Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Rutgers University Newark

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Rutgers University–Newark is a broad, flexible biology program jointly offered with the New Jersey Institute of Technology through the Federated Department of Biological Sciences, combining 38 credits of biology with supporting coursework in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. It suits students interested in biological science, healthcare, research, environmental fields, or further professional and graduate study, with coursework spanning cellular and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, functional organisms, genetics, and laboratory or field experiences.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through 21:120:200 Concepts in Biology and 21:120:201 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology, together with 21:120:202 Foundations of Biology: Cell Mol Biol Laboratory. Supporting study begins with subjects such as General Chemistry, General Chemistry Laboratory, and Calculus I, giving students the chemistry and quantitative background needed for advanced biology courses.

Year 2: Students broaden their understanding through the Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution sequence, including 21:120:205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution and 21:120:206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Laboratory. They can then begin upper-level study in areas such as Genetics, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, or Evolution, while continuing required chemistry, physics, and mathematics coursework.

Year 3: The curriculum moves deeper into biological concepts through courses such as 21:120:352 Genetics, 21:120:355 Cell Biology, 21:120:356 Molecular Biology, and 21:120:360 Biochemistry, alongside courses selected from the functional-organism and ecological/evolutionary clusters. Students can also develop practical skills through options such as Developmental Biology Laboratory, General Microbiology, Plant Physiology, or Mammalian Physiology.

Year 4: Students use the flexibility of the B.A. curriculum to pursue advanced interests through courses such as Cell Physiology and Imaging, Lab in Molecular Biotechniques, Ecological Field Methods, Epigenetics, Molecular Cell Biology, Biology of Cancer, or Conservation Biology. The program also allows students to complete seminars, problems-in-biology courses, or the Teaching Internship in Biology, while fulfilling the required laboratory/field and Writing Intensive components.

Focus Areas

Ecological and Evolutionary Framework, Functional Organism, Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms, laboratory and field experience, genetics, microbiology, developmental biology, physiology, molecular biology, ecology, conservation, neurobiology, and related life-science electives.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop an integrated understanding of biological principles across multiple scales of biological organization and learn to apply knowledge across the curriculum. Rutgers states that the program's academic structure combines core courses, breadth requirements, and student-centered electives to prepare students for careers spanning academic, research, and biomedical fields.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Rutgers does not state a separate specialized accreditation for the B.A. in Biology on its official accreditation information.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Rutgers–Newark publishes graduate first-destination information covering employment, continuing education, public service, employers, and starting salaries, with data collected according to NACE First Destination Survey standards. The university does not state a program-specific Biology employability ranking on the official program page.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.A. in Biology at Rutgers University–Newark combines foundational biology with practical laboratory and research experience, covering cellular and molecular biology alongside ecology and evolution. Students can build hands-on skills in modern teaching and research laboratories and pursue faculty-mentored research through the university’s undergraduate research opportunities, including specialized programs for Biology majors. The program is also offered jointly with NJIT through the Federated Department of Biological Sciences, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary scientific learning.

These program-specific opportunities give students several ways to apply biological concepts in laboratory, research, and professional settings:

Teaching and research laboratories: Life Sciences Center II contains modern upper-level biology teaching laboratories and dedicated biology research laboratories, with smart-classroom facilities designed to support active learning and student engagement.
Undergraduate research: Biology students can participate in faculty-mentored research through honors, special-problems, and independent-study opportunities. Rutgers-Newark specifically notes that undergraduates conduct research in university laboratories, field stations, libraries, and other research settings.
Beckman Scholars Program: Eligible Biology majors can undertake a structured 15-month research experience consisting of a full-time summer research period, an academic-year research component, and another full-time summer experience, working with one of 14 faculty mentors in biological and related sciences.
Scientific research presentation: Beckman Scholars have opportunities to present research through talks, presentations, and posters, including at national meetings, and can work with mentors toward peer-reviewed publications.
Summer Undergraduate Research Institute: The SURI provides a seven-week hands-on research experience, with students assigned to laboratories in areas including cell biology, herpetology, neuroscience, and other scientific disciplines, followed by presentations of their research findings.
Research instrumentation and computing: Rutgers-Newark provides access to university research infrastructure including specialized core facilities, advanced instrumentation, and high-performance computing resources, supporting modern biological and interdisciplinary research.
Life Sciences research environment: The Life Sciences Center complex connects biology with chemistry, environmental sciences, and neuroscience and includes state-of-the-art imaging and electron-microscopy facilities for research.
Internship opportunities: Rutgers-Newark’s career platform regularly lists biology-related internships, including laboratory-based opportunities requiring hands-on laboratory skills and biotechnology/medical research internships involving interdisciplinary teams.
Urban field learning: Rutgers-Newark describes Newark itself as a learning laboratory, with courses and experiential activities connected to the university’s urban setting and partnerships with local organizations.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Rutgers University–Newark provides a broad life-sciences foundation that can support entry-level careers in laboratory, healthcare, environmental, education, and scientific settings, while also preparing students for advanced study. Biology students have access to dedicated internship, research, career-exploration, and professional-school pathways through Rutgers, allowing them to connect classroom learning with practical career preparation.

Career opportunities: Graduates may pursue roles such as biological technician, laboratory technician, research assistant, or environmental science technician, depending on their coursework, experience, and additional qualifications.

Career services: Rutgers–Newark’s Office of Career Resources and Exploration provides career advising, resume reviews, interview preparation, job and internship searches, career fairs, employer networking, and access to Handshake. Students can also use specialized life-sciences and medical-professions career resources.
Internships and professional experience: The Division of Life Sciences offers a 3-credit Internship in the Life Sciences course that accompanies a life-science internship. Students complete the required internship hours, receive supervision from a professional at the internship site, and connect their academic coursework with professional experience.
Employment statistics: Rutgers–Newark publishes first-destination outcomes for graduates within six months of completing their degrees. The university reports a 66% knowledge rate for the Class of 2025; the official outcomes database can be filtered by graduation year, school, and major. Program-specific employment and salary figures for the Biology BA are not stated in the published information available.
Salary information: Rutgers–Newark publishes reported starting-salary distributions for full-time employed graduates, but the available official page does not state a Biology BA-specific salary figure.
Industry and employer connections: Students can access Rutgers Handshake, employer networking and information sessions, career and internship fairs, and visiting recruiters. Rutgers–Newark also provides employers with opportunities to recruit students through Handshake and engage with the university through internships and other experiences.
Life-science opportunities: Biology students can explore the DLS-SURF, RWJMS summer research programs, CABM-SURE, Neuro-SURP, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy summer research opportunities, and the Rutgers–New Brunswick Aresty Research Program. The university also lists opportunities with organizations such as Corteva AgroSciences and other external life-science research programs.
Graduation outcomes: Rutgers–Newark tracks employment, continuing education, public service, and students still seeking opportunities within six months of graduation, using standards aligned with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Long-term academic value: The BA in Biology can serve as preparation for professional and graduate education, with Rutgers specifically listing pathways such as BA/MD, BA/DMD, BA/MS Physician Assistant, BA/MPH, BA/JD, and graduate education/teacher-certification programs.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Biology BA, students can continue into graduate or professional education in biology and related life-science fields. Rutgers specifically provides undergraduate pathways toward medicine, dentistry, physician assistant studies, public health, law, education, and other advanced programs, while research experiences can strengthen preparation for graduate-level study.