Undergraduate Program

The science of biology aims to understand the workings of life in all its varied forms. The Department of Biology is home to world-class laboratories with faculty dedicated to pushing the frontiers of knowledge and educating the next generation of scientists and biomedical professionals. Research and teaching span the range of modern biology, from microbes to multicellular animals and plants, and from molecular and cellular processes to genetics, development, behavior, and evolution.

Students are exposed to modern concepts and state-of-the-art methods throughout their studies, from introductory courses to upper-level electives that explore major fields of biology in depth. Each Biology major is assigned a faculty adviser from the department and meets with that professor to select courses in the context of the student’s academic and career goals. Faculty advisers also guide students in pursuing opportunities for curricular enhancement, such as research experiences and study away.

Three options are available to students pursuing a major in Biology. The standard Biology track gives majors a broad background, with the laboratory, quantitative, and reasoning skills needed for today’s biology. The Ecology track also provides students with the broad background in modern biology, but with a focus on ecological concepts, approaches, and analytical methods. The Global Public Health/Biology major provides students with strong foundations in biological science and global public health, with a focus on one of three emphasis areas: genetics and genomics, infectious diseases, or environmental health.

The department offers minors in Biology designed to hone skills in one of four contemporary areas: Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, or Environmental Biology.

The department offers approximately 100 courses. Visit our Courses site to find information about when Biology courses are offered, what major/minor requirements they satisfy, what they cover, and which professors are teaching them. And, as always, your adviser is available to answer questions and provide guidance.

It is rare for science students at any college to be able to study abroad while keeping up with their required coursework. The Department of Biology offers opportunities for Biology majors to study away, including a specially designed spring-semester program at NYU Tel Aviv, where we offer Molecular and Cell Biology II, Organic Chemistry II, and research internships at Tel Aviv University. Students stay on track with the major while reaping the benefits of being part of an inclusive, nurturing NYU community in a dynamic and complex society with an outsized impact on scientific inquiry.

Biology students are encouraged to expand their learning by joining research projects in faculty laboratories. Outstanding and highly motivated students may pursue Departmental Honors by performing research that culminates in an undergraduate thesis.

The Biology majors and minors provide outstanding preparation for careers in research, academia, medicine, dentistry, and related fields. Graduates of the department have a remarkable record of success in acceptance into professional schools and in establishing notable careers in the biomedical sciences. Please keep in touch! We love hearing about how our graduates are doing.

Students with questions about majoring or minoring in biology should visit the office of the Department of Biology or contact biology.dugs@nyu.edu.