Individualize
You have the ability to individualize your program curriculum with your professors, meaning you can choose classes that interest you.
Biology of Global Health
How do we improve the health of people around the world? Biology of global health at the University of St. Thomas prepares you for innovative health careers by blending the natural and social sciences together to explore concepts of health equity, public health and the spread of diseases.
Why Study Biology of Global Health at St. Thomas?
Our program will challenge you with a unique curriculum while developing your critical thinking and analytical skills along the way. By applying biology to broad and complex issues in global health, you will explore various factors affecting health such as public policy, socio-economic status, ethics, culture and the healthcare system. Our graduates typically work in fields such as toxicology, public health and medicine, and many alumni have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in graduate school.
Make a Difference
Course Requirements
You will lay the foundation with biology, chemistry and math courses at the beginning of your undergraduate career. From there, you will take a unique set of science courses outside of biology reflecting your interests. Plus, you will prepare for your future by enhancing your biology training with courses focusing on topics like health issues and epidemiology. Your time at St. Thomas culminates with project-driven health courses in your senior year.
Four-Year Plan
You work with a personal faculty adviser to select a unique set of courses outside of biology to supplement your core courses in biology, chemistry and math. You have the freedom to choose from classes in justice and peace studies, public health, business, statistics, biochemistry, psychology and more.
Degrees Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Biology of Global Health
Outside the Classroom
“All for the common good.” We live the university’s mission in our program with a variety of courses through service learning components. We also encourage students to pursue other opportunities outside of the classroom like collaborative research with faculty.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements
You will lay the foundation with biology, chemistry and math courses at the beginning of your undergraduate career. From there, you will take a unique set of science courses outside of biology reflecting your interests. Plus, you will prepare for your future by enhancing your biology training with courses focusing on topics like health issues and epidemiology. Your time at St. Thomas culminates with project-driven health courses in your senior year.
Four-Year Plan
Four-Year Plan
You work with a personal faculty adviser to select a unique set of courses outside of biology to supplement your core courses in biology, chemistry and math. You have the freedom to choose from classes in justice and peace studies, public health, business, statistics, biochemistry, psychology and more.
Degrees Awarded
Degrees Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Biology of Global Health
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
“All for the common good.” We live the university’s mission in our program with a variety of courses through service learning components. We also encourage students to pursue other opportunities outside of the classroom like collaborative research with faculty.
A Community of Scholars
Faculty are your teachers. Alumni are here to help you connect with the world outside of St. Thomas. Your peers? They will push you to view the world's health problems from a diverse array of perspectives.
Dr. Jill Manske
Dr. Manske incorporates service learning in BIOL 467 – Emerging Infectious Diseases for seniors in our program. She pushes students to see beyond the biological impacts of disease and realize the strong social components associated with infectious disease.
Vanessa Prebish '17
Vanessa is a veteran and has worked as a health inspector for the Minnesota Department of Health. She monitors potential health hazards in an effort to keep the public safe.
Fatoumata Jaiteh '19
Changemaker is just one way to describe Fatoumata. She designed an experiential learning course with Dr. Adam Kay and started her own nonprofit organization that are now making a difference on maternal care in her home country, The Gambia. Read Fatoumata's story in the St. Thomas Newsroom.
Career Paths
Our innovative curriculum gives you the academic knowledge and practical skills to prepare you for a range of careers.
- Toxicologist
- Health inspector
- Community health specialist
- Infectious disease epidemiology
- Health policy and management
- Disaster relief support technician
Scholarships
Science, Mathematics and Engineering Scholarship
St. Thomas offers two full-tuition scholarships and two $8,000 scholarships to top candidates who intend to pursue degrees in the sciences, mathematics or engineering.
James M. Jagodzinski Scholarship
James Jagodzinski ’53 graduated with his degree in biology and started a successful scientific instrument business. He created this scholarship fund for students pursuing a biology major with hopes of attending graduate school for a career in the life sciences. We typically award a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition at St. Thomas.
Paul J. Germann, PhD Scholarship
Germann was a long-time faculty member and chair of the biology program at St. Thomas. We award this scholarship in his honor to sophomore or junior biology majors who demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding participation in biology. We award up to six scholarships each year with the amounts typically ranging between $1,000 to $6,000.
Healthcare Fund
We award this scholarship to students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative 3.1 GPA or higher are eligible. They will demonstrate financial need, a commitment to community service and be of the Catholic faith.
Science, Mathematics and Engineering Scholarship
Science, Mathematics and Engineering Scholarship
St. Thomas offers two full-tuition scholarships and two $8,000 scholarships to top candidates who intend to pursue degrees in the sciences, mathematics or engineering.
James M. Jagodzinski Scholarship
James M. Jagodzinski Scholarship
James Jagodzinski ’53 graduated with his degree in biology and started a successful scientific instrument business. He created this scholarship fund for students pursuing a biology major with hopes of attending graduate school for a career in the life sciences. We typically award a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition at St. Thomas.
Paul J. Germann, PhD Scholarship
Paul J. Germann, PhD Scholarship
Germann was a long-time faculty member and chair of the biology program at St. Thomas. We award this scholarship in his honor to sophomore or junior biology majors who demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding participation in biology. We award up to six scholarships each year with the amounts typically ranging between $1,000 to $6,000.
Healthcare Fund
Healthcare Fund
We award this scholarship to students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative 3.1 GPA or higher are eligible. They will demonstrate financial need, a commitment to community service and be of the Catholic faith.
A Unique Program
Our program not only gives you the academic knowledge to be successful in the classroom, but also practical skills to prepare you for life after St. Thomas.
Distinguish
You will distinguish yourself from other pre-health students because our program is interdisciplinary, meaning you gain knowledge and context from multiple academic disciplines.
Design
You will have opportunities to design educational opportunities that facilitate your career development and generate positive change in the world. Whether that is collaborative research or studying abroad, you have multiple opportunities to make a difference.
Faculty with Real Experience
Dr. Kenichi Okamoto
Dr. Okamoto explores evolutionary epidemiology and predicting the spread of disease around the world.
Dr. Dalma Martinovic-Weigelt
Dr. Martinovic-Weigelt researches topics such as the mechanisms that underlie behavior and reproduction in fish.
Dr. Adam Kay
Dr. Kay focuses on urban agriculture and combining environmental science research with community service.
What's Your Passion?
We encourage you to get out of the classroom and explore the world around you. Whether that is here in the Twin Cities or with a study abroad program, we have the resources you need for success.
Make a Difference Locally
You can collaborate with community leaders to address issues of food insecurity. Organizations like Brightside Produce will help you tackle these issues and make a difference in our communities.
Solve Global Problems
Broaden your horizons with study abroad. You can explore how pervasive global problems like social unrest can have an impact on environmental and human health in Croatia.
Study the Impact of Disease
Dr. Manske leads a study abroad course that begins in Minnesota and takes you to Uganda and Botswana to examine the biological and social impacts of infectious diseases.
Partner with Faculty
Collaborate with faculty on world-changing research. In the past, Dr. Jen McGuire (biology), Dr. Dalma Martinovic-Weigelt (biology) and Dr. Chi Lai (engineering) published research with students on protecting water sources and human health.
Schoenecker Center
The Schoenecker Center — the university's new central home for STEAM education — is home to several new Biology spaces, including research & teaching laboratories.
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.