Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (BA or BS)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Connecticut

Program Overview

The B.A. or B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut explores how organisms interact, behave, evolve, and adapt, from individual organisms through populations, communities, and ecosystems. It suits students interested in biodiversity, conservation, environmental science, animal and plant biology, or research, with the B.S. providing a stronger science-focused pathway and the B.A. offering greater flexibility within the liberal arts curriculum.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their biological foundation through BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology I and BIOL 1108: Principles of Biology II or BIOL 1110: Introduction to Botany, together with general chemistry. These courses introduce fundamental biological principles that support later study in ecology, evolution, organismal biology, and environmental science.

Second Year: Students begin the major's core subjects with EEB 2244E: General Ecology and EEB 2245: Evolutionary Biology, examining ecological processes, biodiversity, evolutionary mechanisms, biogeography, and the history of plants and animals. They also complete MCB 2410: Genetics, connecting genetic processes with ecological and evolutionary change.

Third Year: Students move into specialized organismal and plant studies through courses such as EEB 3254: Mammalogy, EEB 3220: Evolution of Green Plants, or EEB 4250: General Entomology. Practical learning becomes increasingly important through options such as EEB 4230W: Methods of Ecology, which introduces field and laboratory methods, sampling, data collection, statistical analysis, and computer-based ecological modeling.

Fourth Year: The final stage allows students to pursue advanced areas such as EEB 4150: Modeling Ecological and Evolutionary Processes, EEB 4200: Biology of Fishes, or EEB 4215: Physiological Ecology of Animals. Students can complete their required advanced EEB coursework through specialized laboratory, field, writing, and research-oriented courses, developing the technical and analytical skills expected in the discipline.

Focus areas: Ecology, evolutionary biology, animal diversity, plant diversity, physiology, biodiversity, conservation biology, genetics, animal behavior, marine biology, field biology, ecological modeling, and environmental change.

Learning outcomes: Students learn to explain biodiversity and the history of life, analyze ecological patterns and processes, explain evolutionary change and speciation, understand interactions between ecological and evolutionary processes, use common tools, equipment and software to collect and analyze ecological and evolutionary data, interpret laboratory and field results, evaluate primary scientific literature, and communicate scientific findings effectively.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The official UConn program page does not state a separate professional accreditation for the B.A. or B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. The curriculum instead emphasizes discipline-specific technical proficiency, laboratory and field experience, quantitative analysis, scientific literature, and scientific communication.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): The official UConn program and department sources do not publish a program-specific employability ranking for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. UConn does offer an accelerated B.S./M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, allowing eligible EEB B.S. students to pursue the M.S. through a fifth-year pathway, with 12 graduate credits applicable toward the M.S.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in UConn’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) program gain practical experience through laboratory work, field studies, computational analysis, research projects, and internships. The department gives undergraduates opportunities to work directly in faculty laboratories and in the field, while specialized courses teach research methods, data analysis, scientific communication, and the use of R for ecological data. UConn also provides distinctive resources including biological research collections, the UConn Botanical Conservatory, and the Computational Biology Core with computing clusters for genomics.

Practical opportunities include:

Research experience: Undergraduates can participate in faculty-led laboratory and field research during the academic year or summer, with projects spanning areas such as forest fragmentation, climate change, plant and animal biology, cicada systematics, and genomics.
Independent research projects: Faculty mentor student-led research projects, including projects supported through UConn’s Office of Undergraduate Research, allowing students to develop and investigate their own research questions.
Ecological fieldwork: EEB 4230W: Methods of Ecology is an intensive hands-on course with nine field trips, teaching field sampling, research-question development, data collection, and ecological research methods.
R programming and data analysis: EEB 4230W teaches students to use R for ecological research, including entering and visualizing data and performing fundamental statistical tests. Students also complete a final project report designed around turning collected data into a scientific manuscript.
Field trips: Courses such as EEB 4200: Biology of Fishes, EEB 4252: Field Entomology, and EEB 4120: Paleobiology incorporate field trips, specimen work, or field-based investigations.
Laboratory experience: EEB courses combine laboratory and field activities, including fossil identification and interpretation in EEB 4120, fish identification and life-history work in EEB 4200, and insect collection and identification in EEB 4252.
Group projects: EEB 2100E: Global Change Ecology includes a group project in which students communicate scientific evidence about global environmental change to a non-specialist audience through oral and written work.
Scientific communication: EEB 2254W: Current Research Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology uses primary research literature and develops scientific writing through writing, editing, revision, and peer feedback.
Internships: EEB 3891: Internship in Ecology, Conservation, or Evolutionary Biology allows students to earn academic credit through supervised work with a nonprofit organization, government agency, or business. Students can earn 1–9 credits, with one credit awarded for each 42 hours of approved activity.
Research collections: UConn’s EEB resources include Biological Research Collections, including insect collections that support teaching and research.
Botanical facility: The UConn Botanical Conservatory houses more than 2,500 species of living plants, providing a specialized resource connected to plant biology and ecological study.
Computational facilities: The Computational Biology Core provides computing clusters for genomics, supporting computational approaches relevant to evolutionary biology and biodiversity research.
Undergraduate research presentation: EEB hosts an undergraduate research symposium, where students can present their research, with selected students also presenting at the Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of UConn’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (BA or BS) can apply their training to careers in conservation, natural-resource management, environmental consulting, biotechnology, government, education, research, and nonprofit organizations. The department also reports that many graduates continue into M.S. or Ph.D. programs, medical or veterinary school, while alumni examples include wildlife biologists, field technicians, research specialists, biologists, and environmental educators.

Career roles: Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Consultant, Field Research Technician, Conservation Scientist.

Career support and employment opportunities: UConn's The Major Experience provides career exploration and access to career coaches, while the EEB department maintains career resources, job listings, and connections to professional organizations and employment opportunities. Documented experiential-learning organizations include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, National Park Service, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and UConn Office of Environmental Policy.
Employment and salary: UConn's official EEB sources do not publish a graduate employment rate or median salary specifically for the four-year BA/BS. The department does provide current and historical job opportunities with published compensation; for example, a 2026 aquatic ecologist posting listed $22.50–$25.96/hour for B.S. candidates, while another 2026 wildlife-related posting listed $45,000–$55,000 annually. These are job-posting figures rather than graduate salary statistics.
University–industry and professional connections: Students can gain experience with organizations including BL Companies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History through internships, research, fieldwork, and related experiential learning. UConn EEB also connects students with professional societies such as the Ecological Society of America, Society for Conservation Biology, Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.
Research and employability: Undergraduate research can develop research design, data analysis, field and laboratory techniques, scientific communication, collaboration, and faculty mentoring. Students can pursue independent research through EEB laboratories and may obtain funding through the EEB Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship or UConn's SURF program.
Accreditation value: The official UConn EEB sources do not state a separate professional accreditation for the BA or BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, so no program-specific accreditation should be assumed. The degree nevertheless provides a pathway into graduate, professional, government, conservation, research, and environmental careers documented by the department.
Graduation outcomes: UConn alumni have progressed into positions such as Biologist, Project Scientist I, Research Specialist, Field Research Assistant, Staff Scientist, Water Bird Lead Biologist, and Seasonal Resource Assistant—Wildlife. Alumni have also continued into M.S. and Ph.D. programs in areas including ecology and evolutionary biology, biodiversity and conservation biology, environmental science, biology, and evolutionary anthropology.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into UConn's M.S. or Ph.D. programs in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with the department accepting students with bachelor's degrees and strong preparation for direct Ph.D. admission. UConn also offers a five-year Joint B.S./M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, combining undergraduate and graduate study in ecology, evolution, systematics, natural history, public policy, economics, and ethics; the department reports that nearly 90% of this joint program's graduates find employment in the field. Other progression routes identified by UConn include medical school, veterinary school, law school, health professions, and graduate programs in conservation and environmental sciences.