About Us
Biology is the study of life processes in all living organisms. Biologists concern themselves with living things and how they survive, with how they affect each other and their environments and with food, physiology, energy, growth, reproduction and maintenance processes. Generally, professionals in this field are responsible for the recognition and investigation of biological problems and the applications of theory to these problems.
Biology at UD
The Department of Biology consists of 15 dedicated full-time faculty members with the Ph.D. degree in biological sciences. We are located in the renovated Science Center that houses well-equipped research and teaching laboratories and classrooms. Our department offers the Bachelor of Science, Combined Bachelor and Master of Science, Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
We award Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in biology and environmental biology. Upon completion of a B.S. program our students will possess a professional resume, oral presentation skills, hands-on experience, and analytical and computer skills valued by employers, graduate schools and professional schools. Undergraduates also have the opportunity to work alongside faculty and graduate students as teams to conduct world class research. Biology graduates will find a wide range of career opportunities available to them including the medical professions, academic and industrial research and teaching positions, and government positions.
We award Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in biology. The success of our graduate programs is rooted in a strong orientation toward bioinstrumentation and the individualized attention received by each graduate student. Our Master's and Doctoral graduates and are highly sought-after and readily employed by academic institutions, industry, government agencies, research institutions, and hospitals.The Bachelor of Science in Biology
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program provides students with a general background in biology while allowing them the option of concentrating on either the biomedical track or environmental/ecological track during their upper level course work. The biology B.S. prepares students for employment immediately upon completing the program, for post-graduate education in a professional school (medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, physical therapy, physician assistant) or graduate (M.S. or Ph.D.) degree programs. The biology program fulfills all requirements for admission to professional schools or graduate schools.
The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology
The environmental biology Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program is a science specialization based upon the fundamentals of biology and ecology, applying broadly based interdisciplinary skills to the many environmental problems facing society today. The environmental biology program builds upon the standard biology degree framework with additional science courses necessary for a strong environmental degree. Graduates are prepared for field/laboratory careers such as applied environmental ecology, government service, teaching and private industry/consulting or they can continue on to graduate school.
Combined Bachelor and Master of Science in Biology
This accelerated program allows students who display strong potential for research in biology to earn both the Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in five years. It provides a liberal arts education, a broad background in biology, the development of expertise in a biological subfield and a thorough introduction to research instrumentation and techniques. Graduates from the program are prepared for either direct entry into the job market or continuation toward the Ph.D.
The Master of Science in Biology
The two-year Master of Science degree is thesis-based and relatively structured in nature. It is designed to either prepare the student for a career in government, industry, or academics or to continue toward the Ph.D. degree.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Biology
The Ph.D. program takes an average of five years to complete following a Bachelor of Science degree and is organized to fit the goals of each degree candidate. A five member Ph.D. advisory committee designs a program for each candidate to suit the individual's long-term career objectives. Students are admitted to the Ph.D. program directly from a B.S. or M.S. degree. In addition, outstanding students that were admitted to our M.S. degree program may be selected to bypass the M.S. and work directly towards the Ph.D.
