Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the BMB major, through the completion of course work and their senior thesis, a student will have demonstrated that they can think critically and creatively about BMB multidisciplinary topics, plan and execute a sustained research project, and clearly communicate their understanding/findings both in written and oral presentation. The student will be able to:
- demonstrate understanding of foundational material that spans levels of biological and chemical organization;
- integrate perspectives to draw connections between subdisciplines;
- choose and define important and contemporary topics of inquiry from the field; develop new knowledge and/or ideas from this;
- analyze, critique, and evaluate existing scholarship;
- independently investigate that topic with the support of an advisor;
- choose and define a research topic from the major field, and independently investigate that topic with the support of an advisor;
- apply a wide variety of skills learned in their coursework including active involvement in the development of hypotheses and in experimental design, methodological refinement, analysis and interpretation of data, discussion and criticism of research findings, and formal presentation of their work; carefully design and execute experimental or theoretical approaches appropriate to the research topic, while adhering to relevant laboratory safety protocols;
- integrate experimental results with existing knowledge to produce original work in a well-written, referenced and thorough document;
- apply ethical standards to research;
- write a coherent document that is substantially longer than a traditional term paper or project; and
- defend their work orally to scientific and non-scientific audience, couching results in the context of accepted BMB models and existing research literature.
The primary assessment tool for learning in the major at Reed and the level of student achievement in these areas, is the senior thesis; the junior qualifying examination serves as the secondary assessment tool. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors must take two junior qualifying exams, in Biology and Chemistry respectively. See more information on the thesis and the junior qualifying exam.