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About the Course of Study

Biology is the science of living systems, from molecular and cellular to organismal and ecological levels. Biology is also a living science that continues to make new and exciting discoveries revealing  adaptations and relationships of organisms, the causes of human disease, generating new therapies, improving human health, and helping to understand ourselves. Biology majors choose an area of concentration representing one of the foundational modern biological disciplines.  Majors acquire special expertise in an area of concentration and attain a breadth of knowledge preparing them for careers in research, medicine, and biotechnology.

The study of biology made large impacts on society historically and today. Biologists discovered evolution by natural selection to explain the origin and persistence of life on Earth. They discovered the replication and decoding of DNA information to explain inherited and sporadic diseases such as birth defects and cancer. Biologists identified the nature of infectious disease and the immune system, leading to antibiotics and vaccines. Crucially, biologists develop ways to detect and modify biomolecules, leading to advanced diagnostics and therapeutics. Ongoing research in biology is essential for confronting the health challenges of today and of the future.