Biological Sciences B.S. or B.A.

  • Biological Sciences students performing tests with petri dishes

    Biological Sciences B.S. or B.A.

    Help build a better future for ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ — and the world. As a biological sciences major at UAA, you’ll discover how biology impacts daily life for you and your loved ones and creates scientific solutions to common concerns such as climate change, mining and oil, food subsistence and global health.

Explore the biological sciences bachelor’s degree program at the University of ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ Anchorage

The ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ’s Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences degree programs combine concepts in biology — the study of living organisms — with core coursework in chemical, physical and mathematical sciences.

Biological sciences scholarships and financial aid

A variety of scholarships and financial aid resources are available through the UAA Office of Financial Aid. Learn more about financial aid opportunities at UAA.

Traditional and modern topics

Explore a variety of topics in biology, including plants and wildlife, physiology and toxicology, microbes, molecular biology, genetics and human health.

Practical job skills

Learn and apply concepts in biology to develop scientific reasoning, critical-thinking and communication skills that will help you get into graduate school or qualify for a variety of employment opportunities after graduation.

Arctic studies

Question, research and discuss topics unique to the region’s environment and population, from the lucrative field of bioinformatics to UAA’s developing program in microbiology, including pathogenic microbiology and biochemistry.

Academic advising in biology

Planning your future may seem daunting, but dedicated academic advisors in biological sciences can help take the stress out of it. With their guidance, you can choose classes that best fit your personal interests, degree program requirements and career goals.

Biology student clubs and professional organizations

Join the student chapter of a professional organization related to your field, such as the American Medical Student Association, American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry and American Indian Science & Engineering Society. You can also choose from 100 student clubs on campus, including Medical Laboratory Science and Pre-Pharmacy.

Biological Sciences B.S. or B.A.

Degree Type:

  • Baccalaureate

Concentration: Microbiological sciences, astrobiology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, ecology and evolutionary biology

Program Length: Four Years

Availability:Anchorage campus

What can you do with a biology degree from UAA?

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science undergraduate programs in biological sciences prepare you for entry-level jobs in biology and help you qualify for graduate school.

Biological sciences graduate programs

Continue your education and earn a research-based M.S. or Ph.D. degree, or a professional degree in medicine, law or teaching. The ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ offers a M.S. in biological sciences graduate program to supplement your bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. You can also pursue a Ph.D. in biological sciences at the University of ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ Fairbanks with a UAA faculty member as your advisor. 

Biological sciences careers
Jobs with a biology degree range from government to academia to industry.
  • Biologist
  • Biochemist
  • Biophysicist
  • Microbiologist

Biological sciences bachelor’s degree program highlights

Take control of your future and choose your own path to success in biological sciences.
  • Maximize your education through undergraduate research. As a biological sciences major, you’ll have numerous opportunities to conduct experiments in labs and in the field. You can work on faculty-directed research projects or apply for your own grant funding through the Office of Undergraduate Research.
  • Receive instruction from experienced faculty who bring innovative teaching practices to classrooms and labs. Their specialties include ecology, evolutionary biology, cell and developmental biology, physiological ecology of plants and animals, genetics and molecular biology.
  • Engage in hands-on learning opportunities in state-of-the-art facilities. Highlighted by the planetarium, the ConocoPhillips Integrated Sciences Building (CPISB) houses professional research-grade facilities and specialized labs staffed with experienced supervisors who oversee intensive studies, interactive classes, undergraduate research and special events.
  • Get out of the classroom and into the field with experiential learning. Surrounded by complex ecosystems in extreme environments, the University of ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ Anchorage offers unique opportunities to conduct field research in the polar regions and beyond.
Students Looking at a laptop

UAA’s annual Brain Bee neuroscience competition hosts ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ high school students interested in the nervous system who compete for a chance win an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Brain Bee.

ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ Brain Bee
A student wearing scrubs and working with chemicals

A collaboration between biological sciences and several other departments, programs and offices at UAA, the annual STEM Day on campus offers K–12 students free hands-on activities, from planetarium shows and lab demonstrations to Baja car races.

UAA STEM Day
A collection of petri dishes and vials.

Free and open to the public, UAA’s Biological Sciences Seminar Series hosts guest speakers who are experts in their field to present on current issues in biology.

Biological Sciences Seminar Series

Biological sciences bachelor’s degree program curriculum

What’s the difference between the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs in biological sciences?
  • With an emphasis on scientific research, the biological sciences B.S. is great for building a career in biology as a professional researcher. This program also helps undergraduate students fulfill graduate school — medicine, dentistry, veterinary science — prerequisites.
  • With an emphasis on health and environmental science, the biological sciences B.A. is great preparation for careers in medical fields such as nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, wildlife management or environmental law. This program is also more flexible for students who want to double-major or minor.

Top classes for biology majors

  • Design and conduct your own science experiment in Principles and Methods in Biology.
  • Develop molecular and cell biology concepts in Virology and join the global response to human disease outbreaks.