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This 120 credit program is designed to be completed in four years.
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Prepare for a successful career in the Biological or Health Sciences by gaining the knowledge and opportunities to thrive during your time at the University of Nevada, Reno and beyond. A Biology degree offers optimal flexibility: you can opt to pursue an emphasis in cellular/molecular biology, physiology, or ecology/evolution/conservation biology—or explore courses that consider all these topics. We are a robust community of engaged teachers and cutting-edge researchers who are committed to your success. Here, there are opportunities for hands-on experiences that you can’t find elsewhere. Explore life—from molecules to minds to ecosystems—and shape your future with a B.S. in Biology.
The Biology B.S. provides students with a solid background in natural science, the option to specialize in specific areas of biology and the opportunity to participate in research with world-renowned faculty. Students will gain understanding of biological systems at levels of organization spanning from molecules to ecosystems. Along the way, they will gain a core understanding of inorganic and organic chemistry, physics and statistics. Students also gain skills in critical thinking, including the ability to understand and explain the principles of experimental design, data collection and analysis. Finally, students learn how to communicate with both the scientific and broader community.
Students who successfully complete the program are prepared to compete nationally for admission to graduate programs in the life and health sciences, as well as medical, dental, veterinary school and PA (Physician Assistant) programs. Our graduates often go on to careers with federal and state agencies, non-profit agencies and biotech companies.
Requirements for admission to most medical schools can be met by completion of the Biology major without the need for additional courses.
The opportunity to work with faculty on research projects is a fundamental part of our biology degree program. We offer students the ability to work in our labs—and potentially earn course credit—studying everything from water conservation to fruit fly genetics or chickadee cognition.
Whether your undergraduate research is the foundation for further research in graduate school or just an opportunity to work with our faculty outside the classroom, hands-on experience in biology research plays a key role in your undergraduate experience in the biology program.
A biology minor offers students the opportunity to add a well-rounded understanding of Biology to their major.
How do genes, proteins and cells function?
From understanding the genetic basis of human traits and genetic diseases to untangling complex epigenetic influences on development, students fascinated by the building blocks of life have a wide variety of courses to choose from. Courses include Genetics, Human Genetics, Molecular Genetics, Developmental Biology, Cell Biology, Epigenetics, Cell Biology of Disease, Regenerative Medicine/Stem Cells, Genomics/Bioinformatics, Genes/Brains/Behavior and Neuroscience.
Students interested in hands-on experiences might explore opportunities like serving as a peer discussion leader for genetics or volunteering at the Biology Help Center.
How do animals work?
Knowledge of the physiological systems that allow us to acquire and distribute nutrients, maintain energy balance, defend against pathogens and reproduce is fundamental to human health and key to appreciating how animals across the tree of life have arrived at amazing solutions to survive in challenging environments. Courses such as Human Anatomy and Physiology (Lecture and Lab), Behavioral Endocrinology, Comparative Animal Physiology (Lecture and Lab), Endocrinology, Immunology, Parasitology, Sex and Reproductive Biology, Neuroanatomy, Sensory Systems and Comparative Biomechanics (among many others) explore these topics.
Hands-on highlights include our cadaver dissection lab and the opportunity to join the Dissection Team which helps run the Anatomy and Physiology labs.
What are the “rules of life”… and how can we best preserve the dazzling spectacle of life as we know it?
Students who are fascinated by the deep history of life on our planet, or the intricate relationships between plants and pollinators, microbes and humans, predators and prey, viruses and their hosts will appreciate the exceptionally wide array of Biology courses to choose from.
Foundational topics include courses such as Evolution and Laboratory in Ecology and Population Biology. Students with special interests can explore ecosystems ranging from coral reefs in Marine Biology to deserts in Desert and Montane Ecosystems, and examine the effects of pollution, climate change and urbanization on ecological systems and individual animals through courses like Conservation Biology, Limnology and Climate Change Physiology.
If students have a favorite group of animals, one of our “-ologies” courses offers the chance to gain deep expertise in its biology and natural history—for example, Mammalogy (mammals), Herpetology (reptiles and amphibians), Ichthyology (fish), Ornithology (birds) and Entomology (insects) are popular lab options, alongside Plant Biology and Biological Diversity.
Hands-on highlights include volunteering at the University of Nevada, Reno Natural History Museum, participating in the Young Explorers Program to conduct research at international field sites, or learning how to carry out ecological research in the Sierras through Experimental Field Ecology.
Our NevadaTeach program allows you to earn both a B.S degree in Biology and a B.S. degree in Education/Secondary Education, preparing you for a career in biology as well as a career teaching biology at the high-school level.
Biology majors can obtain a certificate in Forensic Studies by choosing from an array of courses offered by our department and others.
Biology is at the heart of many of the biggest challenges facing humanity and our planet. From improving human health to tackling climate change, enhancing agriculture to conserving the environment, future biologists have a key role in society. With growing interest in interdisciplinary fields such as synthetic biology and advanced biomanufacturing, AI and machine learning, computational biology, personalized medicine and genomics, environmental biotech and the bioeconomy, a Biology B.S. degree is a great starting point for many careers, including:
Healthcare professions
Research and laboratory science
Environmental and conservation sciences
Education and Communication
Forensic Science
Entrepreneur
Environmental Policy and Law
76% of students receive financial aid
Almost everyone is eligible to receive some kind of aid. We offer need-based and merit-based forms of financial aid to help you afford college.
54% of all students graduate with no debt
That's right. More than half of our students leave the University of Nevada, Reno with no student debt.
At the University of Nevada, Reno Honors College, our students maximize their unique gifts and passions through a series of personalized experiences that deepen their capacity for transformative societal impact.
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