
FACULTY-GUIDED RESEARCH
Take part in the work of discovery.
Explore research opportunities with faculty, including projects in regenerative medicine.
Meet a researcher
UNDERGRADUATE · ON CAMPUS
Build your future through faculty-guided research, hands-on science, and an education that brings Catholic faith and reason together.
Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science · Steubenville, Ohio

Your questions belong here.
SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE. SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR FAITH.
Build your understanding of life—and consider how you will use it to serve.
Explore biology through research, field experiences, and a Catholic understanding of the human person. Choose a direction that fits your interests: pre-medicine, research, environmental science, pre-health, or general biology.
At Franciscan, academic preparation and personal formation belong together. Bring your curiosity, your ambition, and your questions about what comes next.
Explore your academic pathWHAT YOU WILL DO
Ask a better question. Test an idea.
See where hands-on learning takes you.

FACULTY-GUIDED RESEARCH
Explore research opportunities with faculty, including projects in regenerative medicine.
Meet a researcherExplore hands-on training through the Franciscan Institute for Science and Health.
Explore FISHLearn about global health experiences through the Franciscan Institute for World Health.
Explore global healthA Summer 2025 feature documents students measuring local streams with Dr. Eric Haenni and monitoring invasive species with Dr. Christopher Payne.
See students’ researchResearch and experiential opportunities vary by project, prerequisites, availability, and selection requirements. Ask the department about current options.

WHO WILL INVEST IN YOU
Dr. Dan Kuebler Professor of Biology
His published faculty profile describes undergraduate research on adult stem cells and regenerative approaches to osteoarthritis—from cell isolation to studies of cell growth and gene expression.
A concrete example of faculty-guided work. Contact the department about current projects and participation.
Explore his researchLET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE
Have questions about studying biology? Start a conversation about the program, opportunities, and your next steps.
Prefer to explore in person? Plan a visit ↗BA / BS · On campus · Steubenville, Ohio
Preview the inquiry experience using sample details.
In the connected version, this area will confirm receipt and explain Admissions’ next steps. No inquiry has been sent from this prototype.
Send a real inquiry ↗HOW FAITH SHAPES YOUR FIELD
What does it mean to serve the human person through science? At Franciscan, that question belongs alongside the questions you bring to the lab.
In the same Summer 2025 feature, Dr. Kyle McKenna describes antibody testing designed without materials derived from aborted-fetal cell lines—a specific example of faith informing scientific practice.
Read about faith in the labWHERE IT CAN LEAD
Consider the possibilities.
Then start building your path.
Explore graduate and professional study in biology, medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, or veterinary medicine.
Explore pre-professional pathways ↗Consider directions in research, environmental science, laboratory work, or science education.
Some careers require additional education, certification, or licensure. These are possible paths, not placement results.
Connect with Career Services ↗A GRADUATE’S PATH · REPORTED SUMMER 2025
Melody Vetrovec ’23 helped begin Dr. Christopher Payne’s local invasive-species study in 2020. Franciscan Magazine reported her role as a lab manager at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Summer 2025.
Read the research storyOne graduate’s reported trajectory; not a program-wide placement rate or a statement of current employment.
WHAT YOU WILL STUDY
Start with the academic catalog for official degree requirements. Bring your goals to a conversation with Admissions and the biology department.
View biology requirementsAsk how the BA and BS options connect with your interests, and what experiences might help you explore them.
An exploration guide, not an academic plan. Refer to the catalog and your advisor for requirements.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Meet the people. Explore the campus.
Imagine the questions you’ll ask here.
Start with undergraduate admissions for requirements and the application process.
Undergraduate admissions ↗Start your application ↗Explore tuition, financial aid, and scholarship options with your family. Ask Admissions for help understanding your individual situation.
Tuition and financial aid ↗Scholarships ↗Review the transfer process and ask how your previous courses may apply to your degree.
Steps to transfer ↗Explore academic support, campus life, and campus safety together.
Academic resources ↗Student life ↗Campus safety ↗