Bachelor of Science in Biology (STEM)

at EDUCO - Seattle Pacific University USA

A bachelor of science degree in Applied Human Biology from SPU is the ideal foundation if you plan to enter a physical therapy doctoral degree program after your undergraduate studies. The broad curriculum of this degree satisfies the basic requirements for entry into physical therapy as outlined by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Applied Human Biology Major
As an Applied Human Biology major, you’ll use an interdisciplinary approach to better understand human beings from biological and behavioral perspectives. You’ll examine the human condition through classes in anatomy and physiology, chemistry, psychology, biomechanics, and more.

Interested in changing the world? Informed by Christian faith and a concern for justice, the Political Science major in SPU's School of Business, Government, and Economics will equip you to become the kind of citizen and leader who positively influences politics and public policy.

Political Science Major

As a Political Science major, you’ll wrestle with some of the most fundamental questions underlying faith and the political order. What is the relationship between Christian principles and public policy? How can Christians model both the character and truth of Jesus Christ in the public square? How should we all live in local, national, and global community?

As you explore these questions, you’ll receive broad training in political philosophy, government, law, public policy, geopolitics, international relations, and the political behavior of individuals and groups. You’ll also receive peer support and have a chance to participate in SPU's Political Union, a nonpartisan student group.

The International Affairs track is designed for anyone interested in global politics and policy, or a career in the U.S. State Department.

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Psychology majors are rigorous yet flexible programs designed to meet the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology major while also fulfilling SPU’s mission to provide students with a transformative and holistic experience grounded in Christian faith.

As such, these programs prepare you with extensive knowledge of the field; scientific and critical thinking skills; an awareness of diversity, ethics in practice, and social responsibility; effective oral and written communication skills; and professional-level training and experiences (e.g., research and internship opportunities) for both careers and graduate school in psychology.

Psychology (BA)

The BA in Psychology is designed for students with a broad range of career and graduate school interests such as, but not limited to, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, social work, school counseling, and industrial and organizational psychology.

Cross Cultural: This track is specifically designed for students who want to work with minority populations, and students interested in the application of psychology to our increasingly multicultural and globalized society.

The Museum Studies Track supplements the History major core with coursework that helps you prepare for graduate study and employment in the vigorous and innovative field of museum studies and public history.

Graduates who complete this program will be well prepared for immediate employment, or for further graduate study, in the vigorous and growing fields of museum, archival, and public history.

The History Department launched a new curriculum in 2020 for its History Majors and Minors. The new curriculum is designed for students to grow in:

• Cross-cultural insight
• Understanding of historic inequalities and the construction of race, gender, and class over time
• The cultivation of empathy for others
• Drawing on the past to address the pressing problems of today 
• Wrestling with the sometimes dark and difficult periods of human history--wars, displacement, and injustice--and contemplating how the Christian story can speak into these challenging moments.
• Cultivating career-oriented skills and professional experiences through a new "Careers in History" class and internship placement support

The new sequence of classes for the majors and minors helps students achieve mastery of an essential skill set in an intentional way: students first take classes in "Thinking Historically," then study "Systems in History," and finally learn to "Do History" themselves.

Our redesigned majors and minor offer students flexibility in their choice of electives while ensuring that students will have broad exposure to many different time periods and world regions.

The interdisciplinary Politics, Philosophy, & Economics (PPE) major is a unique program which prepares students for leadership in many areas of public service and private enterprise.

Politics, Philosophy, & Economics (PPE) Major

PPE is a rigorous, interdisciplinary program that combines studies in political science, philosophy, and economics.  Modeled after a program at Oxford University, PPE core classes study human values, cultural institutions, and economics in order to develop multiperspectival solutions to pressing social problems. PPE students will also choose an area of emphasis from the following tracks: Applied Economics, Financial Economics, International Affairs, Law, Philosophy, Public Administration, and Social Enterprise.

The Philosophy track will open your eyes to the world of contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, and logic.

When you receive a bachelor of science in Ecology at SPU, you will be ready to work in ecology or biological subdisciplines such as marine biology, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, behavioral ecology, and wildlife management. This major prepares you for graduate studies or a professional ecology/biology career.

About the Ecology Major

As an Ecology major, you will focus on principles that enhance environmental quality and make efficient use of nonrenewable resources. You will also learn to apply this knowledge to help address agricultural and environmental challenges.

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Psychology majors are rigorous yet flexible programs designed to meet the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology major while also fulfilling SPU’s mission to provide students with a transformative and holistic experience grounded in Christian faith.

As such, these programs prepare you with extensive knowledge of the field; scientific and critical thinking skills; an awareness of diversity, ethics in practice, and social responsibility; effective oral and written communication skills; and professional-level training and experiences (e.g., research and internship opportunities) for both careers and graduate school in psychology.

Psychology (BA)

The BA in Psychology is designed for students with a broad range of career and graduate school interests such as, but not limited to, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, social work, school counseling, and industrial and organizational psychology.

Sports Psychology: For students interested in working with athletes or teams, this track focuses on sports psychology; it is designed for students hoping to pursue a job or graduate work in a related area.

The BS in Psychology is designed for students that are passionate about integrating psychology and natural sciences with the goal of pursuing careers or graduate programs such as but not limited to clinical psychology, behavioral or cognitive neuroscience, and animal behavior.

The BS program also prepares students for further study or employment in fields such as behavioral neurobiology, health psychology, and behavioral medicine.

Psychological Science: This track is designed for students with a broad range of career and graduate school interests but who are also passionate about integrating psychology and natural sciences. Students considering this track would be best prepared for careers or graduate programs such as, but not limited to: Clinical Psychology, Behavioral or Cognitive Neuroscience, and Animal Behavior. This track has the fewest credits required of our BS degrees (minimum of 88 credits, 50 upper division, and at least 20 credits while in residence at SPU). This lower credit requirement provides students with the most flexibility to take additional, strategic courses in Psychology or other disciplines as well as maximize research or internship experiences.

The program focuses on the development of tactile skills including drawing, painting, printmaking, metallurgy, and sculpture. The goal of the this track is to graduate properly trained, competent artists educated in traditional and contemporary media, grounded by historical and cultural knowledge, and instilled with a desire to explore the spiritual nature of art as an expression of faith.

A bachelor of science degree in Biology prepares you for graduate studies or a professional career in biology. SPU’s Biology program emphasizes undergraduate research, which will give you a competitive edge. You may choose core and elective courses focused on botany, cellular and molecular biology, ecology, marine biology, physiology, or zoology, depending upon your interests and professional goals.

Biology Major
As a Bachelor of Science in Biology major, you’ll focus on understanding humans, animals, and plants from a biological perspective. You’ll gain a solid foundation in research methodology while increasing your knowledge of the physiology, anthropology, and development of the life all around us.