Academics
Welcome, current and future Cyclones!
You are curious and driven to succeed. You don’t want to hear about the latest research – you want to be part of the action. There are so many interesting facets of biology, and you want to explore them all! Sound familiar? Then you might be a biology major in the making.
At Iowa State, our biology major is designed to give you maximum flexibility and freedom to pursue your unique interests while preparing you for numerous potential career paths. You can choose from almost 175 course options to fulfill advanced biology course requirements and customize your classes with topics that interest you.
Two departments, one focus
The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (EEOB) and the Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology (GDCB) jointly offer the undergraduate biology major. We offer a wide range of educational opportunities in these areas:
- Human health (pre-medical/pre-health professions)
- Animal health (pre-veterinarian)
- Plant sciences
- Biodiversity
- Cell biology
- Developmental biology
- Ecology
- Evolution
- Genetics and genome engineering
- Molecular biology
- Neuroscience
Here, you’ll gain a broad foundation in biological sciences that can be tailored to your specific interests.
Not sure which direction to go? Our advisors will help you design a unique program of study that meets your needs.
Biology major
Our biology program offers six areas of study to help you discover your true calling. Whether you’re focused on pre-health, pre-med, pre-vet, research, conservation, or other areas, our biology major will expose you to all the possibilities.
Areas of Study
Biology minor
Our biology minor provides a strong foundation in the life sciences and can be customized to fit your interests and career goals. Paired with almost any major, the biology minor can strengthen your career opportunities and graduate school applications. To learn more about the biology minor requirements, see the university’s course catalog.
Already a Cyclone but want to change your major to biology?
We’d love to have you in our program! But before you make any decisions, consider running a “what if” academic progress report for biology. Then, make an appointment with one of our biology academic advisors using Navigate and select “add or change/minor” for your appointment reason. You can also call our main office at 515-294-1064 or stop by the Student Services Office in 103 Bessey Hall. We can’t wait to talk with you about biology!
Opportunities in biology
Our biology majors develop a strong sense of community through an active learning community, fun clubs, cutting-edge undergraduate research, and more! Explore your options today.
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200+biology courses to choose from
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50biology faculty members
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40labs for undergraduate research
Research
Dive into groundbreaking biological research in your first semester and work alongside our distinguished faculty members. Our robust lab requirements mean you’ll learn biology by doing biology.
Student Support
From the BEST Learning Community to student clubs to dozens of experiential learning opportunities, you’ll find the support here to make meaningful connections.
Careers
A biology degree can open doors to many careers, including human and animal health, plant biology, genome engineering, and much more. We’ll partner with you to explore the versatility of your degree.