Canisius is committed to the idea of a liberal arts education through which students think and learn in an interdisciplinary fashion. Through this intellectual process students build a freedom of thought amongst disciplines. This freedom of thought affords students the ability to think critically and independently and to write, reason, and communicate clearly. The intellectual flexibility which a Canisius education provides is a requirement in all professions. The essence of such an education is not what you study but the result.
At Canisius College we challenge you to become the person that our Society needs you to become
- the thinker, the problem solver, the collaborator, the integrator - the person who accepts reality, sees the problems and then works with others to fix the injustices and the problems facing this society and this world - A LEADER!
As a Biology major, a Medical Laboratory Sciences major or an Environmental Sciences major you will be taught the scientific concepts you need to transition smoothly into the career of your choosing and more you will be challenged to learn broadly and deeply in the Liberal Arts. The overall education is value-added, while the science teaches you the logic and organization, the Liberal Arts teaches you the ethics, justice, passion and context for the use of your science knowledge. A Canisius education instills in its students the values, goals, skills, and knowledge they need to pursue inspiring work, to take joy in lifetime learning, and to lead successful and meaningful lives.
Canisius College has a unique and special mission to live out the Jesuit principles of human excellence, care for the whole person, social justice and reason, and interreligious dialogue. Jesuit education aims to form students who become men and women for and with others. We care about the other individual whether human, animal or plant. We believe in a just and equal world which belongs to all of us. We are called to transform and to be transformed, to be challenged and to enter into worlds that are different from our own and equal to our own. We are called to care for creation in all its forms and to ensure that it has a future. We see the family of Canisius to be a place where all are welcome to participate in nurturing and learning.
At Canisius College students choose from among hundreds of business, art, language, religion, humanities, social science, and natural science courses throughout their undergraduate years. This approach ensures a student specific organization of classes and encourages intellectual flexibility and freedom in each participant, which is essential in identifying concerns, exploring outcomes and plotting new directions.
Students are able to choose pathways through the liberal arts core. These pathways are designed around classes, which allow students to engage in select topics of interest, to think and discuss deeply in particular areas and become involved in aspects of our world. The Liberal Arts classes are taken at the same time as the Science classes and this organization forces students to think about the science content in a cultural context and realize the importance of their views and responsibilities in society.
The Biology Department at Canisius College
Canisius College boasts an 86% acceptance rate to medical schools. Approximately 70% of students who go on to Medical School, Dental School or Graduate Education in the health fields from Canisius College are Biology majors and greater than ~90% of these students successfully move into their chosen professional school or graduate program.
We were asked recently why students graduating from the Department of Biology maintain such a high rate of acceptance into Medical School, Dental School and graduate programs and the answer is Preparation. Canisius College and the Biology program prepares you for your college journey and guides / assists you along your path to your desired destination.
Visit our website - pathways page to see many ways that you can do more (become prepared) at the Canisius College Department of Biology
The Medical Laboratory Sciences program at Canisius College
Medical Laboratory Technologists perform tests to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. They are front line laboratory workers in the battle against the Covid-19 virus.
If you have strong scientific interests, and don’t mind the sight of blood, consider the Medical Laboratory Science program. Spend 3 years taking classes on campus at Canisius College and 11 months training in a nationally certified hospital-based clinical / laboratory program in Rochester, NY, Jamestown, NY or Erie, PA. Canisius College is affiliated with Rochester General Hospital in Rochester NY, WCA Hospital in Jamestown, NY and Saint Vincent's Hospital in Erie, PA. In your hospital rotation, you will work in areas such as chemistry, phlebotomy, bacteriology, immunology, blood-banking, hematology, and parasitology. You will have many options from which to choose for a specific area that appeals to you. The jobs outlook for students majoring in Medical Laboratory Sciences is fantastic. Students graduating from the program typically receive multiple job offers to be Medical Laboratory Technologists before graduation.
Canisius College Medical Laboratory Sciences program boasts a state license qualifying curriculum and 100% licensing of program graduates.
If you decide you are not interested in being a Medical Laboratory Technologist, or you decide the laboratory is not the correct place for you, or if a different area has realigned your focus, the program requirements readily allow you to switch and become a Biology major so you can move forward and attain your desired career without delay.
The Environmental Sciences program at Canisius College
From air pollution and unsafe water to the hot button topic of climate change, our world faces growing environmental challenges. Enroll in the Environmental Science program and study the complex processes of the environment and how solutions to environmental problems are developed. Become an environmental consultant, conservationist, ecological scientist, environmental chemist or many other careers focused on understanding and improving our environment.
Your studies will be far-reaching with coursework covering biology, chemistry, geology and more. The program emphasizes experiential learning through research, laboratory exercises, and internships that provide students with hands on experience for a wide range of career choices. Your studies may include research in areas such as ecosystem and community ecology, entomology and ornithology, freshwater biology and environmental health. You will learn to read and interpret data, perform experiments, and sharpen technical skills in science.
New Program at Canisius College
Canisius College Physician Assistant Program
Mission - The Canisius College Physician Assistant Program provides a transformative education, through innovative learning experiences, in order to develop professional and ethical clinicians who are able to discern a greater purpose of service, mindfulness, and leadership in the community and our profession.
Description - the Physician Assistant Program is a 27-month, Master’s degree program. Students spend the first 15 months in the classroom setting for the didactic portion of the curriculum. This will include access to several virtual anatomy tables, comprehensive access to medical literature and resources, including over 120 of the most widely used medical textbooks, journals, self-assessment tools, and more. Students will also have multiple opportunities to practice their skills in patient interviews, physical exams, diagnostic testing, and procedures during the didactic phase while working with simulation rooms and models. This will all be done in a brand new, state-of-the art learning lab built in Science Hall in 2018. Students will be taught by program faculty as well as distinguished guests with extensive experience in their field.
Distinctions - Students are part of a cohort size of only 30 students compared to other local programs with upwards of 60 students per cohort. This offers a more intimate learning environment between students and faculty.
Meet the PA Program Admission Requirements as a Biology Major
While you must apply to the Canisius College PA program, as a Biology Major at Canisius College all of the classes required for admittance into most PA programs are available to you and likely serve to fulfill requirements for a Biology Degree at Canisius College. In addition, through the Liberal Arts core you have taken as a Biology major at Canisius College, you will have learned about and discussed many of the societal foci that underly the mission of the PA program at Canisius College. The mission is to produce ethical clinicians who are able to discern a greater purpose of service, mindfulness, and leadership in the community and our profession. Specifically a goal of the program is to generate graduates of the PA program that will be confident and proficient in a wide variety of skills in multiple areas of medicine including primary care, emergency medicine, surgical service, women’s health, pediatrics, and demonstrate a broad focus on social justice and community education.
INVITATION TO VISIT
We welcome all visitors to our Department. If you are an Alumni who wants to see your old lab or a prospective student who wants to attend a class, please email Dr. Andrew Stewart - stewar34@canisius.edu to ensure that your needs are met – we look forward to seeing you.
Or you can schedule a visit www.canisius.edu/visit
Or to answer your next step question: Office of Admissions - 716-888-2200 or 1-800-843-1517 or admissions@canisius.edu
Or to answer your financial aid questions: Financial Services – 716-888-2300 or finaid@canisius.edu
YOU CAN AT CANISIUS!
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU!