(B.A. or B.S.) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Yale University

Program Overview

Yale’s B.A. or B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology offers a broad study of biological science, spanning molecules, cells, organs, organisms, ecosystems, biodiversity, and the evolutionary processes that connect them. The program suits students interested in ecology, environmental science, organismal biology, medicine, veterinary medicine, or further graduate study, with opportunities for independent research in both laboratory and field settings.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their scientific foundation through the introductory biology sequence, including BIOL 1010 Biochemistry and Biophysics, BIOL 1020 Principles of Cell Biology, BIOL 1030 Genetics and Development, and BIOL 1040 Principles of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, alongside general chemistry and mathematics or statistics. These courses establish the biological, chemical, and quantitative knowledge needed for advanced EEB study.

Year 2: Students progress into the major’s core ecology and evolution curriculum, with EEB 2220 General Ecology and EEB 2225 Evolutionary Biology forming key components of the Biodiversity and the Environment concentration. Students interested in organismal biology can instead develop expertise through courses such as EEB 2290 Comparative Anatomy and EEB 2295 Comparative Physiology.

Year 3: Students deepen their understanding through organismal diversity courses and associated laboratory work, with options such as EEB 2246 Plant Diversity and Evolution, EEB 2250 Biology of Terrestrial Arthropods, EEB 2264 Ichthyology, and EEB 2272 Ornithology. The curriculum also provides opportunities for independent research through courses such as EEB 4469 and EEB 4474.

Year 4: The final year emphasizes independent academic work and allows students to demonstrate their specialization through a senior requirement. B.A. students complete EEB 4470 Tutorial or a senior essay, while B.S. students undertake two terms of original senior research through EEB 4475 and EEB 4476 or EEB 4495 and EEB 4496, making the final year particularly valuable for students preparing for graduate or professional study.

Focus Areas: Biodiversity and the Environment, Organismal Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Organismal Diversity, Environmental Science, Physiology, Functional Morphology, Anatomy, Conservation Biology, and Biological Research.

Learning Outcomes: Students develop an understanding of the mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity, study biological systems from molecules and cells through organisms and ecosystems, analyze experimental strategies and data, design experiments, and gain opportunities for independent laboratory and field research.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): Yale’s official accreditation information states that the university is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); it does not list a separate specialized accreditation for the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology B.A. or B.S.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Yale’s official EEB materials state that the major prepares students for professional careers in medicine, public health, pharmaceutical industry, science writing, teaching, conservation, and biological research, and reports a high rate of acceptance of EEB undergraduates into medical and graduate schools. Yale’s official program sources do not publish a separate QS or Guardian employability ranking specifically for this major.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Yale’s B.A. or B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology gain practical experience through laboratory courses, field-based research, museum collections, independent research, and hands-on study of organisms and ecosystems. The program provides access to research laboratories in Osborn Memorial Laboratories, the Environmental Science Center, and Yale West Campus, while courses can take students into local ecosystems, botanical gardens, farms, forests, salt marshes, and museum collections. Students can also pursue independent research with EEB faculty, with the B.S. specifically requiring two terms of original senior research.

Students can build these practical skills through several program-specific opportunities:

Field Research: EEB 2230 Field Ecology uses experimental and descriptive approaches, comparative analysis, and modeling for field and small-group projects.
Laboratory Research: Virus Discovery and Evolution Lab (EEB 1175L) provides hands-on experience sampling bacteriophages from natural environments, conducting growth assays, genome sequencing, and experimental evolution on bacteria.
Museum-Based Learning: Laboratory for Ichthyology (EEB 2265L/5265L) combines laboratory and field studies using museum specimens and living and fossil fishes to examine diversity, form, function, behavior, and classification.
Field Trips: EEB courses include field trips to the Marsh Botanical Gardens, Yale Sustainable Farm, nearby forests and salt marshes, and an orchard, giving students direct exposure to local ecosystems.
Research Projects: Students can conduct original research through EEB research courses involving laboratory work, fieldwork, mathematical modeling, or computer modeling, under the supervision of a faculty sponsor.
Senior Research – B.S.: B.S. students complete two terms of original research through EEB 4475/4476 or EEB 4495/4496, creating a substantial research experience before graduation.
Senior Independent Study – B.A.: B.A. students can complete EEB 4470 (Tutorial) or a senior essay, allowing them to pursue an independent topic in ecology and evolutionary biology.
Biological Collections: The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History provides access to more than 2 million specimens, including fossil vertebrates, fossil plants, insects, birds, other animals, and plant collections used for biological research and teaching.
Research Facilities: EEB faculty laboratories are located in Osborn Memorial Laboratories (OML), the Environmental Science Center (ESC), and Yale West Campus, supporting research across ecology, evolution, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, plant science, and environmental science.
Scientific Libraries & Computing: Yale's science-library resources include the Marx Science and Social Science Library, Peabody Museum libraries, School of the Environment, Engineering Library, and Medical Libraries; the Marx Library also supports computing and analysis through StatLab.
Yale Forests: Students can access the Yale Forests as a living laboratory for education and research, with more than 10,000 acres across Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont supporting ecological research, field trips, and workshops.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Yale’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major provides preparation for careers in ecology, evolutionary biology, environmental science, medicine, public health, conservation, biological research, and the pharmaceutical industry. The B.S. is specifically designed for students considering graduate study in biological or environmental sciences, medical or veterinary school, while the B.A. is suited to students seeking a broader liberal-arts education.

Typical Job Roles: Ecologist, Environmental Scientist, Conservation Scientist, Biological Researcher.

Career Support & Employment Opportunities:

Office of Career Strategy: Yale provides career advising, experiential-learning support, employer engagement, internship guidance, and graduate and professional-school advising. Yale reports more than 5,000 individual advising sessions annually through OCS.
Employer Connections: Students can access Yale’s Preferred Yale Partners network, which includes alumni and employers offering internships, project-based opportunities, and full-time positions through Yale Career Link.
Conservation Experience: Yale Conservation Scholars offers undergraduate internships in research laboratories, environmental nonprofits, and government agencies, with students mentored by professors, research scientists, and environmental professionals.
Research Opportunities: Yale provides undergraduate research opportunities through EEB and other scientific departments and professional schools, including the Yale School of the Environment and Yale School of Medicine.

Employment Statistics & Salary:

Employment/Graduate Study: 95.3% of Yale College’s Class of 2025 was employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Starting Salary: The Class of 2025 reported a mean starting salary of $94,028 among graduates employed full-time in the United States. This is a Yale College-wide figure rather than an EEB-specific salary.
Salary Distribution: 81.5% of Yale College Class of 2025 graduates working full-time in the U.S. reported starting salaries above $50,000, while 63.6% reported salaries above $70,000.

University–Industry & Professional Connections:

Life Sciences & Healthcare: Yale identifies the pharmaceutical industry, medicine, public health, conservation, and biological research among professional directions supported by EEB.
Environmental Sector: Conservation Scholars connects students with environmental nonprofits, research organizations, and government agencies; past placements include American Rivers, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Chesapeake Bay Program, Michigan Sea Grant, and state and local environmental agencies.
Employer Engagement: Yale’s Office of Career Strategy enables organizations to recruit students through career fairs, information sessions, coffee chats, interviews, and experiential-learning opportunities.

Long-Term Accreditation Value: Yale University holds university-wide accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Yale undergoes a comprehensive institutional review every 10 years, supporting ongoing recognition of the university’s academic standards; the official Yale accreditation information does not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the EEB B.A./B.S.

Graduation Outcomes: Yale’s First Destination data tracks employment, graduate school, independent research, and other postgraduate pathways six months after graduation. For the Class of 2025, the overall knowledge rate was 90.7%, with 95.3% employed or in graduate school within six months.

Further Academic Progression: After the B.A. or B.S., students can pursue graduate study in ecology and evolutionary biology, biological sciences, environmental sciences, public health, or related fields, while the B.S. also provides preparation for medical, dental, and veterinary school. Yale’s EEB department itself offers a doctoral program in ecology and evolutionary biology, and undergraduate research can provide a strong foundation for advanced study.