Towards the Making of Future Biologists in  Sorsogon, the Philippines

The need to offer a program specializing in biology in Sorsogon is writ large. The task of offering a program locally is thus one of feasibility assessment. Assuming that the intended results were desirable, a question is raised as to whether the proposed program was viable to offer at Sorsogon State University (SorSU). This study fell into two foci, namely, a program demand assessment among target grade leavers across sites in Sorsogon and a SWOT analysis of the program. The findings indicated a strong desire for a BS Biology program with various degrees of choice propensity across sites. Medical biology was the most preferred specialization among the respondents, indicating that the healthcare industry is the most perceived attractive field. The desired base institution was characteristic of strong track records and a high reputation, including the capacity to aid the enrollees financially. While SorSU personnel identified several strengths and opportunities impacting the offering of the program, a list of weaknesses and threats has to be shouldered. The primary cost to be confronted by SorSU was the facility and infrastructure, as the program particularly demands specialized laboratory compliance. While the university sets the framework for implementation, identifying risks impacting the program is a task requiring devolvement in management. This study provides insights into methods of empirical feasibility assessment for a BS Biology program. The methods presented may be applied or used to set a point of comparison for existing or queued programs. With this study, offering a BS Biology program would antecedently allow examining the potential and costs of the program, all germane towards the making of future professional biologists in Sorsogon.