Bachelor of Arts in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Kansas

Program Overview

The B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at the University of Kansas examines how organisms function and interact within populations, species, communities, and their environments, combining genetics, physiology, ecology, evolutionary biology, statistics, systematics, and organismal diversity. It is suited to students interested in understanding biodiversity, environmental relationships, animal and plant biology, research, conservation, or further study in biological and related professional fields.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their biological and scientific foundation through BIOL 150: Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, BIOL 152: Principles of Organismal Biology, and BIOL 154: Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors. They also begin chemistry with CHEM 130: General Chemistry I, while BIOL 105: Biology Orientation Seminar introduces them to the field and their academic pathway.

Second Year: Students progress into the core disciplines of ecology and evolution with BIOL 350: Principles of Genetics, BIOL 370: Introduction to Biostatistics, and BIOL 412: Evolutionary Biology. Chemistry, mathematics, and other KU Core requirements continue to strengthen the quantitative and scientific foundation needed for upper-level organismal biology.

Third Year: The curriculum moves further into organismal and environmental systems through BIOL 413: The Tree of Life, BIOL 414: Principles of Ecology, and BIOL 428: Introduction to Systematics. Students also complete an organismal physiology option, choosing from courses such as BIOL 544: Comparative Animal Physiology, BIOL 546: Mammalian Physiology, or BIOL 606: Ecological Plant Physiology, while beginning to use their elective space to develop specific interests.

Fourth Year: Students use upper-level electives to deepen their interests across ecology, evolution, organismal biology, and related fields, with options that can include BIOL 400: Fundamentals of Microbiology, BIOL 416: Cell Structure and Function, BIOL 417: Biology of Development, or BIOL 600: Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures. The B.A. also requires students to demonstrate proficiency in a non-English language and complete KU Core requirements that include laboratory or field experience, writing, and quantitative literacy.

Focus areas: Ecology, evolutionary biology, organismal biology, genetics, physiology, systematics, organismal diversity, biostatistics, environmental biology, and biological research.

Learning outcomes: Graduates develop an understanding of ecological and evolutionary principles, organismal structure and function, biological diversity, and evolutionary processes, while learning to apply scientific methods, design investigations, collect and analyze biological data, interpret results quantitatively, and communicate scientific findings.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The official KU B.A. program information does not state a separate professional or disciplinary accreditation specifically for the Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology degree.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): The official KU program and university pages reviewed do not publish a specific employability ranking for the B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology; therefore, no program-specific ranking is stated.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology gain practical experience through laboratory courses, independent research, internships, and field-based study. KU provides access to specialized facilities including the KU Field Station, natural-history collections, greenhouses, controlled-environment rooms, microscopy and analytical imaging facilities, and experimental ecological sites, allowing students to study organisms and ecosystems in both laboratory and natural settings.

Practical learning opportunities include:

Field research: The KU Field Station provides access to diverse prairie, forest, wetland, and managed habitats, with more than 1,600 acres in its core research area available for KU teaching and research.
Ecological experiments: Students can benefit from field-research infrastructure including experimental ponds, a dedicated lake and watershed, a common garden, small-mammal enclosures, and a succession facility at the John H. Nelson Environmental Study Area.
Laboratory experience: The B.A. includes advanced biology laboratory requirements and courses such as BIOL 405: Laboratory in Genetics and BIOL 426: Laboratory in Cell Biology, providing hands-on experimental training.
Independent research: Students can undertake BIOL 423: Non-laboratory Independent Study or BIOL 424: Independent Study, providing an opportunity to work on focused biological investigations.
Internships: BIOL 490: Internship and Practical Applications gives students a structured way to gain practical experience related to biology.
Natural-history collections: KU's Biodiversity Institute houses approximately 8 million specimens, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, arthropods, plants, parasites, and fossils, supporting biodiversity and organismal research.
Microscopy and imaging: The department has access to the Microscopy and Analytical Imaging Laboratory, supporting advanced visualization and analysis for biological research.
Plant research facilities: KU's facilities include greenhouses and controlled-environment rooms, supporting research and teaching involving plants and organismal biology.
Geospatial tools: The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research uses technologies including satellite and airborne remote sensing, aerial photography, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for ecological and environmental research.
Long-term ecological research: The KU Field Station provides access to long-term research sites such as the Fitch Natural History Reservation and the Rockefeller Prairie Experimental Tract, enabling investigation of ecological succession, habitat management, restoration, and population and community dynamics.
Research environments: Students can work within KU's broader ecology research environment, where ongoing projects cover behavior, physiology, morphology, reproductive biology, pollination, genetics, predator-prey interactions, host-pathogen relationships, and community and landscape ecology.
Capstone experience: The B.A. requires a BIOL Capstone course, providing a culminating academic experience that integrates biological knowledge and skills developed throughout the degree.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology prepares graduates to apply ecological and evolutionary principles to organisms, populations, communities, and environmental systems, with pathways into research, conservation, environmental work, education, and related biological fields. KU also provides opportunities for internships, independent study, faculty-guided research, and professional development that can help students translate the degree into practical career experience.

Career roles: Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Consultant, Research Scientist, Biology Educator.
Career services: KU's University Career Center provides career advising, career planning resources, resume reviews, interview guidance, and programs designed to help students prepare for post-graduation opportunities.
Employment resources: KU Biology maintains career and internship resources including USAJOBS, EVOLDIR, ECOLOG-L, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, Kansas Works, KCjobs, and PathwaysToScience, giving students access to biological, ecological, governmental, and research opportunities.
Internship pathway: The curriculum includes BIOL 490: Internship and Practical Applications, allowing students to receive academic credit for an internship or practical experience connected to biology.
Research opportunities: Students can pursue BIOL 423: Non-laboratory Independent Study, BIOL 424: Independent Study, or BIOL 699: Biology Honors Research Colloquium, providing routes into faculty-supervised research and independent investigation.
Research partnerships: KU's BESST Mentorship Program connects STEM students with faculty and staff across Environmental Studies, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, the Kansas Geological Survey, Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, and the Biodiversity Institute; eligible students can work as paid research assistants.
Research experience: KU's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) provides a 10-week research experience involving faculty laboratories in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biosciences, and Computational Biology, with training in experimental design, scientific communication, and R-based data analysis.
Field and environmental research: The Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology conducts research across Ecology and Global Change Biology, Evolutionary Mechanisms, and Biodiversity and Macroevolution, with faculty and students conducting research at sites around the world.
Employment and salary: KU's official program page states that biological and environmental occupations offer competitive salaries and projected job growth based on Lightcast data, but it does not publish a specific salary figure or employment rate for B.A. EEOB graduates; therefore, a program-specific salary statistic is not stated.
Industry and external connections: KU students can access opportunities connected to organizations and employers including Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, NOAA Fisheries, Merck, Institute for Systems Biology, and environmental and biological research organizations through KU's career and internship resources.
Accreditation value: The University of Kansas is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; the official EEOB B.A. catalog does not state a separate professional accreditation specific to the degree.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates can pursue biological research, environmental consulting, wildlife biology, education, conservation organizations, environmental agencies, research institutions, or further academic study.
Honors and research distinction: Eligible EEOB B.A. students can pursue Departmental Honors, which recognizes strong achievement in coursework and independent research and involves completing and presenting a research project.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.A., students can continue into graduate study in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, including KU's M.A. and Ph.D. programs, or pursue graduate/professional programs in areas such as environmental science, conservation biology, wildlife biology, biological sciences, and related disciplines. KU's EEB department also provides opportunities for students progressing into graduate research, including faculty research projects and graduate-level study in ecology and evolutionary biology.