Department of Biological and Physical Sciences

The Department of Biological and Physical Sciences

The Department of Biological and Physical Sciences offers you the opportunity to work alongside faculty researchers in our state-of-the-art science center. Through living and learning in a community that is dedicated to you and your future, you earn an education that grows and nurtures students into employees and co-workers who are known for their hard work and are known as well-rounded individuals.

From the classroom to the laboratory, you learn from an accomplished faculty with years of specialized experience in such fields as cancer biology, synthetic organic chemistry, and theoretical physics. Students within the department might find themselves working side-by-side with a professor conducting experiments and analyzing data – and, perhaps, publishing their results in scientific journals. Worcester and its surrounding areas offer a diverse and ample landscape with highly regarded industries within the medical field and beyond for students to gain hands-on experience.

Academics

The department offers majors in biology, biology with a concentration in neuroscience and behavior, biotechnology and molecular biology, neuroscience, chemistry, and environmental science. The department also offers minors in biology, environmental science, and chemistry, and it co-sponsors a concentration in physical and occupational therapy with the Department of Health and Human Services. Research opportunities are available at the University and at nearby institutions (e.g., the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Biotechnology Park). Students who are interested in engineering have the opportunity to participate in our partnership agreements with both the University of Notre Dame and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Department of Biological and Physical Sciences continues to change and expand just as science does. We now have programs in Neuroscience and Engineering to complement our Biotechnology and more traditional Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science programs. Our strength continues to be our hands-on approach to helping our students learn and understand science. Students have access to our faculty not only in the classroom but in every laboratory as well. This helps them develop a firm foundation in the sciences that will carry them forward to internships and research experiences both on campus and at many of the region’s scientific institutions and companies. We take pride in our students’ successes, both at Assumption and after graduation, knowing that we are helping to advance our understanding of the world around us and to improve the human condition.

~ Brian Niece, Ph.D., Department Chair, Biological and Physical Sciences

Interested in pursuing a medical, dentistry, or other health profession degree? The major in Pre-Clinical Health Science is designed to prepare students for graduate study in one of the many clinical health professions, including, but not limited to, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, and optometry. Faculty advisors will work with you from the day you arrive on campus to chart a course toward achieving that goal.

Features and Benefits of a Degree in Biological and Physical Sciences

• Work alongside faculty in Assumption’s 17 teaching/research labs and greenhouse in the state-of-the-art Testa Science Center.
• Benefit from Assumption’s articulation agreements with highly competitive graduate programs – Assumption students are offered numerous opportunities for guaranteed admission and/or accelerated degrees on intensive scientific study.
• Apply for funded research grants and choice internships in Worcester, Boston and beyond.
• Explore our American Chemical Society-accredited Chemistry major – a highly regarded certification that reflects the expertise of our faculty and the strength of our academic program.