Biology
MSUM’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology will prepare you for a multitude of career options including private sector, local, state or federal government agencies, academia and nonprofit organizations. You will develop skills in the foundation of biological sciences, field skills, analysis, and written and oral communication and gain undergraduate research experience that will competitively prepare you for graduate school and/or professional school.
Langseth Hall and Hagen Hall are modern facilities providing experiential, student-centered learning in interesting spaces that are devoted to research and discovery. In addition to outstanding labs on campus, you can learn and do research at a field station at the MSUM Regional Science Center.
Faculty-mentored research is the hallmark of an MSUM Biology degree. Faculty and student collaborators regularly publish in academic peer-reviewed journals and present at regional and national conferences. Faculty and student researchers meet regularly to discuss research.
Upper-level Biology courses average 10-15 students, ensuring you plenty of individual attention from faculty members who are not only master teachers, but also respected scholars in their respective field of expertise.
MSUM’s prairie restoration project is charged with restoring 160 acres of flora and fauna to pre-European prairie ecosystem. This project gives you an opportunity to do lab activities at the Regional Science Center gathering data, monitoring the recovery of restored sites and comparing data to data collected from original remnant prairie.
In addition to expert faculty, we enrich your learning experience in labs with Learning Assistants – peer undergraduates who facilitate individual student learning.
MSUM has a strong 3+3 articulation agreement with Northwestern Health Sciences University to fast-track to Doctor of Chiropractic after your junior year at MSUM.
Students studying in the health sciences get the rare undergraduate opportunity to study human anatomy based on cadaver dissection in a newly renovated lab.
Biology Student Success Stories
MSUM Students Use Film and Animation Skills to Bring Holiday Cheer
The holiday video is always a shining example of our students’ creativity, skills and patience for intricate work.
Dragons Who Serve: Molly Johnson
Today we honor veteran Molly Johnson, a senior at MSUM studying ecology and evolutionary biology with a geospatial analysis emphasis. Molly is from Moorhead and was inspired to join the military through her family, as many of them also served. Her sister Heidi was in the army band prior to moving to Colorado and her other sister Ali served as an Air Force medic. Molly’s mom worked as a social worker for soldiers at the armory in Fargo and her father is captain of the Fargo Fire Department.
First Galaxies: Tyler Lane
2022 marks the MSUM Planetarium's 50th anniversary. After a half century of inspiring a curiosity in what exists beyond our sky, the people behind the Planetarium honor its significant milestone by sharing the historical orbit of this community asset.
As a Biology major at MSUM, you will quickly learn that science is a verb – a method, a way of knowing. You will immerse yourself in meaningful, hands-on experiences that teach you to learn science and to be a scientist.
You might also be interested in…
Chemistry | Environmental Geology | Environmental Studies | Geosciences | Physics | Psychology
MSUM’s programs engage you in learning skills important for working in a wide variety of biological sub-disciplines. You will gain skills relevant to field and lab work in clinical or industry settings. Here is just a sample of high-paying biology careers that are predicted to have great job growth through this decade.
Biology Related Careers
| Career | Job Growth (2021-2031) | Median Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Forester | 10% | $97,000 |
| Geneticist | 26% | $79,000 |
| Toxicologist | 17% | $95,000 |