Our curriculum fosters critical thinking and scientific reasoning, and many courses, including cell culture, biostatistics, cell and molecular laboratory, and others, build particular skills. A 200-acre biology preserve on campus, and nearby parks and preserves such as the Beavercreek Wetlands, provide excellent opportunities for terrestrial and aquatic field studies, as do field-based courses like ornithology and Amazon ecology. Many undergraduate students include faculty-guided, independent research projects in their academic programs.