Biology, B.S. with an Ecology Concentration

The Bachelors of Science in Biology with a concentration in Ecology prepares majors to begin a professional career or in the life sciences or to continue their education at the graduate level, particularly in the area of agriculture, wildlife management, hydrology, forestry, conservation biology and other disciplines in the ecology field. Students develop skills in hypothesis-driven science and will become familiar with basic experimental design and statistical tests used in ecology.  Because upper-level biology courses may be offered only every other year, students are urged to consult their advisors in planning their curriculum. 

Goals for students in the program include:  

• To understand how the Earth’s physical environments directly influence its habitability such as broad scale patterns of climate, dominant physical characteristics, and terrestrial environments
• To understand the dynamics of populations at different scales, and how the collective properties of individuals define a population
• To examine the diversity of species interactions including competition, predator/prey, and mutualism, their influence on demographic processes, and their role as agents of natural selection
• To understand interactions between humans and their environment, resource use and sustainability, and the potential for human activity to significantly change Earth’s climate