Admission to Degree Programs
All majors within this department are open enrollment programs.
The Discipline
The Department of Biology focuses on training students in the genetic, organismal, population, community and ecosystem perspectives of the biological sciences. Fields include bioinformatics, biology education, botany and mycology, ecology, evolution, systematics, genetics, genomics, human health, veterinary science and zoology.
Career Opportunities
Biology entails rigorous, broad training and synthetic reasoning, which prepare students for careers in a wide variety of professional fields ranging from technical work in research laboratories to field technicians for environmental research companies or government agencies. Majors may develop their interest in such diverse areas as environmental biology, evolutionary biology, aquatic biology, molecular biology, plant biology, or systematics. Students satisfy the requirements for graduate studies in the biological sciences or professional schools.
Students in the Biology Major receive the broadest and most flexible education. Students in this major frequently progress to MS and PhD programs in many biological fields, as well as professional schools.
The Bioinformatics Major is for students with interests in both the computer and the biological sciences. The degree merges these interests in the areas of bioinformatics and computational biology, giving students the skills for graduate or professional (medical, dental, law) schools or immediate employment opportunities after completing the undergraduate program, especially with biotechnology companies.
The Biological Science Education major provides a solid foundation in courses that meet the National Science Teachers Association certification requirements for secondary education biology teaching. The program also prepares students for continuing their education in graduate school.
The Conservation Biology Major is designed to provide students with a broad scientific background in preparation for a career or graduate study in conservation fields, but with a specific focus on biodiversity science. Graduates will acquire a knowledge of the issues and problems of sustainable resource usage, conservation of endangered biota, long-term preservation of biodiversity, ecosystem services and ecological economics, and management and conservation of ecosystems.
Pre-veterinary medicine students interested in veterinary medicine are encouraged to incorporate required pre-veterinary curriculum into an academic program of their choosing. See the description of the biology major for additional information.
