Biology

Ecology, biomedical research, genetics, biotechnology, marine biology, optometry, medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry are only a few of the careers you can pursue with a Biology degree from Berry College. The program is designed for students interested in professional careers in research, teaching and an array of other medical and scientific vocations. 

What makes Berry’s biology department so good?

We stress faculty-student research throughout the curriculum and the preparation of our students for graduate and professional school. Our general strengths as a department fall into four areas:

• State-of-the-art science facilities and a 27,000-acre campus for field studies.
• A highly qualified and broadly trained faculty.
• A strong Student Work Experience Program designed to provide the firsthand experience needed for success in biology.
• One-on-one student/faculty interaction. 

Requirements for a BS Biology Major

As a Biology major, you will complete four core courses/and a senior seminar class. Moreover, you will have additional science and math requirements and will complete seven additional biology elective courses in your area of interest.

Also available through the biology department are a Biology and One-Health minors and an Environmental Science Biology concentration 

What makes the Berry biology program distinctive?

•  Personalized attention: 
  As a student in the biology program, you will get to know your professors well. Our low student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes provide you the attention you deserve. Faculty members have open-door office policies, and there are many seminars, picnics and other faculty/ student gatherings. 
• Off-campus opportunities: 
  While our on-campus curriculum is very broad, you can also take advantage of off-campus experiences. These include programs in Central America (Costa Rica, Honduras and Ecuador) and at the Gulf Coast Marine Research Lab and the Highlands Biological Station. Short-term programs are also offered at a variety of regional sites, including the Savannah River Ecology Lab, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway and Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory. 
• Internships: 
  We help you to identify appropriate internships that provide experience in your chosen field of biology. 
• Career-related work experience: 
  Berry College’s Student Work Experience Program provides unique opportunities for students to gain valuable career boosting experience while assisting with laboratory and field research, teaching laboratories and laboratory preparation.

What if I am planning a career in medicine?

Whether you are interested in brain surgery, pediatrics or physical therapy, pursuing any career in the field of medicine is hard work, and most people have no idea where or when to start. Berry has a pre-medical advising program designed to help. A pre-medical committee and your advisor will help you prepare to take the necessary courses, obtain the right extracurricular experiences, prepare for the MCAT and apply to medical schools. 

What facilities are available? 

The biology department is housed in a modern science building that is designed to promote hands-on learning and faculty-student collaboration in research and study. It houses a variety of offices, classrooms, laboratories, reading rooms and special facilities, such as tissue culture labs, greenhouses, a microscopy suite and an aquatics laboratory. The availability of our 27,000-acre “outdoor classroom” and natural laboratory is a unique attribute of our program. Not only is our wooded and mountainous campus beautiful for outdoor recreation, but it also is the site of numerous short- and long-term student field experiences.

What activities are available?

Out-of-class activities are numerous and include such things as Biology Night Out, Tri-Beta and Biology Club field trips, Pre-Healthcare Professions Club activities, course-associated field trips, volunteer opportunities and travel to scientific conferences.

What can you do with a biology degree?

We take great care to focus our students’ attention on career opportunities and directions in biology and have had excellent success in getting students into graduate and professional schools. Typically, more than 50 percent of our graduates immediately go on to graduate or professional school, and most others obtain positions in a biology-related field. If you are interested in having your education take you places, Berry is a great place to start.