Contact Information
(541) 346-4502
(541) 346-6056 fax
Undergraduate degrees: B.A., B.S.
Undergraduate minor
The Study of Life in Oregon
The UO biology department is based on the study of life. That’s why a single department encompasses studies as wide-ranging
as molecular biology, neuroscience,
ecology, and marine biology. Many universities, separate these disciplines into distinct departments, the UO emphasizes the intrinsic connections between all levels of life.
As a biology major, you may focus on one particular field within the department, but you will also flesh out your understanding of life by taking biology courses outside your chosen field. If you are interested in ecology, evolution, or marine biology, you will follow the organismal track: a four-term sequence of classes starting your freshman year. Within this track, you will take courses exploring the biology of cells, organisms, and populations with a course in biochemistry and genetics to complete the sequence.
If, on the other (tiny) hand, you choose to focus on the smallest structures of life, you will follow the department’s molecular track, a three-term sequence of classes beginning at the completion of your chemistry requirement. These classes examine cell physiology, genetics, and molecular biology before exposing you to the bigger picture through a course in evolution and biodiversity.
No matter which focus you choose, you will be encouraged to explore several fields within the biology department to gain a better understanding of the multitiered structures of life.
As a biology major, you will have opportunities to learn from scientists who are making important contributions to current knowledge in these various fields. Biology professors at the UO include members of the National Academy of Sciences, Guggenheim fellows, and Fulbright scholars, and you’ll be able to work closely with any of them. “Every single faculty member in the department is happy to have undergraduates come and work in his or her lab,” says Biology Department Head George Sprague.
Points of Interest
- Research at the Institute of Molecular Biology is directed toward understanding basic cellular, genetic, and developmental mechanisms, often using genomic and proteomic approaches.
- As the home of the Zebrafish Project, the UO is the world’s stock center for zebrafish—vertebrates that are a key species in developmental biology and evolution.
- The Oregon Institute of Marine Biology offers field study opportunities on the coast at Charleston, Oregon.
- At the Institute of Neuroscience, research projects include explorations in developmental biology, neural systems, neural plasticity, and cognitive neuroscience.
- More than half of undergraduates assist internationally recognized faculty in their research.