking (1 Course)  
Effective Communication (1-2 Courses)  
Perspectives on Society (1-2 Courses)  
Quantitative Reasoning (1 Course)  
Social Responsibility in a Diverse World (1 Course)  
 
Required Courses 20
TH 131 Stagecraft 2
TH 140 Stage Electrics 2
TH 141 Fundamentals of Design 2
TH 142 Sound and Media Engineering 2
TH 143 Costume Construction 2
TH 233 Digital Drafting and Rendering 2
TH 234 Makeup Studio 2
TH 253 Introduction to Stage Management 2
TH 432 Theatre and Entertainment Careers 1
TH 491 Practicum in Theatre and Entertainment Arts * (1 cr.) 2
TH 492 Internship in Theatre and Entertainment Arts (1 - 8 cr.) 1
 
Elective Theatre Courses 10
Student must select ten credits from the courses below.
     TH 331 Advanced Stagecraft (4 cr.)  
     TH 333 Scenic Painting (2 cr.)  
     TH 334 Casting and Molding (2 cr.)  
     TH 340 Programming for Lighting (2 cr.)  
     TH 341 Stage Properties (2 cr.)  
     TH 342 Programming for Sound and Media (2 cr.)  
     TH 343 Advanced Costume Construction (2 cr.)  
     TH 453 Advanced Stage Management (4 cr.)  
     TH 495 Special Topics in Theatre and Entertainment Arts (2 - 4 cr.)  

*Must be taken two times for credit.

Theatre Performance - Associate of Arts

This program is designed to educate students looking to learn and gain more experience in performance for live theatre. This program is designed to give students a broad range of aspects in performance pedagogy, historical theatre context and stage directing skills.  The program is perfect for students who wish to work in the field.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Theatre and Dance department page.

Total Credits Required 62
General Education 32
Human Expression (1 Course)  
Integrative Thinking (1 Course)  
Effective Communication (1-2 Courses)  
Perspectives on Society (1-2 Courses)  
Quantitative Reasoning (1 Course)  
Social Responsibility in a Diverse World (1 Course)  
 
Theatre Performance Required Courses 30
TH 130 The Theatre Experience [HUME] 4
TH 131 Stagecraft 2
TH 132 Acting 1 2
TH 234 Makeup Studio 2
TH 247 Performance Studio 4
TH 352 Directing Theory 4
TH 360 Theatre History 1 4
TH 432 Theatre and Entertainment Careers 1
TH 456 Entertainment Arts Management 4
TH 491 Practicum in Theatre and Entertainment Arts * (1 cr.) 2
TH 493 Field Studies 1

*Must be taken two times for credit.

Dance - Associate of Arts

This program is designed to educate students looking to learn and understand the many facets of dance. This two-year associate's degree program is for students intending to work in the many fields of study and practice for dance, without looking to specialize in any one area.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Theatre and Dance department page.

Total Credits Required 64
General Education 32
Human Expression - 1 course  
      DAN 305 History and Theory of Dance [HUME] (required)** (4 cr.)  
Effective Communication - 1-2 courses  
Quantitative Reasoning - 1 course  
Social Responsibility in a Diverse World - 1 course  
Integrative Thinking - 1 course  
Perspectives on Society - 1-2 courses  
 
Dance Technique Foundation Courses 8
Choose eight credits from the following: 8
     DAN 201 Beginning Ballet Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 301 Intermediate Ballet Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 401 Advanced Ballet Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 202 Beginning Contemporary Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 302 Intermediate Contemporary Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 402 Advanced Contemporary Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 203 Beginning Jazz Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 303 Intermediate Jazz Technique *** (2 cr.)  
     DAN 403 Advanced Jazz Technique (2 cr.)  
     DAN 204 Beginning Tap Dance *** (1 cr.)  
     DAN 307 Intermediate Tap Dance *** (1 cr.)  
     DAN 405 Pointe Technique *** (2 cr.)  
 
Required Coursework 24
DAN 130 The Dance Experience 4
DAN 208 Conditioning for Performers *** 1
DAN 304 Dance Improvisation 1
HUME] ** 4
DAN 306 Dance Practicum * (1 cr.) 2
DAN 308 Creative Composition 2
DAN 310 Choreography Audition Prep *** 1
DAN 311 Dance Pedagogy 4
TH 132 Acting 1 2
TH 141 Fundamentals of Design 2
TH 432 Theatre and Entertainment Careers 1
TH 456 Entertainment Arts Management 4

*Must be taken two times for credit.

**DAN 305 double counts as a Human Expression General Education Course.

***May be taken up to two times for credit.

Human Resource Management Major

Human Resource Managers oversee the most important component of today’s successful business — a productive, thriving workforce. This requires viewing people as human assets, not costs to the organization. Human Resource Management (HRM) deals with issues related to compensation, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, training, diversity, compensation, separation, and discipline as well as career development. Furthermore, HRM plays a strategic role in managing people and the workplace culture and environment. The role of HRM in a company affects all aspects of the organization and highly trained HRM professionals are important to the organization because they have the critical skills and possess the expertise necessary to negotiate group benefit packages for employees, within the organization's budget and remaining consistent with economic conditions. Among other important topics, they are familiar with employee benefits most likely to attract and retain workers. HRM professionals are responsible for policies that place employees in organizations who are a “good” fit with the organization. This synergy is critical to the success of the organization. A “poor” fit can be costly in many ways. A study by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) predicts that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6 to 9 months' salary on average. For a manager making $40,000 a year, that is $20,000 to $30,000 in recruiting and training expenses. This degree program will offer a curriculum that prepares future HR professionals to join the profession at the entry level and make meaningful and viable contributions to an organization’s success from day one.

For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Business, College of department page.

Total Credits Required 120
General Education
30-40
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