Bachelor of Science in Biology University of North Georgia - UNG

The biology major at UNG is a versatile program that allows you to explore the biological sciences as a whole, while also diving into specialty areas of the field.

While there are courses all biology majors are required to take, there is flexibility in the curriculum to choose courses that will help you work toward your career goals. For example, if you want to study wildlife management in graduate school, you could choose elective courses in ornithology and conservation biology. If you're interested in a professional program, then you could take upper-level electives that satisfy the admissions requirements for your dream program.

By the time you graduate, you'll have had the opportunity to volunteer in the community, found friends who love science as much as you, and even completed undergraduate research one-on-one with a professor in fields like microbiology or marine biology.

What Your Journey Could Look Like

We recommend that our majors begin their first biology course with at least some background in chemistry, and we encourage students to take college chemistry soon after entering our department. We favour mathematics and physics over additional biology courses in high school (e.g. anatomy). This is not only a recommendation for our department, but all University of North Georgia science courses, and any university science program in general.

First Year

First-year students take Principles of Biology I & II, which will provide a solid foundation for further study.

Join a club like the Thoreau Sauntering Society, get involved in student government, or after your first semester, explore fraternity and sorority life.

Sophomore & Junior Years

You'll get more hands-on with research, and explore different areas of biology.

Sophomores and juniors typically take courses in microbiology, botany, zoology, genetics, cell biology, physiology, and ecology to develop their analytical abilities and become well versed in organismal biology.

Senior Year

Seniors take specialized biology courses to pursue specific areas of interest.

Consider participating in a biology study abroad program.

The Biology Major Experience

Biology, today more than ever, is the application of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to life processes. We offer a rigorous program that requires knowledge of basic science concepts to understand biology, along with a reasonable amount of quantitative analysis in the form of probability, statistics, graph interpretation, and other mathematical applications.

Dedicated Faculty

The University of North Georgia is a teaching institution. Our faculty are active in research as well as service to the campus and community, but we are primarily focused on instruction. This is often not the case at other institutions.

Small Classes

A typical biology class has 24 students. Freshmen classes are larger but are still smaller than you would probably find elsewhere. This allows us to provide plenty of individual help and attention.

Labs Taught By Faculty, Not Students

The faculty that teach students in lecture almost always teach those same students in the lab. This is often not the case at other institutions. The result is the careful dovetailing of the laboratory and lecture experiences.

Balanced Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad background in biological sciences while still allowing upperclassmen to explore specialized areas within the field. Freshmen take Principles of Biology I & II--the sequence provides a solid foundation for further study. Sophomores and juniors typically take courses in microbiology, botany, zoology, genetics, cell biology, physiology, and ecology to develop their analytical abilities and become well versed in organismal biology. Seniors take specialized biology courses to pursue specific areas of interest.

Excellent Preparation

Our biology courses are very challenging. We make this point clear when writing letters of recommendation, so outstanding students truly do stand out. Our students graduate knowing how to work hard, expect to continue working hard to succeed throughout life, and are well prepared for future academic challenges.

Free Tutoring

Our faculty go out of their way to be available to students outside of the classroom. Nevertheless, sometimes students prefer to get help from other students. Our tutors are seasoned, accomplished biology majors who are regularly available to provide free tutoring.

Focused Advisement

Students are advised by faculty who advise only students in specific career paths. Some faculty specialize in advising pre-medical students, others advise only pre-physical therapy students, etc. Advisors can truly be experts when they are dedicated to advising students in just one or two career paths.

Modern Laboratories

Our facilities include well-equipped microbiology, genetics, and cell biology laboratories, and a physiology lab that truly qualifies as "state-of-the-art." Most of our biology courses have a laboratory component; this enables students to engage in active learning, develop analytical skills, and practice critical thinking.

Field Experiences

Students enrolled in ecology, plant taxonomy, or marine biology may enroll in additional courses termed "extended field studies" which provide field experiences in off-campus locations such as the Okefenokee Swamp and Sapelo Island. A recently developed field station at the nearby Hurricane Creek Tract Wildlife Conservation Area allows convenient access to a variety of ecosystems for students engaged in independent research projects. Ecology laboratories also typically include field experiences in which students collect data for analysis.

Where Can a Major in Biology Lead You?

Where Our Students Have Interned

• Tyson Foods
• U.S. Forest Service
• Georgia Aquarium
• Mill Creek High School
• University of Nevada

Where Our Students Found Jobs

• Northside Hospital
• Elachee Nature Center
• Georgia DNR
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• National Army Training Center
• Where Our Students Have Gone to Grad School
• University of North Georgia
• University of Georgia
• University of Pennsylvania
• Clemson
• John Hopkins