Biology

As a biology major, you will learn how to tackle questions about both the known and the undiscovered as you study all forms of life through hands-on exploration, individualized instruction and a collegial learning atmosphere. This program will prepare you to evaluate and address important questions in one of the most rapidly expanding fields of knowledge. Your learning won’t take place in the classroom alone; you often will be designing, conducting and analyzing research in the field or laboratory. Whether focusing on your findings in the teaching lab or embarking on independent and collaborative research, you’ll be supported by F&M’s cutting-edge field, laboratory, and computing equipment.

By the time you graduate, you will: 

• Learn concepts from across the breadth of biological disciplines, with depth in focused areas of interest.
• Utilize quantitative skills to develop and test novel research questions, ethically and in collaboration with others.
• Synthesize and expand upon existing scientific theories and models by critically and analytically engaging with literature.
• Hone skills as effective scientific communicators, through both writing and speaking.

Curious what biology classes are like? Take a look at our course catalog to see the depth and breadth of what’s available to you, including related majors in biochemistry and molecular biology, bioinformatics, neuroscience, animal behavior, earth and environmental science, environmental studies, and public health.

In the Field

F&M’s location provides the perfect landscape for studying biology. Lancaster County’s flourishing agricultural countryside, the nearby Susquehanna River, diverse nature preserves managed by the Lancaster Conservancy, and F&M’s Spalding Nature Conservancy provide exciting opportunities for field research. 

You can also enjoy hands-on experience in our facilities in the Barshinger Life Sciences & Philosophy Building on campus. The building features 12 student-faculty research laboratories, a greenhouse, and animal rooms. Specialized facilities and research equipment include a confocal microscope, preparative and ultracentrifuges, electrophoresis equipment, a dark room, a cold room, a quantitative thermal cycler, a plant growth facility, a vivarium, and controlled environment chambers. A variety of equipment is also available for terrestrial and aquatic field studies.

Research Opportunities 

Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research. These are not experiences you have to wait until graduate school to pursue. Our students’ research has been published in leading scholarly journals, and your professors will be there every step of the way to mentor and advise you in your journey. In fact, biology faculty are expert researchers working on a wide array of cutting-edge topics, including: 

• Bioinformatics
• Biomechanics
• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Immunology
• Limnology
• Marine Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Molecular Genetics
• Muscle Physiology
• Neuroscience
• Ornithology
• Plant Development, Ecology, and Reproduction
• Public Health
• Sustainability

Off-Campus Study

In addition to research opportunities at F&M, you’re encouraged to explore activities off campus. Biology students have traveled for internships around the world, studied tropical biology in Central and South America, Australia, and Africa; engaged in marine biology research in the Caribbean, Galapagos, East Africa, Australia and the South Pacific, and have completed research at various field courses across the U.S. and internationally.
Explore off-campus study at F&M

What happens after you graduate with a degree in biology? Many students go onto graduate school or choose to embark on their chosen career path. You’ll also find recognition and support in the Benjamin Rush Pre-Health Honor Society, an organization that hosts programs and events and creates a sense of community among outstanding students interested in the health professions.

Graduate School

More than half of our majors in the biology-related fields go on to graduate or professional school after F&M. In any given year, about one-third of our graduates enter medical school or another health professions graduate program, while another one-third enter other forms of graduate study. Their individualized learning and hands-on experience while at F&M gives them an advantage in getting admitted into some of the nation’s finest graduate programs, including University of Michigan, Yale University, Cornell University, Harvard University, and Duke University. They pursue research in disciplines as diverse as biological chemistry, marine biology, plant biology, organismal biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, biomedical studies, immunology, cancer biology, and biomechanics. In biomedical fields, graduates have specialized health-related areas such as medicine, dentistry, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmaceutical research, nutrition, sports medicine, physical therapy, and health care administration.  

Career Paths

Biology majors are prepared for careers in a wide array of fields, due to the program’s emphasis on the breadth of biology and its association with other natural sciences. Our alumni have found success in sports medicine, genetic counseling, patent law, and high school teaching. They hold positions such as:

• Agricultural Consultant
• Biostatistician
• Conservation Engineer 
• Dentist
• Ecologist
• Environmental Research Manager
• Forensic Biologist
• Healthcare Administrator
• Marine Biologist
• Medical Researcher
• Molecular Biologist
• Nurse
• Nutritionist
• Pharmaceutical Researcher
• Physical Therapist
• Physician
• Veterinarian
• Wildlife Biologist