Biology, B.S. (Science)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

The Biology, B.S. (Science) at Penn State University Park provides a broad scientific foundation covering life from molecules and cells to organisms, populations, and ecosystems, with opportunities to tailor the degree through specialized options. It is well suited to students interested in research, healthcare, graduate study, environmental science, biotechnology, or other biology-related careers, combining laboratory and field experiences with biological, chemical, physical, mathematical, and statistical study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through courses such as BIOL 110 – Biology: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity, CHEM 110 – Chemical Principles I, and MATH 140 – Calculus With Analytic Geometry I, supported by statistics and general education coursework. This stage develops core knowledge of biodiversity and biological principles while building the chemistry, calculus, quantitative, and communication skills required for upper-level biology.

Year 2: Students move deeper into biological organization through courses such as BIOL 220W – Biology: Populations and Communities and BIOL 230W – Biology: Molecules and Cells, while continuing organic chemistry through CHEM 210 – Organic Chemistry or CHEM 202 – Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry I. Depending on the academic option, students also begin more specialized preparation and supporting coursework.

Year 3: The curriculum progresses into advanced biology and supporting sciences, with students taking 400-level BIOL courses alongside PHYS 250 – Introductory Physics I and PHYS 251 – Introductory Physics II in the General Biology pathway. Students begin developing greater depth in their selected area while combining advanced biology with quantitative, physical-science, and general education study.

Year 4: Students complete the major through additional 400-level BIOL courses, allowing them to explore advanced topics aligned with their chosen Biology option, together with coursework such as ENGL 202C and supporting electives. The final year emphasizes advanced biological knowledge and gives students flexibility to build a course plan suited to their professional or academic direction.

Focus areas: Ecology, General Biology, Genetics and Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, Plant Biology, Vertebrate Physiology.

Learning outcomes: Biological literacy, scientific reasoning, evidence evaluation, quantitative analysis, scientific communication, collaboration, ethical reasoning, and understanding the relationship between science and society.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The official Penn State Biology B.S. pages do not state a separate professional accreditation specifically for this undergraduate Biology degree. The program supports preparation for healthcare, research, graduate study, education, industry, government, and nonprofit careers.

Reputation (employability rankings): Penn State’s official Biology sources do not provide a current program-specific employability ranking such as QS or Guardian for the Biology B.S. The university does, however, provide dedicated science career services, internships, co-op opportunities, career fairs, networking events, and employer engagement for Eberly College of Science students.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Penn State’s Biology, B.S. (Science) gain practical experience through laboratory courses, independent research, field-based study, internships, and collaborative research projects. The program provides access to research environments across the Department of Biology and Eberly College of Science, including specialized facilities for genomics, microscopy, cytometry, electrophysiology, transgenic research, and plant science. Students can begin gaining research experience as early as their first year and continue through semester or summer research, for credit or pay.

These opportunities give students several ways to apply classroom biology to authentic research and professional settings:

First-Year Research Initiative (FRI): Students can join a two-semester laboratory sequence in which they develop research skills, design their own independent projects, and undertake independent and collaborative research projects with faculty and undergraduate research mentors.
Research Projects: BIOL 494 – Research Project allows students to undertake supervised research, while BIOL 496 – Independent Studies provides another route for individualized academic and research experience.
Internships: BIOL 495 – Internship in Biology provides a formal internship option within the degree, allowing students to gain experience beyond traditional classroom study.
Science Co-op: Students can gain structured workplace experience through SC 295 – Science Co-op Work Experience I, SC 395 – Science Co-op Work Experience II, and SC 495 – Science Co-op Work Experience III.
Field-Based Learning: Courses such as BIOL 444 – Field Ecology, BIOL 450W – Experimental Field Biology, BIOL 483 – Coastal Biology Travel Experience, BIOL 484 – Biodiversity of Pennsylvania, and BIOL 499A – Tropical Field Ecology provide opportunities to apply biological concepts in field settings.
Bioinformatics & Data Analysis: Students can take BIOL 439 – Practical Bioinformatics and BIOL 465 – Network Analysis of Biological Systems, providing experience with computational approaches to biological research.
Advanced Laboratory Work: Program options include BIOL 473 – Laboratory in Mammalian Physiology, BIOL 477 – Biology Cadaver Dissection, and BMB 442 – Laboratory in Proteins, Nucleic Acids, and Molecular Cloning, giving students experience with specialized laboratory methods.
Biology Research Laboratories: The Müller Laboratory houses Department of Biology research laboratories, teaching faculty, and instructional classrooms, while Wartik Laboratory supports Evolution and Genomics research and houses the Huck Institutes’ Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Center for Medical Genomics, and Wet Lab Space.
Specialized Life-Science Facilities: Students and faculty have access to facilities including Genomics, Human Electrophysiology, Microscopy & Cytometry, and Transgenic Mouse Facilities through the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
Biology Greenhouses: The Biology (Buckhout) Greenhouses provide dedicated teaching and research space, with a 6,250-square-foot structure containing 4,760 square feet of growing area for biological research and instruction.
Research Centers & Institutes: Biology students can engage with research environments connected to the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation, Institute of Molecular Evolutionary Genetics, and Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics.
Research Presentation: Students can present their research through the Eberly College of Science Undergraduate Poster Exhibition, where undergraduates showcase research conducted at Penn State or through external summer research programs.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biology, B.S. (Science) at Penn State prepares students for diverse pathways in healthcare, biological research, education, biotechnology, environmental science, government, and related fields. Penn State reports that recent Biology graduates have entered health care (40%), research (25%), teaching (10%), and other areas (25%), including pharmaceutical sales, government agencies, and conservation organizations.

Typical Job Roles: Research Assistant, Laboratory Technician, Biologist, Environmental Scientist.

Career Support & Employment Opportunities:

Career Services: Penn State Career Services provides career counseling and coaching, career events, resume and job-search resources, networking opportunities, and access to Nittany Lion Careers, where students and employers connect for internships and jobs.
Science Career Support: The Eberly College of Science offers resume reviews, internships, co-op opportunities, career fairs, networking receptions, workshops, and counseling specifically supporting science students.
Employment Statistics: Penn State reports that among recent Biology graduates, 40% entered health care, 25% entered research, 10% entered teaching, and 25% entered other career areas.
Medical School Progression: Approximately 80% of Penn State Biology majors who apply to medical school are accepted, according to the Department of Biology; Penn State compares this with a 42% national average.
Salary Figures: A Biology-specific starting-salary figure is not stated on the official Penn State Biology career pages, so no salary figure is added here.

University–Industry Connections: Penn State provides structured connections between students, employers, and research organizations through its career fairs, internships, co-ops, and university-wide Corporate Engagement Center. The Biology department also collaborates across life-science units and connects with research centers including the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, and Center for Gene Regulation.

Accreditation Value: The official Penn State Biology, B.S. information does not state a separate professional accreditation for the Biology major. Its value for long-term progression comes from the broad biological-science foundation, laboratory and research preparation, and preparation for professional schools and graduate study.

Graduation Outcomes: Penn State states that Biology graduates progress into healthcare, research, education, pharmaceutical sales, government agencies such as the FDA and EPA, conservation, genetic counseling, and other biological-science-related careers. The department also reports that more than 6,000 students have earned bachelor's degrees in Biology from Penn State over the past 35 years, reflecting a substantial alumni base across education, public health, business, and research.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S., students can continue into M.S. or Ph.D. study in Biology and related life-science disciplines at Penn State or elsewhere. Penn State's Eberly College of Science offers graduate programs in Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, and other scientific fields, while the Biology degree also provides preparation for professional schools including medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant programs, and genetic counseling.