Bachelor of Arts in Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Kentucky

Program Overview

The University of Kentucky’s Bachelor of Arts in Biology provides a broad foundation in the biological sciences while giving students the flexibility to complement biology with a minor or a customized topical focus. Students study areas such as evolution, genetics, cell biology, ecology and physiology while developing laboratory, research, analytical and scientific communication skills for careers in life sciences, healthcare, environmental fields and further study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through BIO 148: Introductory Biology I, BIO 152: Principles of Biology II and BIO 155: Introductory Biology Lab I, alongside General College Chemistry I and II with their laboratory courses. MA 137: Calculus with Life Science Applications can provide the quantitative foundation required for the major.

Year 2: Students progress into the core biological sciences while completing Organic Chemistry I and BIO 303: Introduction to Evolution or BIO 304: Principles of Genetics. The BA structure also provides room for foreign-language study, UK Core requirements and electives, supporting the degree’s broader liberal-arts flexibility.

Year 3: Students deepen their biological knowledge through upper-level coursework, including the second Tier I core course and two Tier II options such as BIO 315: Intro to Cell Biology, BIO 325: Ecology, or BIO 350: Animal Physiology/BIO 430G: Plant Physiology. Students also complete STA 296: Statistical Methods and Motivations and begin building their minor or topical focus.

Year 4: The final year emphasizes advanced biology electives and scientific communication, including BIO 425: Biology Seminar and upper-level BIO coursework. Students completing the topical-focus option can create a 12-credit interdisciplinary sequence, while the minor option allows them to complement biology with another academic area.

Focus areas: Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Physiology and Behavior, Plant Biology, Pre-Professional School Training, Minor Option, Topical Focus.

Learning outcomes: Research and laboratory experimentation, data analysis and interpretation, use of laboratory instrumentation, scientific writing and presentation, problem-solving, collaboration with scientists, understanding biological systems, and understanding interactions between organisms and their environment.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The University of Kentucky is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees. The official university accreditation information does not identify a separate specialized accreditation for the BA in Biology.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Kentucky’s official Biology page identifies Biology as the university’s #1 most popular major, and reports that 50% of Biology students conduct research; a program-specific QS, Guardian or other official employability ranking is not stated on the university’s Biology pages.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Arts in Biology at the University of Kentucky combines core biological science study with opportunities to develop practical laboratory and research skills. Students can gain hands-on experience through biology laboratory courses, faculty-mentored research, and access to specialized facilities and instrumentation within the Department of Biology and the broader UK research environment. These experiences help students connect classroom concepts with current biological research and prepare for graduate, professional, or biology-related careers:

Undergraduate research: Biology students can participate in faculty-led research and pursue independent research experiences, allowing them to work on real biological questions and develop research skills.
Laboratory experience: The biology curriculum includes laboratory-based coursework where students develop practical skills in areas such as cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and organismal biology.
Research facilities: The Department of Biology provides research laboratories supporting areas including molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and organismal biology, giving students opportunities to engage with active research environments.
Specialized equipment: Department research laboratories use modern biological research instrumentation and techniques appropriate to areas such as molecular genetics, microscopy, cell culture, and biochemical analysis.
Field-based learning: Biology students can gain experience studying organisms and ecosystems through field-oriented biology and ecology coursework, connecting laboratory and classroom learning with biological systems in natural environments.
Interdisciplinary research: Students can benefit from the University of Kentucky’s wider research environment, with opportunities to connect biological sciences with areas such as medicine, agriculture, environmental science, and biomedical research.
Libraries and research resources: Students have access to the University of Kentucky Libraries, including scientific databases, journals, research materials, and study spaces that support biology coursework and independent research.
Faculty mentorship: Undergraduate students can work with Biology faculty whose research spans areas such as cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, neuroscience, microbiology, and organismal biology, providing exposure to current scientific research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The University of Kentucky’s Bachelor of Arts in Biology gives students a flexible life-sciences foundation that can lead toward healthcare, research, biotechnology, environmental science, education, and other biology-related careers. The program allows students to build their studies around a minor or a customized topical focus, while developing scientific analysis, research, and problem-solving skills that can support both employment and further professional study.

Typical career roles: Biological/biomedical researcher, genetic counselor, biology teacher, biomedical patent analyst, or environmental/conservation professional.

Career services: The University of Kentucky’s Stuckert Career Center provides career advising and uses Handshake to connect students with career events, programs, and potential employers. Its UK First Destination Dashboard also tracks the initial career destinations of recent bachelor’s graduates.
Employment and salary figures: The university’s official Biology program page identifies career pathways but does not publish program-specific employment rates or salary figures for BA Biology graduates. UK’s First Destination Dashboard provides graduate destination information, but a Biology-specific salary figure is not stated on the official program page.
University–industry connections: The Biology program prepares students for careers spanning healthcare, biotechnology, environmental conservation, and research, while the Stuckert Career Center provides employer connections through Handshake and career programming. Specific named industry partnerships for the BA Biology program are not stated on the official program page.
Long-term accreditation value: The University of Kentucky is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. This institutional accreditation provides an established quality framework for the university’s degree programs.
Graduation outcomes: Biology graduates can move into healthcare and scientific careers, including physician/physician assistant, genetic counselor, biological/biomedical researcher, dentist, pharmacist, biomedical patent analyst, biology teacher, and governmental science advisor pathways.
Flexible progression: The Biology BA can be completed with either a minor or a customized topical focus, allowing students to combine biology with another academic area according to their career interests.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BA in Biology, students can continue into graduate or professional education depending on their chosen pathway. The University of Kentucky specifically identifies the program as suitable preparation for professional careers in healthcare and scientific fields, while its Biology program is also part of the university’s Accelerated Master’s Pathways, allowing eligible students planning a master’s degree to begin graduate-level coursework during their undergraduate studies and potentially save time and cost.