Biology, B.S.

What You’ll Learn 

When you earn your bachelor’s degree in biology at Vermont State, you’ll begin with a set of courses that build your knowledge and give you a wealth of lab experience in foundational areas of biology, including molecular biology, microbiology, ecology, genetics, and evolution. 

The program also includes core coursework in related areas of science like chemistry, physics, and math that will enhance your understanding as a biologist.  

From there, choose sixteen credits of electives in a wide range of areas within biology. (Most courses are three or four credits.) Alternatively, you can select the Molecular Biology and Biomedicine Concentration to prepare for medical, dental, or veterinary school as well as career paths in pharmaceutical sciences or biomedical research.  

Research opportunities will complement your coursework and build your practical skills. You’ll expand your career vision, find networking opportunities, and develop as a professional through an ongoing colloquia series featuring talks by visiting researchers, faculty, fellow students, and scientists working in industry.    

Outside the Classroom, In the Community 

As a student at Vermont State, enjoy exciting opportunities to explore biology beyond the classroom: 

• Collaborate with faculty: Our faculty are active researchers with several externally-funded projects. You can apply for paid, summer positions to work closely with a professor in ongoing research. 
• Discover Vermont: Here, you’re surrounded by a rich, natural laboratory waiting for exploration. You’ll find opportunities during your coursework and also in independent research, like a recent student who studied salamander diversity in a local clear-cut forest. 
• Experience global diversity: Whether through travel courses in locations like Costa Rica, the Mojave Desert, and Iceland or during summer internships abroad, you’ll have the chance to explore ecology and biology far from home.

Special Facilities 

Prepare for careers in biology with access to facilities that will familiarize you with scientific equipment, develop your technical skills as a scientist, and provide rich areas for exploration.  

Here are some highlights from each campus: 

• Castleton: 
  • Find numerous teaching and research labs, including dedicated space for student and faculty research projects in the Jeffords Science Center. 
  • Pursue studies in botany in the Castleton Greenhouse & Gardens, featuring specimens from all over the world. 
• Johnson: 
  • Enjoy a 1,000-acre area of forest, ponds, and a bog for outdoor research and study in field biology, ornithology, and ecology in the Babcock Nature Preserve. 
  • Take advantage of unique facilities including an artificial stream laboratory, museum collections, and a laboratory dedicated to cellular and molecular biology.