College of Western Idaho's Biology Club promotes awareness of the various disciplines in biological and health sciences with focus on developing strategies to help students suceed. The Biology Club additionally collaborateswith various...
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Paid Student Research Positions
Applications are now being accepted for 2023-2024 cohorts of the Southwestern Idaho Bridges to Baccalaureate (B2B) program. These are paid positions!
Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office Pathways Program
Are you a second-year Biology – Natural Resources major? Apply to intern with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working with local and regional biologist on the Service's environmental review process creating content on fish, wildlife, and plan species of concern in Idaho.
Overview
Prepare for a variety of careers with an advanced science degrees from College of Western Idaho's Biology program. Offering several areas of study, the Biology program will allow you to focus on what interests you most while providing you opportunities to:
- design and run your own experiments,
- discover how biology creates the world around us,
- critically evaluate data and information to form your own conclusions,
- and participate in conversations about our world, environment, and bodies and how they are all interdependent.
DEGREE WITH EMPHASIS
Choose to study life sciences like cellular and molecular processes, organism physiology, biochemistry, botany, and genetics, or more specialized subjects like medical terminology, nutrition, anthropology, ecology, chemistry, and geology. Whether it's biochemistry, zoology, pre-med, radiology, or another life science, CWI's Biology program can help you customize your degree to meet your goals. Completion of an Associate of Science degree in Biology from CWI will prepare you to transfer on to a four-year college or university.
Biology – General
- Learn fundamental skills in critical thinking and analysis, data collection and management, and supporting laboratory and field technologies.
- Tailor classes to your particular interests within the field of biology.
Biology – Human Biology
- Prepare to enter professional programs in medicine, research, and biomedical engineering.
- Develop your abilities to think and reason like a scientist!
- Be amazed by you and the incredible processes happening with you.
Biology – Microbiological, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences
- Get your hands dirty! In the first semester, students will begin designing their own experiments!
- Develop the ability to think and reason as a scientist.
- Learn about the scientific method and critical analysis in the class and laboratory.
Biology – Natural Resources
- Learn to think and reason like a scientist!
- Network with professionals working for state and federal agencies in Idaho.
- Chase butterflies!
- Spend time outdoors — our natural environment becomes your classroom.
Clubs
Requirements and Costs
Degrees and Certificates
Biotechnology Laboratory Assistant - Academic Certificate
0.5
YEARAC
Explore the resources below for information, dates, and deadlines related to admissions, financial aid, registration, and next steps.
Dates & Deadlines for Credit Programs | Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 |
---|---|---|---|
Priority Registration Begins 1 | N/A | Apr 10 | Nov 13 (2023) |
Open Registration Begins | Feb 27 | Apr 17 | Nov 20 (2023) |
Financial Aid Priority Deadline | May 13 | Jul 29 | Dec 16 (2023) |
Admission Deadline 2 | May 27 | Aug 12 | Jan 6 |
Last Day to Register for Classes | Jun 2 | Aug 18 | Jan 12 |
Tuition and Fees Due | Jun 2 | Aug 18 | Jan 12 |
Classes Begin 3 | Jun 5 | Aug 21 | Jan 16 |
1 Priority registration is limited to continuing students. Students are assigned a registration time based on their cumulative credits earned. Students should check myCWI and their CWI email to learn their assigned registration time. Students may register online anytime on or after their assigned registration time.
2 The Admission Deadline for international students is earlier than the deadline for non-international students and is only available during the fall and spring semesters. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the international student admission deadlines.
3 Classes in shorter sessions (including 4-, 5-, and 8-week sessions) may begin before or after this date. Please refer to the specific class session sections beneath the full Academic Calendar for more information.
Advising
Navigating your way through college can be confusing, especially if you try to go it alone. CWI offers advising assistance to help in deciding which courses you need to take to reach your education and career goals. Visit Advising or contact One Stop Student Services for more information.
- BIOL 112 is best taken within a semester of completing BIOL 111 for greater success.
- Students interested in natural resources should consider taking ENVI 260, while students interested in pre-professional programs (Pre-Med, Pre-Vet, etc) should consider taking MMBS 250.
- Students may select from any program electives listed in the catalog. It is recommended to consult with your transfer institution when selecting electives for transfer. MATH 153 and ENGL 202 are highly recommended program electives.
- Remaining program electives may be selected from those listed in the catalog. Of those listed, CHEM 298, CHEM 299, and MATH 160 are highly encouraged. Students should consult transfer institution programs as well.
- ANAT 111L, ANAT 112L, and BIOL 100L use the Flex Lab Model. For more information, click here.
Connecting With Ideas
Connecting With Ideas (CWI 101) is the first semester student success course designed to help CWI students become engaged members of the academic community and cultivate habits for lifelong achievement and success. Each semester, students can select from a variety of themes. More information about next semesters CWI 101 themes
Transfer
Look beyond your degree at CWI and plan for continuing your education by working closely with CWI advising and representatives of your intended transfer school. Planning before you transfer can save you time and money. Visit Transfer Information for more information or contact One Stop Student Services.
Financial Aid Available
Did you know that as a student in this program you may be eligible for financial aid? Through grants, scholarships, and loans, more than 60 percent of first-time, full-time CWI students receive some form of financial assistance. To learn more about financial aid options and whether you may be eligible, visit Financial Aid.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for a full-time CWI student averages half the cost of a state university and a third of the cost of a private college. Tuition and fees vary based on program and residence. Visit Tuition and Fees for more information.
Career Info
Professions
- Nurse
- Physician's Assistant (PA)
- Radiological Technician
- Surgical Technician
- Physician (MD, DC, DO, DDS, etc.)
- Researcher (medical, biochemical, environmental, cancer, infectious diseases, etc.)
- Pharmacist
- Biomedical Engineer
- Coroner
- Mortician
- Patient Advocate
- Medical Lab Scientist (MLS)
- Laboratory Assistant
- Physical/Occupational Therapist
- Biologist Technician
- Wildlife Manager
- Conservation Biologist
- Beer and Wine Maker
- Factory Quality Control / Quality Assurance (QC/QA)
- Wildlife Biologist
- Environmental Scientist
- Forestry Biologist
- Environmental Engineer
- Rangeland Ecologist and Manager
- Food Quality and Safety Technician
- Forensic Scientist
- Water Quality and Safety Technician
- Soil Conservationist
- Animal Trainer
- Cadaver Lab Manager
- Climate Modeling Technician
- Ecologist
- Entomologist
- Environmental Educator
- Field Technician
- Fisheries Biologist
- Genetic Counselor
- Hydrologist
- Invasive Species Inspector
- Laboratory Technician
- Massage Therapist
- Nutritionist
- Ornithologist
- Park Attendant
- Park Ranger
- Pharmaceutical Sales
- Plant Scientist
- Physical Therapy (PT) Assistant
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Assistant
- Quality Assurance (QA) Lead
- Quality Control (QC) Lead
- Research Technician
- Science Policy Analyst
- Science Teacher/Professor
- Waste Water Technician
- Wildlife Rehabilitation
Locations
Instructors
Program Department Chair
Instructor(s)
Respectful Community
College of Western Idaho is committed to maintaining a Respectful Community by providing equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate in services, benefits, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, age, or any other legally protected status. More on Title IX
News and Blogs

Biology Instructor, Gary Heller, is using resources outside of campus to show his students what sustainability looks like in the real world.

The Pathways Program will provide appointed CWI students the opportunity to work with local and regional biologists on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s environmental review process.

Professor of Biology, Dr. Steve Lysne, breaks down the different research opportunities and programs biology and science students can take advantage of while earning their degree.

The Southwestern Idaho Bridges to Baccalaureate program (SWID B2B) program is NOW accepting applications for the 2023 and 2024 cohorts of Bridges Undergraduate Student Researchers.

Join University of Idaho professor, Jason Barnes, April 13 to learn more about the Dragonfly space mission, a project to explore Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.

CWI is excited to offer paid summer research opportunities for students through the Idaho INBRE Research Program. Apply by March 18.
Academic Transfer
- Agriculture Business, Leadership, and Education
- Animal Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Biotechnology Laboratory Assistant
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Education, Elementary
- Education, Secondary
- Engineering
- English
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
- Exercise Science
- General Education
- Geographic Information Systems
- Geography
- Geosciences
- Health Science and Public Health
- History
- Liberal Arts
- Mathematics
- Media Arts
- Military Science (Army ROTC)
- Nursing, Registered
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
- Sign Language Studies
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Studio Art