Biology

Program Details

The Biology program at Inver Hills Community College is the doorway to a career dedicated to one of the two main branches of natural science.

One branch is physical science, which involves studying nonliving phenomena and includes physics, chemistry, and astronomy.

The other is life science, or biological science, which involves studying life and living organisms.

Biologists explore the living world around us, including the life stories of baobab trees, blue whales, human beings, and even nanobacteria, the latter one billionth of a meter in diameter (10 times smaller than bacteria), but big on controversy, challenging notions on what’s alive in our environment and what’s not.

Biology at Inver Hills

Click each item below to see content

Transfer Information

Following the Biology A.S. Transfer Pathway allows you to transfer as a junior to a biology baccalaureate program at one of seven Minnesota State universities:

Student Clubs

Biology Club

Connect with your fellow students and expand your knowledge regarding the different branches and career opportunities in the vast field of biology.

Contact

Lisa Tracy, MS
Biology
651-450-3780

Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Math)

Ready to take STEM one step further? Explore all the career paths biology majors can pursue, including cutting-edge jobs in ag science.

Contact

Kristin Digiulio, MPP
Biology Faculty
Women in STEAM Co-Advisor
651-450-3272

Resources

Biology Resource Room

Heritage Hall Room 206
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Closed weekends

As a biology student at Inver Hills, you’ll find that the Biology Resource Room is a great space for completing your biology projects and assignments with opportunities to investigate models, skeletons, bones, and microscope slides. You can work on your own, or in small groups, or with the help of a peer tutor or faculty member.

The Biology Resource Room provides a comfortable, well-equipped atmosphere to study and learn. You are welcome to use the room as often as you wish.

The Biology Resource Room is not set up to give you specific answers to questions on a worksheet or assignment. However, making the most of the assets and support the room offers will go a long way in helping you understand biological concepts. Because the Biology Resource Room is reserved for studying and learning, not socializing, you should always be respectful of your fellow students working in the room.

Note: biology faculty members deliver workshops on various topics throughout the year. The workshops focus on strategies and tools for success in your biology courses.

Signing in

When using the Biology Resource Room, you should always sign in at the computer conveniently located on a table as you enter the room. Signing in helps biology faculty maximize the room’s effectiveness.

Seeking help

Peer tutors are available in the Biology Resource Room during hours posted outside the room. Help from peer tutors is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Biology faculty may also schedule hours in the room and will tutor students in their specialties. Peer tutors wear nametags that include their job title. Faculty members in the room can also be identified by their name tags.

If you need materials not found in the Biology Resource Room, please check with the lab manager, who is located in the Biology Laboratory Preparation Office (Heritage Hall 222a).

More about peer tutors

The Peer Tutoring Center, located on the second floor of the Library building, provides additional peer tutors in the Biology Resource Room. Recommended by faculty, peer tutors are students who have completed one or more biology courses with a grade of A or B.

A schedule of available peer tutors and their assigned hours is posted outside the Biology Resource Room. Peer tutors may be able to help with lab materials or lecture content, depending on the courses they are competent to tutor.

You should have specific questions or needs when working with a peer tutor, who serves the role of helping you understand concepts and develop study skills; peer tutors do not re-teach courses or provide answers to assignment questions.

Proper use of materials

Materials in the Biology Resource Room are for use by all Inver Hills students. Materials should be handled carefully and respectfully so that future students will have the same resources available in the best condition possible.

A wide variety of resources are available in the Biology Resource Room, including anatomical models, textbooks, lab manuals, microscopes, and microscope slides.

Biology at Inver Hills Adds Up

What you'll accomplish as a student in our Biology program:
  1. Direct the genetic building blocks of life in superb laboratory experiences
  2. Explore the dynamic interrelationships between humans and the ecosphere
  3. Discover the living world working in small teams guided by recognized biologists
  4. Earn a Transfer Pathway A.S. that paves the way to your bachelor’s degree
  5. Build bridges to cutting-edge research projects at a four-year school
  6. Work directly with accomplished, student-focused biology faculty
  7. Benefit from small class sizes and collaborating with likeminded classmates
  8. Save money and continue your academic and professional careers with less student debt

According to U.S. News & World Report, national student loan debt topped $1.7 trillion in the second quarter of 2021, or roughly $740 billion more than U.S. total credit card debt.

In Minnesota, 900,000 student loan borrowers owe an average $31,250 in federal and private student debt. That debt translates into an average monthly payment topping $250. 

Tuition and fees for one year at Inver Hills costs a little less than $5,500. Compare that to $15,000 to $20,000 at a for-profit college, or $40,000 to $50,000+ at a private college or university. You can complete your first two years at Inver Hills getting a topflight, hands-on education from knowledgeable, caring and experienced faculty and then transfer to a four-year school as a junior all while saving thousands of dollars.

Careers in Healthcare

Are you interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, but not quite sure what path you want to take? Consider a degree in Health Sciences Broad Field, an A.S. degree program offered at Inver Hills.

This comprehensive degree leads to transfer options in a wide variety of healthcare careers, including community health, exercise science, occupational therapy, nutrition, psychology, health education, and many more.

Learn more...

Agriculture Scholarship

Inver Hills and CHS are partnering to help students who pursue careers in agriculture, food and natural resources. Apply for the CHS Aspire, Accelerate, Advance! Scholarship for Agriculture Careers.

Learn more about agriculture, food, and natural resources career pathways as well as transfer partners, on-campus projects, internships, scholarships, and more by contacting:

Kristin Digulio
Biology Faculty
651-450-3272