Biology Bachelor's Degree Overview
Biology — the study of life and living organisms — is the perfect foundational degree for a variety of careers. A degree in biology can prepare you for immediate employment in fields like conservation or zoology. It also can set you on the right track for medical school or other professional or graduate programs.
The University of Toledo in Ohio is a large, comprehensive institution. Our College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics offers a variety of undergraduate biology programs to match your goals and interests.
Here’s a brief explanation of the options.
BS in Biology, Department of Biological Sciences
- Focus on cellular and molecular biology, including biomedicine and neuroscience
- Concentrations in neuroscience and pre-professional programs, such as medicine, osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, podiatry and physician's assistant programs
- For students interested in health care and biotechnology
BA in Biology, Department of Biological Sciences
- Focus on cellular and molecular biology, including biomedicine and neuroscience. The advanced math and chemistry courses found in standard pre-med training are not required in the BA biology program.
- For students interested in pre-professional training for physician assistant, medical laboratory technology, podiatry, chiropractic or occupational therapy programs; law, business, regulatory affairs or science education
BS in Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences
- Concentration in ecology and organismal biology
- Focus on animals and plants, ecology and ecosystems
- For students interested in:
- Graduate or medical school
- Licensure examinations for secondary school science teachers
- Employment in a wide range of life sciences fields, such as wildlife biology, marine biology, zoology, conservation biology and forestry
Contact an academic adviser in the Department of Environmental Sciences or the Department of Biological Sciences for in-depth information.
Biology Bachelor's Degree Highlights
- The right start. UToledo’s bachelor’s degree program in biology is designed so you can complete all graduate or professional school prerequisites while you earn your undergraduate degree in the typical four years.
- Increase your odds of getting into med school.
- UToledo’s pre-med concentration in the BS degree program prepares students for the MCAT and offers extensive pre-med advising. The medical school acceptance rate for UToledo biological sciences undergraduates with GPAs of 3.5 or higher is 75% over the past 10 years.
- Biology majors accepted into UT’s baccalaureate to MD pipeline program take part in a mentoring program through UT’s College of Medicine and Life Sciences. They are guaranteed early interviews with the college’s Admissions Committee, provided they fulfill requirements.
- State-of-the-art facilities. UT is one of the best public, research universities in Ohio and the country. Biology majors work in labs with the latest technology and equipment in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Environmental Sciences. Students also have access to UT’s Health Science Campus, home to the UT Medical Center.
- Field courses. Course work for biology students in the Department of Environmental Sciences includes exciting field experiences throughout the U.S., Canada, Trinidad and the Bahamas. Our courses take advantage of the immense natural laboratories in northwest Ohio: the diversity of the Oak Openings savannas, the complex ecology along the western shores of Lake Erie and the unique wetlands of the Great Black Swamp.
- Study abroad in a yearlong exchange program with Salford University in the United Kingdom. All courses transfer seamlessly.
- A unique dual degree program. Earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in bioinformatics — a field that’s exploded recently — in just 5.5 years. This pipeline program is available to UT biology majors in the Department of Biological Sciences at the end of their second years. It’s part of the new UT School of Biomarker Research and Individualized Medicine.
- Experiential learning. Students have ample opportunities to perform undergraduate research, service learning and internships. Work on campus, in our greenhouses, our 47-acre arboretum and in our Lake Erie Center, which has its own shoreline research facility, boats and equipment.
- Internships. Grant funding through the state of Ohio allows UT’s Department of Biological Sciences to connect biology students with internships at Ohio biohealth companies.
Career Opportunities
Most biology students who earn undergraduate degrees from The University of Toledo have successful careers in biology-related fields. Many enroll in graduate, professional or medical school to earn further qualifications.
Sample Job Opportunities for Biology Majors
| Biology laboratory technician | Marine biologist |
| Biomedical careers | Medical doctor |
| Clinical laboratory technologist | Park ranger |
| Conservationist | Physician assistant |
| Ecologist | Veterinarian |
| Geologist | Zookeeper |
Our Alumni
"The Biological Sciences Department at The University of Toledo offered quality advising in regard to appropriate course work, direction and preparation for medical school applications, as well as opportunities to partake in research and internships. My degree in biology helped lay down a foundation in basic science that was essential to an easier transition to graduate-level work and continued success in medical school."
Venkat Vaddamani, MD candidate in The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
BS '16
"My advice would be to simply take advantage of all the opportunities available in our department — apply for internships and research jobs, really get to know your professors, volunteer, go on the department field trips, join organizations and network even if you don't like to. Work hard, keep an open mind, and you never know what opportunities may arise!"
Caroline Beck, awarded most outstanding graduating senior in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
BS '16
Biology Bachelor's Degree Curriculum
Course work is research-focused. Students use modern, comprehensive scientific methods.
Sample Courses for Biology Majors
| Avian Ecology | Immunology |
| Climate Change | Microbiology |
| Human Physiology | Wildlife Biology |
View Curriculum
Research Opportunities
You don’t have to wait until graduate school to get into an active, funded research lab. This degree of access for undergraduate biology majors is unique in northwest Ohio. UToledo undergraduate students have opportunities to work directly with internationally recognized biology and environmental sciences faculty on cutting-edge research. You also may have the chance to publish your findings in scholarly journals.
Students research Grass Carp
In this video from 2016, UT students are finding proof of Grass Carp reproduction in a Great Lakes tributary.
Fal-cam
The Environmental Sciences Department is proud to host the Toledo Peregrine Project with live audio/video of the peregrine falcon nest on top of University Hall. A pair of peregrines has made UT its home since 2006. They return each year and have raised more than 30 offspring.
Biology Bachelor's Degree
4-year programProgram Availability
Program Quick Links
View Admission RequirementsDepartment of Biological Sciences
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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