Sciences

As a science major, you’ll be mentored by dedicated faculty and given access to the tools, resources, and labs needed to learn the scientific method and to participate in research. Our 41,000 square foot interactive science facility, Swindells Hall, is home to a wide range of dedicated labs, including spaces for digital imaging, tissue culture, molecular spectroscopy, environmental analysis, and cadavers, as well as growth chambers, greenhouses, and diffraction. It also has a wide range of equipment, including spectrometers, chromatographs, transmission and scanning electron microscopes, equipment for DNA analysis, and much more.

And just outside, Oregon’s natural environment provides a wealth of field experiences. Working with faculty, you can present your research at conferences or have your work published in peer-reviewed journals. There is summer lab work available at UP and on campuses nationwide through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, and there are clubs connected to every major and pre-professional program — from the College Ecology Club to the Pre-Dental Association. Interdisciplinary minors, such as Neuroscience, allow science majors to integrate knowledge in their discipline with that in other disciplines, as well as with ethics, faith, and reason. If you are interested in medical school or other health-related fields (physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, etc.) a pre-health advisor can assist you in weighing your options, meeting program requirements, and completing the application process.  Also, faculty mentors can assist you in discerning if graduate research is the right path for you and point you to appropriate Ph.D. programs and other opportunities.