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Departments & Schools

Department of Biology

The Department of Biology consists of approximately 30 faculty members, several postdoctoral research associates, and four full-time staff members. We are actively engaged in research and education as part of one of the largest biology programs located on the Gulf Coast.

Our faculty and students conduct field research throughout the Americas, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, North Atlantic, Panama, and the Amazon Basin. We also work in close collaboration with state and federal partners to expand research and training opportunities for our students. For example, the LUMCON marine laboratory in Cocodrie, Louisiana, provides laboratory facilities, small boats, and large marine vessels in support of research along our coast. The USGS National Wetlands Research Center and the NOAA Estuarine Habitats and Coastal Fisheries Center in the UL Lafayette Research Park provide additional research opportunities.

We are committed to educating future leaders in all aspects of biology. In addition to offering a wide range of courses, we help students gain hands-on experience through research in our labs and internships with local agencies. We have one of the largest undergraduate degree programs at the University, which has grown by 50% over the last decade to over 750 students. Over half of our graduates work in health care, with many other students pursue careers in environmental and coastal biology About half of our graduates go on to earn advanced medical or graduate degrees. Within the Bachelors Degree in Biology, we offer two tracks for students seeking specialized training in Resource Biology and Biodiversity and Microbiology. Additionally, we offer pre-veterinary and medical technology transfer tracks.

We offer a master’s degree in biology and a doctoral degree in environmental and evolutionary biology, with over 70 students currently pursuing graduate degrees. Graduates of our master’s program are well prepared to enter the work force as laboratory or environmental scientists or to pursue advanced degrees. Our doctoral graduates are successful in competing for teaching and research positions in universities and institutions around the world.

For more information visit the Biology Department webpage, send an email to biology@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6742.

Department of Chemistry

Experience the world of chemistry with expert faculty covering analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical, polymer and several interdisciplinary fields. We are proud to be an American Chemical Society (ACS) certified department. This certification ensures that students will receive a fundamental and professionally recognized chemical education, which is an excellent preparation for numerous occupations as well as for graduate or professional schools. Our department strives for excellence in both undergraduate and graduate educational experiences. Our world-class faculty are recipients of numerous regional, national and international awards and provide leadership in scholarship and research in a variety of areas such as precise molecular structure design using synthetic methodology, mechanistic studies of heterogeneous reactions, atmospheric and oceanic chemistry, organometallic catalysis, bioinorganic chemistry, computational chemistry, physical chemistry and biophysical methods.

The department is especially proud of the closeness of its faculty-student interactions. Both undergraduate and graduate students get hands-on contact and experience with modern instrumentation, such as IR, UV-Visible, ICP, AA, GC-MS, LC, PCR and NMR. Modern instruments and an enthusiastic faculty provide for a challenging educational environment. As the "central science", the chemistry department provides diverse opportunities for collaborative studies with the departments of biology, physics, chemical and mechanical engineering, environmental sciences, and computer science on campus and with other off campus institutions to provide students with a strong interdisciplinary training.

Chemistry is a fundamental science. At the undergraduate level, the chemistry department offers curricula in traditional chemistry, pre-medical, and pre-pharmacy studies. We also offer dual degree programs with Chemical Engineering and Biology. Our program provides flexibility and selection to meet individual student needs and aspirations. You can choose to pursue a BS that is certified by the ACS, a non ACS-certified degree, or an Honors degree. Besides your course study, you will be able to participate in undergraduate research projects under the guidance of our motivated research community. You may opt to pursue a research project in experimental and/or computer-based computational endeavors. Undergraduate research can lead to publication of results in a professional journal as well as invited presentations at regional or national scientific (e.g. ACS) meetings. Graduation opens opportunities for entrance into graduate or medical school, and health-related fields as well as entrance into industrial, private and government sector careers. At the graduate level, the department offers unique opportunities to get an MS in Industrial Chemistry or a PhD in the Earth and Energy Sciences (EESC) program, with a chemistry concentration. Students in the EESC program study a variety of interesting interdisciplinary graduate courses in addition to a core curriculum and advanced courses in their major concentration. Students in Industrial Chemistry can pursue a thesis or non-thesis MS degree option with an internship. The heart of the graduate degree is research. The research facilities and collaborative environments are a strong base enabling the highest level of innovation. The department provides students with the technical skills they would acquire in the traditional MS and PhD programs, while also developing skills indispensable in industry and in academia, such as leadership, oral and written communication, teamwork, defining and managing research projects, organizational skills, curiosity and independence.

For more information visit the Chemistry Department webpage, send an email to chemistrydept@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6734.

Department of Mathematics

Choosing the department and university that is right for you is a major decision. We're pleased that you are considering the Mathematics Department at UL Lafayette.

We offer an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. We also offer graduate programs leading to a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics.

The Mathematics Department at UL Lafayette has approximately 40 dedicated and enthusiastic full time faculty members. We have approximately 50 graduate students and approximately 45 undergraduate majors. In a given year, on average, 15-20 of our students graduate with a BS, 6 graduate with a MS, and 4-6 graduate with a PhD. We would love to add you to this tally in the near future.

We are committed to excellence in teaching and advancement of knowledge through research. The moderate size of our department permits a wide range of opportunities for students, as well as a high degree of personal attention. Our students enjoy the friendly, collegial atmosphere of a mid-sized department with all the resources of a comprehensive, rapidly developing research university.

Our faculty research interests cover a broad spectrum of mathematics and statistics. Many of our faculty have obtained international recognition for their research. Some of our faculty concentrate on fundamental research into the theory of mathematics and statistics. While others are involved in research targeted at specific applications. We have a large group working in areas of applied mathematics, such as modeling of biological and physical processes and mathematical computation.

For more information visit the Mathematics Department webpage, send an email to math@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6702.

Department of Physics

The Department offers the BS and MS degrees in Physics. Every year about 30 undergraduate majors and 10 graduate students master physics in our lecture halls and laboratories to prepare themselves for successful careers in science and engineering. Faculty offices are located in Broussard Hall. The department has created and nurtured a unique blend of applied and fundamental research to improve our understanding of the universe and to respond to the needs of our community. Our research efforts are primarily in the areas of physical acoustics, cosmology, earth and planetary sciences, environmental physics, materials science, ion beam physics, and computational physics.

For more information visit the Physics Department in Broussard Hall, visit the Physics Department webpage, send an email to physics@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6691.

School of Computing and Informatics

The School of Computing and Informatics offers seven degree programs among three academic units: the Center for Advanced Computer Studies, the Computer Science program, and the Informatics program. We have over 25 faculty members with teaching and research expertise in all major branches of computer science, computer engineering, and informatics. You can choose from a diverse set of courses every semester and have access to state-of-the-art facilities in James R. Oliver Hall, one of the newer academic buildings on the UL Lafayette campus.

Our school has strong relationships with local and national technology companies that actively seek out our graduates for internships and careers. At the UL Lafayette School of Computing and Informatics, we work with industry in designing and implementing computer-based hardware and software solutions to data, computation, and telecommunication issues. We have diverse interests that all work together in research to improve the quality of health for South Louisiana.

For more information visit the Computing and Informatics webpage, send an email to cmix@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6768.

The Center for Advanced Computer Studies (CACS)

The mission of CACS at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is to provide quality, cutting-edge educational experiences to computing majors at the Master's and PhD levels. The Center aims to provide students with strong conceptual foundations (theoretical and experimental) and expose them to the forefront of the developments in the field of computing. Recognizing the applicability of computing to all fields of knowledge and practice, the Center will provide a variety of degrees and programs at each of the degree levels and will cooperate with other units of the University to provide interdisciplinary degree programs.

CACS is the research arm of the School of Computing and Informatics that supports graduate education at the master’s and doctoral levels. CACS is responsible for conducting world-class research supported by outside grants. Our students, particularly at the doctoral level, are engaged in all stages of research. CACS offers graduate level courses in computation, computer architecture, algorithms, cybersecurity, and more.

For more information visit the CACS webpage, send an email to cmix@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6768.

Computer Science Undergraduate Program

We're known for being the first — for seeing the possibilities in computer science and creating a program that is above the rest.

UL Lafayette has a rich history in the fields of computer science and computer engineering. We established the first Association for Computing Machinery student chapter in the country, initiated the first computer science master's program in the nation as well as the first PhD program in the state. Computer science is one of our strongest programs, and we're happy that you are interested in being a part of it.

Our undergraduate program has been accredited by CSAB and now ABET since 1987. This ensures that our curriculum, faculty, and facilities are nationally competitive. We offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with concentration areas in Cloud Computing, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Scientific Computing, and Video Game Design and Development. Major courses are taught by computer science faculty with MS or PhD degrees. In addition to regular courses, juniors and seniors have the opportunity to work on independent projects with faculty in more specialized areas, such as artificial intelligence, computer graphics, cybersecurity, database design, and video game design, as well as apply for internships in industry.

Our focus is on undergraduate education. Today we have more than 500 undergraduate majors. Our ACM alpha chapter is alive and well; it is involved in social and educational activities, including Science Day demonstration, competing in programming contests, and training in computer and network security. We also have an active IEEE Computer Science chapter as well as ACM-W student chapter.

For more information visit the Computer Science webpage, send an email to cmps@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6768.

Informatics Undergraduate Program

The Informatics Program offers the Bachelor of Science degree in informatics, with concentrations in Business, Cybersecurity, Health, Systems Administration, and Interactive Media Technology. The Program also offers an individualized concentration, which is intended to support the education of Informatics students whose professional and personal interests go beyond what is offered by way of the other concentrations.

The School of Computing and Informatics has partnerships with more than 20 companies. Several key technology companies recently have chosen to locate and/or establish facilities in Louisiana; these companies are IBM, CenturyLink, CGI, Enquero, and Perficient. In addition to the expected several thousand jobs created by these technology companies, so-called non-technology companies, e.g., Bell Helicopter, Benteler, ConAgra Foods, and others, also require computer and information technology solutions, which are developed and deployed by Informatics professionals.

For more information visit the Informatics webpage, send an email to informatics@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6768.

School of Geosciences

The School of Geosciences at UL Lafayette specializes in earth science and environmental science education, research, and training. This includes natural and economic resources such as waters, soils, wetlands, hydrocarbons and solid minerals. It is estimated that the job market in these areas will grow 7% yearly, hence creating ~31,000 openings in the next 10 years. Our degree programs provide you with the knowledge, tools, and problem-solving capacity to address any of these needs.

Our programs also offers students many unique opportunities. These opportunities inside and outside the classroom give our students a competitive edge. For example, our Geology graduate students have won the International Imperial Barrel Award Competition three times (2012, 2014 and 2018), each time competing with more than 100 student teams from around the globe. This industry-sponsored event involves 5-student teams who compete in the area of hydrocarbon exploration. Our students are simply the best in the world. No other university has won the competition three times.

The School of Geosciences has 17 full-time faculty and instructors that serve 150 students (80 Environmental Science, and 50 Geology students). We graduate about 20 students per year. We offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Environmental Science, Master's degrees in Geology and Environmental Resource Sciences, and a Doctoral degree (PhD) in Earth and Energy Sciences. Concentration areas in Geology include Geological Sciences, Paleontology, Energy Resources, Hydrogeology, and Geophysics, while concentration areas in our Environmental Science program include Soil and Water Conservation, Environmental Quality, and Digital Geography.

For more information visit the GeoSciences webpage, send an email to geosciences@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6647.

Environmental Science Program

Growing populations, increased urbanization, agriculture, wetland loss, and climate change are placing enormous pressures on our environmental resources. Environmental scientists study these natural geological, chemical, and biological resources, as well as the dynamics of the coupled natural-human relationships that shape these systems.

The growing need for the sustainable management of environmental resources has driven the skyrocketing demand for environmental scientists. This is particularly true in Louisiana where we host 40% of the wetlands in the U.S., while maintaining strong industrial and agricultural traditions with petroleum exploration and refining, fisheries, and more.

Our environmental science degree has three concentrations you can choose from: soil and water, environmental quality, and digital geography. All three include core coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, math, geology, soils, and geographic information systems. The environmental science major will give you an overview of an environmental challenges, as well as techniques for solving those challenges.

For more information visit the Environmental Science Program webpage, send an email to envsus@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6647.

Geology Program

Geology is inherently interdisciplinary. Our undergraduate degree in geology prepares you for a wide variety of scientific and technical jobs, especially in the energy industry and in the environmental and consulting fields. As a geology major, you can choose a concentration in petroleum geology or environmental geology to explore the fields you're really interested in.

Though geology clearly has its own unique subject matter, it also requires principles and methodologies from other sciences — from the study of Earth to the history of life on Earth. So an understanding of geology requires a basic background in math, physics, chemistry, biology, and material science.

To study the Earth itself, however, we geologists need thorough training in these different fields, the specific problems in geology, and the practical aspects of the geological field and laboratory work.

If you are interested in studying geology, UL Lafayette offers something especially valuable, in addition to outstanding faculty members and a strong curriculum: location! It's in Lafayette, the hub of Louisiana's energy industry. So why is that important? For starters, several major energy companies have large offices here, and actively support the UL Lafayette's Geology program with funds for equipment and scholarships. They provide access to information for course work and student projects; some of their employees are guest lecturers. Many hire UL Lafayette geology students for part-time positions.

Lafayette is also home to a large number of energy companies, oil field service companies, environmental companies, and independent geologists. To give you a perspective of the scope of opportunities, there are more than 300 geologists in Lafayette!

UL Lafayette's Geology program emphasizes field experience. South Louisiana — with its rivers, deltas, swamps, marshes, and beaches — is a natural laboratory for studying modern sedimentary processes. You will also take field trips to other parts of the country to study outcrops of older rocks of all kinds. UL Lafayette-sponsored field trips have been also offered to Mexico, Canada, and Europe. You'll be strongly urged to participate in trips like these. The capstone course in Geology is field geology taken during the last summer of the undergraduate degree over 6 weeks in Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

For more information visit the Geology Program webpage, send an email to geology@louisiana.edu, or call 337-482-6647.

For more information visit the Geology Program webpage, send an email to geology@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-482-6647.

Military Science Program

Through UL Lafayette's ROTC program, you will learn the leadership and management skills you need to become a U.S. Army officer. As a cadet, you'll learn to be a leader, to communicate effectively, to build your self-confidence, and more — all while earning your college degree at UL Lafayette.

Through the ROTC program, you'll take courses specific to your major plus military science courses that cover leadership, communication skills, decision making, military history, Army values, ethics, physical fitness, and technical knowledge. You can earn scholarships as an ROTC cadet, on top of having your ROTC books, supplies and equipment provided.

Then, after graduation, you are commissioned as a second lieutenant and go on to serve your country through the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard.

Join us to earn your degree and serve your country.

For more information visit the Military Science Program webpage, send an email to rotc@louisiana.edu, or telephone 337-262-3358.