Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Biosciences and a Major Concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Students in Rice University’s Biosciences BA with an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology concentration gain practical experience through required laboratory work, field-based courses, independent research, and hands-on study of ecology, evolution, biodiversity, conservation, and animal behavior. The curriculum includes BIOS 213 Introductory Lab in Ecology & Evolution and allows students to choose specialized laboratory and field courses such as BIOS 316 Lab Module in Ecology, BIOS 319 Tropical Field Biology, BIOS 322 Conservation Biology Lab, BIOS 337 Field Bird Biology Lab, and BIOS 339 Plant Diversity Lab.

Students can also participate in faculty-led research from the first year, with Rice reporting that more than 75% of Natural Sciences students participate in research before graduation. Biosciences students can earn academic credit through BIOS 299, BIOS 310, and honors research courses, while summer research fellowships provide opportunities for a 10-week research internship.

The program’s practical learning opportunities include:

• Ecology laboratory: BIOS 213 Introductory Lab in Ecology & Evolution uses experimental, laboratory, and field studies to examine natural history, ecology, evolution, and animal behavior.
• Field research: BIOS 316 Lab Module in Ecology includes a required multi-day trip to a field station in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, where students make field observations and collect ecological data.
• Specialized field courses: Students can choose BIOS 319 Tropical Field Biology, BIOS 320 Ecology and Conservation of Brazilian Wetlands Laboratory, BIOS 322 Conservation Biology Lab, BIOS 323/ANTH 323 Climate Change and Human Evolution: African Savanna Ecology and Paleoecology, BIOS 330 Insect Biology Lab, BIOS 337 Field Bird Biology Lab, and BIOS 339 Plant Diversity Lab.
• Independent research: The degree includes opportunities for BIOS 310 Independent Research for Biosciences Undergraduates, allowing students to undertake supervised research as part of their academic program.
• Research internships: Biosciences students can undertake research through BIOS 299, while the department's summer research fellowships support a 10-week research internship and provide $5,000 in fellowship funding when awarded.
• Research locations and partners: Undergraduate research opportunities are available both on and off campus, including the Texas Medical Center, Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, and NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
• Ecology research facilities: Rice’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology research environment includes laboratories, a 3,500-square-foot greenhouse, and an experimental field site, with additional field-research opportunities at nearby refuges, parks, experimental stations, and preserves.
• Computational and biological research tools: The BioScience Research Collaborative (BRC) supports laboratory, theoretical, and computational investigations and houses research laboratories, specialized facilities, and computational resources.
• Advanced instrumentation: Through the Rice Shared Equipment Authority, researchers have access to facilities including mass spectrometry, microscopy, and BioNMR, including a Nikon A1-Rsi confocal microscope.
• Research institutes and centers: The BRC hosts or provides facilities for organizations including the Synthetic Biology Institute, Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice 360: Institute for Global Health Technologies, and Gulf Coast Consortia, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary exposure.
• Scientific communication and data skills: The program's research-oriented learning develops students' ability to design experiments, collect and analyze data, evaluate scientific literature, and communicate biological findings, directly connecting classroom learning with scientific research practice. 

The Biosciences BA with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology gives students a strong foundation in biological sciences while developing skills in scientific literature, research, data analysis, and communication. Rice identifies pathways into graduate, medical, and professional schools as well as diverse life-science careers, including environmental and ecological fields.

Typical job roles: Research Scientist, Restoration Ecologist, Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Consultant

• Career support: Rice’s Center for Career Development (CCD) provides 1-to-1 career coaching, resume and interview support, career workshops, internships, jobs, externships, employer networking, and access to the 12twenty career platform.
• Employment opportunities: Rice’s Career & Internship Expos are held each fall and spring and connect students with recruiters from Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofit organizations; industry-specific Career Nights also include fields such as Biotechnology.
• Employment outcomes: Across Rice bachelor-level graduates from the Classes of 2023–2025, 53% were working, 33% were continuing education, 8% were seeking employment, 4% were seeking education, and 2% reported other intentions. Rice’s current official outcomes page does not report a salary figure for these undergraduate cohorts, so a program-specific salary is not stated.
• Industry connections: Rice provides employer access through job and internship postings, career expos, information sessions, coffee chats, on-campus interviews, and externships, creating opportunities to connect with organizations across biotechnology, healthcare, environmental, research, and other sectors.
• Research opportunities: Undergraduate research is strongly encouraged in BioSciences, with opportunities for independent research, research internships, senior honors theses, and the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program. These experiences can strengthen preparation for research-oriented careers and graduate study.
• Graduation outcomes: The concentration develops capabilities in biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, scientific literature evaluation, experimental design, mathematical modeling, data collection and analysis, and scientific communication, providing transferable preparation for life-science careers and further study.
• Long-term accreditation value: Rice University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Rice’s institutional accreditation is subject to periodic reaffirmation and provides an established quality-assurance framework for its degrees.

Further Academic Progression: After the BA, students can progress to Rice’s PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which develops advanced research skills and prepares graduates for careers in academia, industry, the private sector, or government. Rice also offers graduate programs in Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Systems, Synthetic & Physical Biology, while qualified undergraduate students interested in graduate study may apply to Rice’s specialized BA-MS-PhD program track at the end of their sophomore year.