Biological Sciences Subject Guide

The Department of Biology at the University of Oregon offers expertise and research opportunities in a wide range of disciplines including neuroscience, genetics, cell and developmental biology, evolution, ecology, and marine biology. Each summer, a significant number of biology students spend eight to 10 weeks on campus pursuing independent research projects or offering valuable aid to professors in faculty-guided research. Students in our programs acquire the knowledge, tools and skills that allow them to succeed in a wide range of careers, including research in academia, government, NGOs and industry, consultancy, medicine and law, to name a few.

Biology has evolved as a field of science since it was first studied in ancient civilizations, although modern biology is a relatively recent field. Learn about animals, plants, evolution, the tree of life, ecology, cells, genetics, fields of biology and more. Organismic biologists came through the period of the ?molecular wars’ intact, rallying around Dobzhansky’s oft-heard assertion that ?nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution’ (Smocovitis, 1996).

Biology is the science of life. Previously a supplement to Proceedings B, and launched as an independent journal in 2005, Biology Letters is a primarily online, peer-reviewed journal that publishes short, high-quality articles, reviews and opinion pieces from across the biological sciences. Nearly all courses offered by the department include a laboratory or field-based component where students can design and perform their own experiments.

Within the sciences, industries with demand for biology graduates include agriculture, biotechnology, ecology, genetics, neurobiology, horticulture, food science, marine biology, conservation and the environment and wildlife documentary production. Branch of science which deals with the study of chemical reactions in relations to life activities. On this module you’ll attend lectures and take part in fieldwork study.

Undergraduate students majoring in Biology have the opportunity to specialize in areas of particular interest by selecting from four different concentrations: Biology of Global Health, Cell & Molecular Biology, Integrative Biology, and Science Education. We provide undergraduate and graduate students access to the full breadth of the exciting and dynamic fields within the biological sciences. Examples of legal careers for biology graduates include roles in patenting, where understanding of specific scientific and technical features would help.

For good reason, evolutionary biologists now sometimes speak in terms of theoretical and applied evolutionary biology, indicating that the scientific discipline continues to prosper as it reaches out to new areas of research. Biology students practice and apply their knowledge in both field and laboratory settings, and master basic skills including statistical analysis, various laboratory methods, and techniques and taxonomic (identification) skills.

The environmental studies and environmental science majors examine environmental challenges faced by humans from an array of perspectives, including anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, geography, geology, history and philosophy. All students are encouraged to participate in an independent study or Honors project, in which you can work closely with a member of the biology faculty on a research topic.