Biology

Students in anatomy class taking notes as they review models of blood cells

Program Type

Major, Minor
Degrees Offered

B.S.
School

School of Arts & Sciences

Prepare for a career as a professional biologist. Gain the background you need for medical, dental, or chiropractic school.

What You’ll Learn

The biology major provides a broad foundation in the biological sciences. In addition to gaining communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills, you will gain an understanding of the role that individuals and society play in improving our natural environment.

Prepare for professional school.: Combine your biology major with study in our pre-medicine, pre-physician assistant, pre-dental, pre-optometry, or pre-chiropractic.
Prepare for a career in wildlife or conservation.: Combine your biology major with a wildlife management & conservation concentration and develop the skills for an entry-level biologist position with a government agency, non-governmental organization (NGO), or private company. This concentration will also prepare you for a graduate program in wildlife biology, conservation, ecology, and other related fields.
Gain hands-on experience.: Gain hands-on laboratory experience and research skills through our student-led research projects. Students also have the opportunity to participate in our SURVE program and conduct independent research with biology faculty.
Become an educator.: For those interested in teaching at the high school or middle school level, you can combine your major with the biology education or health education degree in preparation for getting your teaching license.
Get your degree in less time.: You can earn your biology bachelor’s in 2.6 years or complete your bachelor’s and a Master of Science in Bioethics in four years through Mary’s innovative Year-Round Campus program.

Program Information

Please visit our catalog for admission requirements and a full list of our courses.

Careers & Outcomes

Employment Trends

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for secondary school teachers to grow by 8% from 2020 to 2030. A bachelor’s in biology is a versatile degree, as students graduate with strong critical thinking skills that are in demand across a wide range of fields including health care, biomedical research, and industry. Many University of Mary biology majors enter professional school — including medical, dental, veterinary, optometry, physician assistant, or chiropractic school — or pursue graduate studies.

Career Paths

Wildlife or Conservation Biologist
Health Care Professional
Educator
Research Scientist
Ecologist
Science Journalist
Genetic Counselor

Featured Faculty

David S. Ronderos, PhD

Associate Professor of Biology, Fellow in Catholic Studies

I have been a faculty member in the biology program since 2013. I have taught courses on anatomy & physiology, hematology, cell and molecular biology, HHMI SEA-PHAGES, and I developed our biology capstone course, Evolution and the Integration of Knowledge. I assist in our pre-medicine program, and I'm a Catholic studies fellow and a member of the Society of Catholic Scientists (SCS).

In 2017, I helped launch a unique summer research program called SURVE, which provides paid lab research internship opportunities to students. SURVE has enjoyed funding support from the NIH ND-INBRE program.

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John Boyle, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biology, Fellow in Catholic Studies

I am a biologist with an interest in using big data sets, both molecular and ecological, to understand the natural world and the relationships among different species.

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