The Biology Faculty
Introduction
One of the most important qualities of human thought is curiosity. Throughout history, people have been challenged by the mysteries of their bodies and of the living things around them. They were curious about how living things developed, grew, reproduced and died. They wanted to know what caused disease and how to fight it, how life was produced and what sustained it. They were interested in solving the riddles of the vast diversity of life on the planet. Urged on by their curiosity they began to try to figure out the functions of different organisms or living things. The study of living things is called biology.
The Biology Faculty of the BSU is an outstanding place to study biology. It is a flourishing academic community committed to high standards of teaching and research across the expansive range of issues covered by this discipline. The Faculty focuses on delivering high quality, research-led teaching that is stimulating and challenging. Bridging the sciences and the humanities, biology is the ideal subject for anyone keen to maintain a broad interest in the life on the planet. It is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand living things and their relationships.
History
The Biology Faculty has a long tradition at the Belarusian State University. The Belarusian State University was founded in 1921 and in 1922 the Pedagogical Faculty began its work. At that time there were three biology departments: botany, zoology and human physiology at the Faculty. So the year 1922 can be considered the year of foundation of the Biology Faculty though the independent department of natural history was opened in 1931.
Soon the Biology Faculty began to enlarge. The department of botany was reorganized and three new departments were created: plant taxonomy, plant physiology and microbiology departments. The department of zoology was divided into the departments of zoology of invertebrates and zoology of vertebrates.
In the 1950s the chromosomal heredity theory was prohibited. Nevertheless the department of genetics was founded in 1957.
In the 1960s-70s investigations in different fields of biology were carried out, which led to the foundation of the departments of microbiology, biochemistry and ecology.
The Faculty is famous for its zoological museum and botanical garden, the latter being founded in 1930.
In 2001 the Biology Faculty moved to a new building in Kurchatov Street, 10 where students are provided with a wide range of facilities for study. There is enough space for the zoological museum and the greenhouse there too.
Course overview
The Biology Faculty trains specialists in 6 specialities: Bioecology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Teaching Methods of Biology, Biology Science and Production Activity, Biotechnology. There are currently more than 2000 undergraduates, 50 PhD students and 35 students on Masters programmes. Each year about 400 undergraduates are admitted to the BSU to read Biology and related disciplines. The admission is on the basis of school-leaving qualifications, and results in 3 public tests.
The course of study at the Faculty lasts for 4 or 5 years. Academic year is divided into two semesters, with examinations at the end of each one. Teaching and learning at the Faculty involves a wide range of lectures, supervisions, seminars and fieldwork supplemented by independent and group study in the library, computer and research laboratories.
The Faculty of Biology emphasises the importance of fieldwork since it believes there is no substitute for teaching subjects at first hand. All students take a field practical training at the Naroch Biological station and botanical garden in Years1 and 2 (for 5 weeks). These field trips provide students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge and to learn and practice the field research skills that they will employ in their report which is assessed as part of the examinations. Fourth and Fifth-year students are required to undertake a four- week work placement in their chosen specialities to gain valuable on-the-job experience. All final year students carry out a major personal research project which culminates in the production of a diploma thesis under expert supervision.
The Faculty offers programs of study leading to the Diploma of Higher Education, Master’s Degree, PhD Degree.
Course structure
The Faculty provides programmes of study that span the discipline of biology, while allowing students to tailor the content to their own particular interests and aspirations. There are nine research laboratories at the Faculty.
All students follow specialised courses: Flora and vegetation of Belarus, Plant embryology, Mycology, Phytopathology, Principal groups of procariotic microorganisms, Fundamentals of molecular biology, Antimicrobial medicines, Medical microbiology, Metabolism of bacteria, Out-of-chromosome hereditary cell structures of microorganisms, Zoology-Genetics of bacteria, Animals of Belarus, Parasitology, Population ecology of animals, Landscape ecology, Photosynthesis, Plant mineral consumption, Ecological plant physiology, Electrical physiology, Vegetative nervous system, Age physiology, Theory of functional systems, Applied ecology, Flydrobiology, Human ecology, Physiological ecology, Molecular genetics of pro and Eucharist, Biotechnology of plants, Human genetics, Genetic analysis, Endocrinology, Ecological biochemistry, Radiation biochemistry, Bioenergetics, Cell cultivation, Vector systems, Biosensor systems, Engineering enzymology, Cell engineering, Immobilized cells and enzymes, Immunological enzymatic analysis, Biotechnological productions, Chemical ecology, Ecological problems in Belarus, Ecological monitoring, control and examination, Radioecology, Physical injuries, Physical geography, Pharmacology, etc.
Much attention is given to the study of social sciences: History of Belarus, Belarusian language and literature, Philosophy, Economic theory, Political science, Foreign languages, Pedagogy and methods of teaching biology.
Students can also get knowledge in higher mathematics and computer studies, Biophysics, Biochemistry.
Great attention is paid to the study of special subjects: Mycology, Taxonomy of higher plants, Plant morphology, Geobotany, Zoology, Biochemestry, Biohysics, Radiobiology, Plant physiology, Microbiology, Virology, Immunology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Molecular biology, Human physiology, Animal physiology, Anatomy, etc.
Teaching and assessment
There are nine departments at the Biology Faculty. They are: 1) the Department of Botany, 2) the Department of Microbiology, 3) the Department of Zoology, 4) the Department of Biochemistry, 5) the Department of Physiology of Humans and Animals, 6) the Department of Physiology, 7) the Department of Biochemistry of Plants, 8) the Department of General Ecology, 9) the Department of Teaching methods of Biology, 10) the Department of Genetics, 11) the Department of Biotechnology,12) the Department of Molecular Biology.
Both the academic staff and students can carry out research work at numerous research laboratories of the Faculty. Among them are the laboratories of Biochemistry, Immunology, Biophysics, Biometry, Virology, Radiobiology, Ecology and many more.
The Biology Faculty has over 99 academic and research staff (among them are 19 Doctors of Science, 75 Candidates of Science (PhD)) and is supported by a dedicated team of technical administrative staff. Members of the academic staff are leading researchers in their specialist fields and this research activity underpins teaching and training, ensuring that the latest developments are incorporated into the curriculum of the Faculty. At present the dean of the Faculty is V.V. Lysak.
Gifted men and women have studied or taught at the Faculty throughout its history. Among the famous alumni are Pr. Shkhagapsoev S.Kh., Pr. Shaov M.T., Kerephofa M.K., Slonov L.Kh., etc.
Across the teaching programmes at the Faculty, assessment methods include continuous assessment of practical assignments, fieldwork reports, and written coursework while retaining an emphasis on examinations at the end of each term.
Facilities and resources
Excellent facilities are the ideal basis for hard work and academic achievements. The Faculty houses a lot of specially-equipped laboratories for practical courses and individual research projects, as well as several computing rooms. There are extensive computing resources, where students receive formal teaching in biological information technology including biological information systems and remote sensing. The Faculty is proud of its zoological museum, botanical garden and rudimental herbarium. The Biology Faculty undergraducites also have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and acquire research skills at the Naroch Biological Station named after G.G. Vinberg, which is used both for scientific investigations and academic purposes. There is wifi available throughout the Faculty.
Career prospects and employability
The broad sweep of biology as a discipline, the range of options available within the courses offered, and the skills gained through studying at the Faculty, ensure that biology graduates have a wide choice of career opportunities open to them. Some find work in areas directly relating to biology, while others enter unrelated professions, in which the analytical and problem-solving skills they have developed are highly sought after. Biology graduates are qualified for specialised and more distinctly 'biological' work in a variety of areas, including industry, medicine, teaching and research, environmental management and conservation, the media, and the Civil Service. Graduates are also well trained to continue with master's and doctoral studies in a diverse variety of subjects.
Hydroecology – Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Temperature Laboratory, Control of Humans and Animals, Cytogenetics of Plants, Biochemistry of Metabolism, Physiology of plant cells Main Fields of Study: Zoology, Botany, Microbiology, Physiology of Humans and Animals, Biochemistry with the Fundamentals of Molecular Biology, Cytology and Histology Genetics, Ecology and Rational use of Environment, Immunology, Biotechnology, Virology, The Theory of Evolution, Biophysics, Xenobiology, Radiobiology, Biometry, Biology of Individual Development, History of Biology.
