College of Arts & Sciences

Biology Bachelor’s Degree

Degree: BA, BS

Locations: Rhode Island

Length: 4 years

Internship: 6 Credits

Credits: 120-123

A Flexible Program to Match Your Goals

In JWU’s Biology program, you can choose between a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree, depending on your career goals. Both options offer a strong foundation in biology with the same core curriculum. Then, through major and free electives, you decide how you’ll build on that foundation.

Dedicated faculty will help advise you on which degree is the best path for you. Both options provide hands-on exploration in our science labs through animal dissections, microbial culturing, DNA extraction and molecular analysis, microscopy-based investigation of cells and tissues, hands-on study of human cadavers, and bioinformatics analysis of biological data. In addition to developing your skills through interactive and problem-based learning in classes and labs, you could have opportunities to explore your interests through an undergraduate research project or internship.

Many of our Biology majors go on to apply to JWU’s Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.S.) or Occupational Therapy Doctorate (O.T.D.) degree programs; continue schooling to become medical doctors, dentists and veterinarians; or secure positions in academic, biopharmaceutical, and clinical settings. Our alumni have secured careers at institutions such as Amgen and Moderna and attended graduate programs at Tufts University, University of Alberta at Calgary, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, among many more.

Learn about JWU’s new IMPACT-STEM Scholars program

Bachelor of Arts in Biology

The Biology Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) program is designed for students who want the flexibility to combine biology with other fields. Students can take courses related to bioinformatics/computational biology, science communication, biotechnology/pharmaceutical management or healthcare administration to prepare for a variety of applied career paths and entry-level positions in fields such as education, bioinformatics, pharmaceutical sales, communications or healthcare administration.

Bachelor of Science in Biology

The Biology Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program is designed for students who wish to pursue veterinary, dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy or medical career paths. It also prepares students for graduate studies in areas such as immunology, biochemistry or molecular/cellular biology. Students can choose a specialization in Biomedical Science, Environmental Studies, or Plant Science to take a deeper dive in the area that interests them most.

IMPACT-STEM Scholarship

Established through a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (S-STEM) program, JWU’s new IMPACT-STEM Scholars program is designed to support talented Biology B.S. majors who have financial need — by helping them stay on track to graduate and prepare for a career in the life sciences.

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Get Your Master’s Faster

Students can earn a combined B.S. in Biology and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in as little as five years through JWU. Undergraduate students must fulfill all admissions requirements and complete a graduate program application for this option. If pharmacy is your calling, JWU has also partnered with the University of Saint Joseph on an accelerated graduate program, where qualified students can earn both a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree in six years.

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Reach the Next Level in Biology

Getting hands-on is the best way to learn, and our Biology B.S. and B.A. degrees provide just that. You will become familiar with appropriate and safe use of lab equipment while developing skills in microscopy, dissection, sterile technique and culturing, microbial enrichment, DNA-based molecular analysis and computational biology. You will have opportunities to design experimental procedures, collect data, analyze results and discuss conclusions.

In this program, you’ll:

Choose from course specializations in areas including botany, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics and epigenetics, environmental science, sustainability and more to expand your knowledge in what interests you.

Apply the fundamental biological concepts of evolution, structure and function, information exchange and storage, and transformation of energy and matter to explain biological systems from molecules to communities.

Learn how to identify, evaluate and analyze scientific information and how to apply scientific methods and critical thinking to address scientific questions.

Obtain skills in public speaking, scientific communication, bioinformatics and data analytics through your coursework.

Gain exposure to ethical concerns pertaining to biological science and learn how to apply ethical practice.

Student Research & Internships

Complete exciting internship and research experiences — students in the program have recently published work in scholarly journals, presented at regional and national conferences, performed gene editing experiments on plants using CRISPR-Cas9, developed a novel orthopedic device, shadowed medical providers in clinics and performed ecological monitoring on local streams.

JWU Academics: Biology Internship Opportunities

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Biology major Jadyn Torres ’26 teamed up with JWU faculty members to address a gap in the literature on the subject of teens driving under the influence. She interpreted research on the influence of alcohol, cannabis
and non-medical prescription drugs and examined the role of potential
risk and protective factors. She was a published co-author in the study, which appeared in a scholarly journal.

Read Jadyn’s Story

Developing Skills Through Research

Christine Wong ’23 was one of three Biology students who conducted laboratory research in their Undergraduate Laboratory and Field Research course after having applied for and been chosen for the opportunity. Christine and her fellow students were charged with demonstrating that the bacterial plant-pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum can infect and cause disease in the moss Physcomitrella patens. “Being able to be part of this research was a really good opportunity,” she says. “I wanted to try something new, and JWU’s small class size made that possible.”

“There’s a low ratio of women of color within medicine and STEM careers, and I want to be a part of that group and change that.”

Kimberly Sacaza ’23

Biology Lab

In JWU’s state-of-the-art Biology Lab, our students learn the fundamentals of biology through data collection and analysis, dissection and microscopic study.

Launch Experience

What Can You Do With a Biology Degree?

Bioinformatics Analyst
Clinical Researcher
Computational Biologist
Environmental Technician
Forensic Investigator
Grant Writer
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Science Educator

_{Some professions may require additional study, background checks, certifications, licenses, exams and/or experience as required qualifications for employment. Students are responsible for verifying that they can meet the employment requirements of potential employers.}

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STEM Skills are Cross-Marketable

According to 2018-2023 alumni data, 94% of our program alumni work in the field or are using their degrees toward graduate/professional programs. The same data reports JWU Biology’s clinical path preparation higher than national average for all continuing education:

100% acceptance rate to occupational therapy programs
100% acceptance rate to pharmacy programs
100% acceptance rate to optometry programs
100% acceptance rate to nursing programs
89% acceptance rate to veterinarian programs
80% acceptance rate to doctor of physical therapy programs
75% acceptance rate to physician assistant programs
50% acceptance rate to dental programs
40% acceptance rate to M.D./D.O. programs

Faculty Contact

Providence

Andrew Karatjas
Department Chair
Email