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Department of Biology

One of the largest departments at Miami University, our Department of Biology provides a rich education in fields ranging from molecular to global biology. Our faculty will take you beyond the lecture hall to learn hands-on in the laboratory and in the field. Our graduates go on to pursue careers in health, biotechnology, and plant and environmental sciences, leading innovations that change the world for the better.

Our Biology Majors

Two students working with a microscope

Biology

The Biology major is the most general and incorporates advanced classes that focus on a wide variety of organisms. It provides a strong background for students interested in everything from the health sciences to ecology and the environmental sciences. A major in Biology is recommended if your goal is to gain a broad perspective in the biological sciences.
Hefner main gallery display

Zoology

The Zoology major is chosen by many students seeking a career in one of the healthcare professions.  It is also selected by those who wish to study animals as teachers and/or researchers, or who plan a career in one of the many areas within the environmental sciences.
Plants in greenhouse

Botany

The Botany major is chosen by many students seeking a career in environmental assessment, agriculture, or horticulture.  It is also selected by those who wish to teach in the biological sciences or to conduct research in environmental science.
Microbiology student working in lab

Microbiology

Offered as both a B.A. and B.S., this program focuses on the world of microorganisms, offering a specialized study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes that influence human health, industry, and the environment. Through hands-on laboratory experiences, research opportunities, and close faculty mentorship, students gain focused expertise that goes beyond the broader scope of biology and prepares them for careers in healthcare, biotechnology, research, and graduate study.
Person holding a petri dish

Public Health: Human Disease and Epidemiology

This track of the Public Health B.A. is offered by the Department of Biology. Students in this program will examine how diseases emerge, spread, and affect populations, combining the study of human health with data-driven approaches to prevention and intervention. Through applied coursework, research opportunities, and experiential learning, students develop the analytical and public health skills needed for careers in healthcare, epidemiology, public health practice, and graduate or professional studies.

Our Minors

Horticulture

The science, art and cultivation of a garden, orchard, or nursery; the cultivation of flowers, fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants.

Plant Biology & Plant Biotechnology

Plants are essential to life on this planet, yet they are often overlooked as mere scenery. This minor will address this "plant blindness" by introducing students to the unique biology, diversity and uses of plants.

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics, or the application of computational techniques to molecular biology problems, is a fast-growing field of significant importance in both academia and industry.

Molecular Biology

This minor enables students to pursue in-depth a multidisciplinary study of biological phenomena at the molecular level. It provides a strong foundation for students planning careers in biotechnology or advanced work at the graduate level.

Neuroscience

This minor enables students to pursue in depth a multidisciplinary study of the nervous system. It provides a basic framework for students planning advanced work at the graduate level.

Global Perspectives on Sustainability

This interdisciplinary minor introduces students to the foundations of environmental sustainability and its complexities with an emphasis on the approaches taken by people living under different geographic and economic conditions.

Bioinformatics

The Bioinformatics minor at Miami University prepares you for a fast-growing, high-impact field that applies computational and data-driven techniques to molecular biology and the life sciences.

Molecular Biology

The Molecular Biology Minor at Miami University offers an in-depth, interdisciplinary study of biological processes at the molecular level. This 18-credit hour program allows you to explore how DNA, RNA, proteins, and cellular systems function and interact.

Global Health

Miami University’s Global Health Minor offers a unique, transdisciplinary learning environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and ethical engagement to devlop future leaders with the essential tools to understand complex global health problems and participate in developing sustainable solutions. 

Humanities Engagement Certificate

The Humanities Engagement Certificate is designed for degree-seeking students of all majors who wish to position themselves as global citizens who research, write, and think critically about the most pressing and urgent human experiences of the twenty-first century. Course work in the humanities supports research in interdisciplinary themes and topics, while also providing an opportunity for students to think broadly and deeply about professional skills. Engagement with the programs and events of Miami University’s Humanities Center provides opportunities for all students to apply humanities perspectives to their major course of study.

Meet Our Students

Izzy Arredondo

Izzy Arredondo '27

Mallory Wilson Center for Healthcare Education • Biology • Kinesiology

Miah King

Miah King '27

Biology • Physics • Chemistry and Biochemistry • Microbiology • Mathematics

Research

The faculty in the Department of Biology, in collaboration with graduate and undergraduate students, investigate a wide range of research questions in the biological sciences. They test hypotheses in the realms of animal behavior; biotechnology; ecology and environmental biology; evolutionary biology; molecular, cell and developmental biology; physiology and neuroscience; plant biology and botany; and organismal biology.

Tour of the Biology Department

Give to the Biology Department

Help us prepare the next generation of leaders in the biological fields—and our society as a whole. We have numerous scholarships, grants, and programs accepting contributions from donors like you.

 

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Department of Biology

Students in undergraduate and graduate programs learn biological concepts taught by dedicated faculty and gain hands-on research experiences in the laboratory and field using first-class equipment, centers, and facilities. Our graduates pursue a wide variety of career paths in health, biotechnology, the environment, and plant science.