Students on a rock at Harlow Lake

Majoring in Biology

The Biology major at NMU provides students with a strong foundation in fundamental biological concepts, with concentrations that offer opportunities to delve deeply into primary areas of interest.

Program Overview

This program is designed to prepare students for a lifetime of biological discovery. Students complete a strong core of foundational courses that span life’s hierarchical structure from molecules to ecosystems. From these fundamentals, they dig deeper by following their own path through one of six areas of concentration. 

Those with particular interests in organismal biology may select a concentration such as Botany or Zoology, where they discover the diversity of life that enriches our world. Other students who are fascinated by the cellular and molecular processes that sustain life may wish to complete either the Physiology or Microbiology concentration. The Ecology concentration emphasizes the study of linkages between species that are critical to maintaining stable and healthy environments. For students whose interests in Biology are simply too broad to fit within these categories, the General Biology concentration offers maximum flexibility for designing a curriculum tailored to individual interests.

Students in the Biology major select one of the following concentrations:

Golden maple leaves in autumn

The Department of Biology guides students as they gain knowledge from the molecular to the ecosystem levels by completing core courses in biology. Students acquire more specialized knowledge through upper-level courses and in some cases, by conducting research under faculty mentorship. Students will demonstrate knowledge in areas including cell biology, genetics, organismal biology, evolution, and ecology. Students learn how to apply this knowledge and sharpen their critical thinking and communication skills.

Biology Program Mission