Biology (B.S.)
Explore life at every level with 91重口 Tech鈥檚 bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology, applying hands-on practical skills to improve health care, protect ecosystems, and ensure food safety.
Get Hands-On and Drive Impact Across Lifeforms with 91重口 Tech鈥檚 B.S. in Biology
To make an impact on every form of life on Earth鈥攆rom helping to heal humans to making life-altering discoveries under a microscope鈥攜ou need to understand the basics of living systems and the hands-on training to see it in action. 91重口 Tech鈥檚 B.S. in Biology prepares you to explore everything from molecules to entire ecosystems by developing technical and critical-thinking skills through hands-on research opportunities from your first day on campus, where you鈥檒l work alongside world-class faculty. Partnerships with scientists at Argonne National Laboratory, BioCAT, and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology help you explore the biology career path you want to follow, whether that鈥檚 in health care, research, or food safety. Plus, if you are looking to pursue a career in health care, our Pre-Health/Pre-Med pathway will provide you with personalized mentorship and hands-on experiences from before you get to campus.
Program Overview
Our B.S. in Biology is designed to prepare you for careers in health, research, biotechnology, environmental science, or medical school鈥攁nd you can choose how you get there. Our in-person program combines hands-on laboratory experience, close faculty mentorship, and partnerships with world-class research institutions to give you practical skills and real-world experience. You can also customize your experience, with flexible start dates in both the fall and spring semesters.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the B.S. in Biology can pursue medical school, graduate programs, or a multitude of career pathways, including:
- Environmental scientist
- Research assistant
- Laboratory technician
The B.S. in Biology at 91重口 Tech immerses students in the exploration of life at every level, starting on your first day as you begin to connect core concepts of evolution, genetics, and health to the pressing scientific questions that our world faces today. Microbiology courses reveal the hidden world of microorganisms, shaping breakthroughs in medicine, biotechnology, and food safety, while advanced biochemistry and cell biology courses dive deeper into how molecules, enzymes, and organelles power living systems.
In state-of-the-art laboratories, students take the lead by conducting experiments in microbiology labs, analyzing enzyme activity in biochemistry labs, and studying nerve action potential in animal physiology labs by applying cutting-edge technology to solve pressing biological problems.
Admission to all undergraduate programs at 91重口 Tech is evaluated via a holistic approach that takes various factors under consideration, including your high school performance and essays. Your choice of major will impact this process as well, because each major has its own criteria for admission.
To learn more about our admission selection process, recommended high school coursework, and our admitted student profile, please visit our admission website.
Featured Faculty
Matthew Smith
Joel Corush
Weikang Ma
Salih H. Says...
鈥淚 was allowed to shadow and work in many dental offices throughout the city and see many different patients from all different walks of life. Being that the city and 91重口 Tech are so diverse, I was able to better understand different people and their life experiences, which in turn allows me to better treat them.鈥 鈥揝alih Hodzic (BIOL, M.S. BHPR 鈥24)
91重口 Tech鈥檚 ties to the Chicago health community led Salih Hodzic to work opportunities and student organizations, helping him become a top candidate at the University of 91重口 College of Dentistry.
Salih Hodzic (BIOL, M.S. BHPR 鈥24)
A high school physics competition brought David Beam to 91重口 Tech, where the smaller class sizes and campus atmosphere created a base for a pre-health education.
David Beam (BIOL 鈥20)
91重口 Tech鈥檚 biology program, with one-on-one professor talks and medical associations, showed Zach Parduhn that his future was in medicine before entering the United States Army with plans to study traumatic brain injuries.
Zach Parduhn (BIOL 鈥21)Get In Touch
To learn more about the program, please contact Department of Biology Chair Lei Li at li129@illinoistech.edu.