Bachelor’s in Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Texas Austin

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Biology at The University of Texas at Austin provides a rigorous foundation in biological sciences, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and laboratory work, with opportunities to specialize in areas such as cell and molecular biology, genetics and genomics, human biology, microbiology and infectious diseases, plant biology, marine science, and computational biology. It is well suited to students interested in scientific research, graduate study, healthcare, biotechnology, and other biology-focused careers, with students typically selecting a biology concentration by the end of their second year.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through BIO 311C – Introductory Biology I, CH 301 – Principles of Chemistry I, and M 408C – Differential and Integral Calculus or an approved calculus alternative. The curriculum then continues with BIO 311D – Introductory Biology II, CH 302 – Principles of Chemistry II, and CH 204 – Introduction to Chemical Practice, building the core knowledge and quantitative skills needed for advanced biology study.

Year 2: Students develop stronger analytical and scientific foundations through SDS 320E – Elements of Statistics, continued chemistry and physics coursework, and introductory laboratory preparation. By the end of the second year, students generally select a concentration, allowing their remaining coursework to become more closely aligned with their particular biological interests.

Year 3: The third year moves into upper-division biology, with students beginning concentrated study in their selected field while completing advanced science and laboratory coursework. Depending on the option, students can explore areas such as Genetics and Genomics, Cell and Molecular Biology, Human Biology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, or Computational Biology.

Year 4: Students complete advanced upper-division coursework and deepen their specialization through higher-level biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computational, or laboratory subjects appropriate to their option. UT Austin's curriculum places at least 21 hours of upper-division major coursework in the third and fourth years, giving students substantial opportunity to develop specialized scientific knowledge before graduation.

Focus Areas: Cellular and molecular biology, genetics and genomics, computational biology, ecology and evolution, human biology, marine science, microbiology and infectious diseases, plant biology, organismal biology and physiology.

Learning Outcomes: Develop a strong foundation in biological science, apply quantitative and scientific reasoning, gain laboratory and research-oriented skills, analyze biological systems, and build advanced knowledge within a chosen area of biology.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The University of Texas at Austin does not state a separate professional accreditation specifically for the Bachelor of Science in Biology on its official program or catalog pages; the degree is offered through the College of Natural Sciences.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): UT Austin's official Biology Career Services data shows that Biology graduates progress into employment, medical school, other health-professional schools, graduate school, and other post-graduation pathways; among Biology respondents in the 2014–2023 CNS Graduation Survey, 29% were employed, 19% entered medical school, 15% entered other health-professional schools, and 9% entered graduate school at the time of graduation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

For the Bachelor’s in Biology at The University of Texas at Austin, experiential learning is built around research, laboratory experimentation, fieldwork, and internships, allowing students to apply biology concepts to real scientific questions. Biology students can work in faculty laboratories, participate in the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) or Accelerated Research Initiative (ARI), and use UT Austin’s research facilities and biological field stations to develop practical research skills.

These opportunities provide several ways to move from classroom learning into hands-on biological research:

Freshman Research Initiative (FRI): First-year students can join faculty-led research streams and conduct original research using modern laboratory equipment and technology; research can count toward the degree, and students may publish or present their findings.
Accelerated Research Initiative (ARI): Sophomores, juniors, and transfer students can gain research experience through a program designed for students beyond their first year, including summer internship opportunities.
BIO 206L Introductory Biology Laboratory: Students participate in a course-based undergraduate research experience focused on real research methods, including work connected with antibiotic-resistance research and bacteria discovered from soil samples.
Faculty Research Laboratories: Biology students can work directly with faculty researchers through undergraduate research opportunities, gaining experience with laboratory experimentation and current biological research.
Field Research: UT Austin's biology curriculum includes fieldwork, while facilities such as Waller Creek and the university's biological field stations provide environments for observing and investigating living organisms outside the traditional laboratory.
Biology Internships: UT Austin's College of Natural Sciences maintains Biology internship data showing students have undertaken internships with organizations including Amarillo Medical Specialists, AIG, ACS Engineering, and Centers for Disease Control among reported experiences.
Impact Lab: Students can work in teams on real problems presented by industry, public-sector, nonprofit, and community partners, developing solutions while earning course credit.
May Term Biotechnology Training: The Department of Molecular Biosciences offers intensive laboratory training involving techniques such as molecular cloning, protein expression, functional enzyme assays, PCR, SDS-PAGE, and molecular assays, with micro-credentials available for skills developed.
Research Facilities: Biology research and learning take place in facilities including J.T. Patterson Laboratories, Neural and Molecular Science, Moffett Molecular Biology, and Biological Laboratories, alongside UT Austin's biological field stations.
Digital & Computational Biology: Biology students can encounter mathematical modeling and computational approaches through areas such as genetics, genomics, and computational biology, depending on their selected coursework.
Experiential Learning Support: The CNS Office of Experiential Learning helps Biology students identify faculty research, internships, study-abroad programs, and other hands-on opportunities through dedicated advising.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor’s in Biology at The University of Texas at Austin gives students broad preparation for careers in research, biotechnology, healthcare, government, and related life-science fields. Biology graduates can also progress into medical, health-professional, or graduate programs, while the program’s research and internship opportunities help students build practical experience alongside their academic training.

Typical Job Roles: Research Assistant, Biotechnologist, Laboratory Technician, Biological Researcher.

Career Services & Employment Support:

Career coaching: CNS Career Services provides career coaching, programs, events, employer connections, and access to jobs, internships, and experiential-learning opportunities through 12twenty@Texas.
Internships and research: Biology students can gain practical experience through undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, and interdisciplinary career-focused experiences.
Employer access: Employers can recruit CNS students through career fairs, workshops, information sessions, on-campus interviews, and 12twenty@Texas job and internship postings.

Employment & Graduation Statistics:

Employment: 29% of Biology graduates in the 2014–2023 CNS Graduation Survey were employed at the time of graduation.
Medical School: 19% progressed to medical school.
Other Health Professional Schools: 15% continued into other health-professional programs.
Graduate School: 9% entered graduate school, while 14% reported seeking employment.
Salary figures: UT Austin’s official Biology career page provides graduation and career data but does not publish a specific Biology graduate salary figure; therefore, a Biology-specific salary is not stated by the official source.

University–Industry Connections:

Industry engagement: The College of Natural Sciences works with industry partners through student mentorship, project ideation, career programming, recruiting, and research collaboration.
Biotechnology connections: Biology students can access opportunities involving the CNS Biotechnology Partnership with Austin Community College, while the research ecosystem also connects students with Dell Medical School, the UT School of Pharmacy, and other research units.
Employer examples: Official Biology internship data includes organizations such as Genentech, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Accreditation Value: The University of Texas at Austin is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees. The official UT Austin accreditation information does not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the Biology bachelor’s degree.

Graduation Outcomes: Biology graduates move into employment, medical and other health-professional education, graduate study, and careers in technology, business, government, and research. UT Austin’s Biology career data is based on graduates surveyed at the time of graduation, so it should be understood as an immediate post-graduation snapshot rather than a measure of long-term career outcomes.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor’s degree, students can continue into graduate study in areas such as microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, neuroscience, ecology and evolutionary biology, or other biological and biomedical disciplines. UT Austin’s Interdisciplinary Life Sciences graduate programs offer specialized research tracks including Molecular Genetics, Cell & Developmental Biology, Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, and Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, with access to more than 130 affiliated research faculty.