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Study life on the cutting edge of teaching and research

And learn along the way that every step you take is an outcome of the step before. Studying biology at Â鶹Çø stretches beyond simply memorizing – fascinating storytelling intertwines core concepts and new discoveries in biology.

The Department of Biology focuses on learning through participation in the practice of science. Whether you’re here to major, minor or meet Â鶹Çø’s core curriculum requirements, you will learn how to apply critical, creative and analytical thinking to projects that develop skills needed far beyond your college years.

Beyond the classroom

Inside our laboratories, you’ll have access to the latest generation of equipment. Gain hands-on experience with:

• High-tech imaging
• Cell culture
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of DNA, RNA and proteins
• Bioinformatics tools
• Model organisms
• An herbarium with thousands of specimens.

Two dedicated lab coordinators and multiple work-study students help to keep everything running smoothly.

Participate in really cool research – here and there

Â鶹Çø’s biology faculty are committed to excellence in teaching and research with an emphasis on making your exploration of biology fun. Go beyond the classroom with active hands-on learning experiences in natural environments such as:

• The Siskiyou Mountains
• The Hatfield Marine Science Center
• The Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center
• California’s Redwood Forests

Back at Â鶹Çø, your time in the lab will contribute to global efforts to:

• Discover new antibiotics
• Annotate genomes
• Determine the effects of induced mutations on cancer
• Investigate the biology of human pigment cells

Take innovative courses on organisms big and small

Our majors explore organisms from bacteria to sequoias, and everything in-between. Our unique January Term enables students to dedicate a “short semester” to once-in-a-lifetime examinations of diverse natural habitats.

You'll expand your understanding of biology by:

• Diving into coral reef ecology in the Bahamas
• Paddling through the literary biology of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico
• Exploring landscape ecology and the politics of conservation in New Zealand