As a biology major, you will gain the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking needed for a successful career in modern biology and related fields.

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BS

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What courses will you take?

Student in lab coat attends to lizard in a tank

The B.S. in Biological Sciences offers four degree options, which lead to a wide range of career opportunities.

  • General Biology Option — Gain a broad foundation in the biological sciences, and customize your curriculum by selecting advanced course electives that match your interests and career goals. This option provides all the requirements for students pursuing health professions. Courses for General Biology Option
  • Bioinformatics Option — Take basic biology and computer science courses, along with advanced courses in bioinformatics and biology electives. You will graduate prepared for professional or academic careers in bioinformatics, comparative genomics, proteomics, molecular modeling, and biological database analysis and management. Courses for Bioinformatics Option
  • Biotechnology Option — Take a set of advanced courses designed to provide the conceptual background and practical training needed for a career in biotechnology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics, industrial microbiology, cell culture technology, and the manufacture and purification of diagnostics and other biologically relevant materials. Courses for Biotechnology Option
  • Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Option — Gain a strong foundation in the basic sciences of biology, chemistry and physics, as well as advanced courses in ecology, evolutionary biology and environmental biology, functional comparative biology and biomechanics. You will be ready to launch a career or graduate study in such fields as ecology and evolution, environmental biotechnology, conservation biology, public health, toxicology, bioremediation and biological assessment of environmental quality. Courses for Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Option
  • Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Option — Take all the necessary prerequisite courses to apply to medical, dental, veterinary, optometry, pharmacy and podiatry schools, as well as physician assistant programs. The program offers a strong foundation, with basic courses in biology alongside a variety of health-related biology electives. Courses for Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Option

In the senior year, you can choose to conduct a research capstone project. Many research projects lead to student-authored publications in professional journals and presentations at scientific meetings.

Visit the Academic Catalog for a complete course listing and to learn about the Biology minor.

Visit the Academic Catalog for all degree pathways, including those from prior enrollment years.

  • A graduate in Biological Sciences will be able to:

    1. Apply knowledge of biological molecule chemistry to function at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organismal levels.
    2. Identify basic intracellular functions and predict intracellular responses to extracellular and environmental cues.
    3. Describe how regulation of genome expression dictates molecular and cellular structure and function.
    4. Apply knowledge of the nature of mutations and the laws governing their inheritance to explain how they affect phenotypes.
    5. Explain how mutations and environment interact in a population to affect the gene pool, and resultant effects on a population.
    6. Apply knowledge of metabolic pathway regulation and the energy requirements of a cell, to predict the activity and end product of metabolic pathways.
    7. Recognize the organismal diversity of life on Earth and explain the processes that have given rise to this diversity over time.
    8. Apply knowledge of ecological, environmental and evolutionary processes to understand conservation needs of species, communities and ecosystems.
    9. Understand how biological processes are inextricably intertwined with geophysical processes, and appreciate that human activities are both dominant drivers of global climate and environmental change and are impacted by that change.
    10. Design an experiment and analyze experimental data.

Why study biology at UMass Lowell?

Biology student writes a formula on a whiteboard

Fun Outside the Classroom

Put your learning into practice. Check out some of the fun ways UML students come together.

Two students wearing lab coats and goggles work with lab equipment

Technical Training

Gain hands-on technical training with specialized techniques, including: 

  • Electron microscopy
  • Recombinant DNA technology
  • Cell culture
  • Computer applications
  • Tools widely used in biochemistry

Research Opportunities

Participate in our faculty’s cutting-edge research, including such areas as:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cancer biology
  • Environmental microbiology
  • Virology
  • Climate change biology
  • Biology education
Two male biology students in a UMass Lowell lab, experimenting on a red substance.

Pre-Med/Pre-Health Professional Training

Our programs satisfy entrance requirements for schools of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, podiatry, and chiropractic. Learn more about our Pre-Health Professionals Advising.

What can you do with a degree in biology?

Graduates of UMass Lowell's Biology program are equipped to launch careers in biotechnology, medicine, ecology and other life science fields. Our students are also prepared for admission to professional schools such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy.

Biology research female putting liquid in test tube

Alumni of our program have worked at:

  • Pfizer
  • Millipore
  • Broad Institute
  • UMass Medical
  • Novartis
  • Mass Eye & Ear
  • MIT
  • Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

Meet Our Faculty & Students

Gabriel Muniz wading through a pond with an antenna in his hand
Gabriel Muniz '23
Biological Sciences

Gabriel Muniz is gaining hands-on experience that will help propel him toward his career goal of working in wildlife conservation.

I really like animals and I want to help them.
Read More About Gabriel Muniz 
Grace Hansen headshot
Grace Hansen '23
Biology, UTeach

Grace Hansen is researching sports nutrition and brain injuries.

I’ve always wanted to find a way to combine sports and science.
Read More About Grace Hansen 
Morgan Tierno in her classroom
Morgan Tierno '20
Biology and UTeach

Biology teacher Morgan Tierno’s student teaching and first year on the job were complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and major social issues. But, she says, UTeach prepared her for those challenges.

Sometimes, the most important thing to do as a teacher is just to listen and be there for your students.
Read More About Morgan Tierno 
UMass Lowell Chemistry Assoc. Prof. Khalilah Reddie and biology student Sonma Agunda seated at a table
Ijebusonma Agundu '22
Biology

To pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, Sonma Agundu joined MAGIC, a program to help students from underrepresented groups succeed in health care careers.

The MAGIC program made me feel like I could dream big and achieve everything I wanted to.
Read More About Ijebusonma Agundu 
Payal Patel sits in front of laptop
Payal Patel '21
Biology, UTeach

When Payal Patel started college as an engineering major, she missed tutoring and teaching – so she decided to make education her career.

At UMass Lowell, you have that flexibility to change your career path.
Read More About Payal Patel