STORIES · SUMMER 2025
Cutting-edge research in the life sciences
Students measured local streams with Dr. Eric Haenni and monitored invasive species with Dr. Christopher Payne.
Franciscan Magazine
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE
Bachelor’s Degree in Biology
Explore life. Pursue truth. Prepare to serve.
Request Biology InformationStudy Biology with
Faith and Reason
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.
Serious about your future.
Serious about your faith.
Explore faculty-guided research, hands-on science, and opportunities to connect what you learn with the work you feel called to do.
Experience FranciscanREQUEST INFORMATION
Student Information
Choose the degree you’re interested in to start your inquiry.
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Quick Facts
On CampusSteubenville, Ohio
Bachelor of ArtsDegree option
Bachelor of ScienceDegree option
BioinformaticsExplore the certificate ↗
Biology in Action
What will you do with your curiosity? Start with real questions, faculty-guided work, and opportunities beyond the classroom.
Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
- Faculty-guided research. Explore projects in the life sciences, including regenerative medicine.
- Science and health. Learn about hands-on training through the Franciscan Institute for Science and Health.
- Global health and service. Explore the Franciscan Institute for World Health.
Research and experiential opportunities vary by project, prerequisites, availability, and selection requirements. Ask the department about current options.
Biology Admissions Process
Your next chapter begins with a conversation. Explore the undergraduate admissions process and get help planning your next steps.
1. Review Admission Requirements
Check the University’s current undergraduate requirements and discuss your academic goals with Admissions.
Review admission requirements ↗2. Start Your Application
Visit the application portal to begin your undergraduate application.
Apply to Franciscan ↗3. Plan Your Next Steps
Ask Admissions about documents, deadlines and visiting campus. Transfer students can also review how previous coursework may apply.
Steps to transfer ↗Biology Degree Options and Curriculum
Choose a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Biology. Start with the official academic catalog for degree requirements, and bring your interests to a conversation with Admissions and the biology department.
Explore Biology courses and program requirements ↗
Bachelor of Arts in Biology
Explore the BA requirements in the current academic catalog. Ask how the degree fits your goals, electives, and preparation for further study.
View official degree requirements ↗Bachelor of Science in Biology
Review the BS requirements with an advisor and discuss preparation for your intended field or professional program.
View official degree requirements ↗Explore Your Interests
START A CONVERSATION
Talk about your interests ↗You don’t need every answer yet.
Ask 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.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Plan Your Investment in a Biology Degree
Explore tuition, financial aid, and scholarship options with your family. The Admissions team can help you understand your individual situation and plan your next steps.
Student and Family Support
Explore academic support, campus life and campus safety together.
Career Opportunities for Biology Majors
Consider the possibilities, then start building your path. Explore careers and further study that connect with your interests in the life sciences.
Further Study
- Biology and biological research
- Medicine, dentistry and optometry
- Physical therapy and veterinary medicine
Career Directions
- Research and laboratory work
- Environmental science
- Science education
These are possible paths, not placement results. Some careers require further education, certification, or licensure.
A GRADUATE’S PATH · REPORTED SUMMER 2025
From Field Research to Cornell
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 story ↗One graduate’s reported trajectory; not a program-wide placement rate or a statement of current employment.
Faculty Who Expect More—and Invest More
Meet the people behind the questions. Explore faculty research and ask what undergraduate participation looks like today.
Dr. Dan Kuebler
Professor of Biology
Research Guided by Faculty
Dr. Kuebler’s published 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 research ↗How Faith Shapes the Study of Life
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 Summer 2025 research 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 lab ↗Ready to Get Started?
Find your questions. Find your calling. Find it at Franciscan.