Major Biology

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A school of zebrafish swim around a tank in a Reed College biology laboratory

What You’ll Study in the Bachelor’s Degree in Biology

Formulate and test hypotheses, hone your analytical skills, and interpret complex biological data as a biology major at Reed College. Our curriculum seamlessly integrates the educational experiences of students with faculty projects, allowing you to be involved in research at several levels, including your own independent projects, and culminating in an original, research-intensive thesis.

Roadmap to the BA in Biology at Reed

Develop the skills you need to become an excellent scientist or pursue various biology-related careers through your work in our biology department. Learn directly from our professors—not teaching assistants—from day one, and gain firsthand experience in our laboratories, the herbarium, or the beautiful Reed canyon.

Year One

Discover the Biology Program

Start your academic journey at Reed with Humanities 110. Engage with diverse perspectives from the past and present in this interdisciplinary Reed course that also strengthens your critical thinking and writing skills.

Take Biology 101 and 102 as your first major courses to study fundamental biological principles. Several faculty members teach each class, and we invite you to get to know them during their office hours.

Be sure to attend our biology seminars in which we invite scientists to present their research and inspire you. Our biology faculty also present on topics such as summer internship opportunities and postgraduate pathways.

Why Study Biology at Reed College?

Expert Faculty Who Work with You

The support for biological teaching and research at Reed is exceptional. Our exemplary faculty are leaders in their fields and have won grants from organizations like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Professors work directly with students on their projects: of the 50 peer-reviewed publications by Reed’s biology faculty members over the past decade, 60 percent include student coauthors.

Well-Equipped Research Facilities

Our teaching and research facilities are first-rate, allowing biology majors to use state-of-the-art materials and methods in both laboratory coursework and original (often independent) research. Our labs contain contemporary image analysis instrumentation, such as fluorescence and confocal microscopes, molecular imaging and analyses, and instruments for biochemical assays. And did we mention you can get licensed to volunteer in our nuclear research reactor?

Alternate Program Option

Want to combine your study of biology with your professional interests? Consider petitioning to join the biology alternate program, which allows you to integrate courses in public health, urban planning, environmental law, and more.

Pre-Health Pathway

Reed offers excellent preparation for medical school as we provide rigorous coursework, research, and volunteer work that ready you for a career as a good physician. If you are interested in applying to medical school, connect with our pre-health advisers so they can help you enroll in the Reed classes that will meet admission requirements.

Learn More About Our Medical School Pathway

My Favorite Courses

Biology Course Catalog

Careers for Biology BA Graduates

Many Reed biology students go on to graduate and professional programs. They advance to successful careers in human and veterinary medicine, education, biotechnology, public health, law, and advocacy. Current alumni work as:

  • Associate scientist, Wildtype
  • Biologist fish technician, Wyoming Game and Fish Department
  • Cofounder, Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods
  • Health attaché, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Microbiologist, Pacific Diagnostics Laboratories
  • Senior director of business development, Pliant Therapeutics
  • Outreach coordinator, The Wilderness Society
  • Representative, U.S. Congress

Learn More About Career Paths and Possibilities

Achievements of Biology Alumni

With our hands-on research opportunities and emphasis on clear writing, our biology students and graduates have received the following prestigious awards and scholarhips:

  • Meredith Theus ’21, Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  • Eliotte Garling ’18, Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  • Michael Weiss ’16, Class of ’21 Award
  • Wilson Horner ’15, John Van Zytveld Award in the Life Sciences
  • Katie Halloran ’15, Sperling Scholarship
  • Susan Alberts ’83, National Academy of Sciences
  • Pamela Ronald ’82, National Academy of Sciences
A Reed College biology student works with a biology professor to analyze images on a screen

Connect with Our Faculty (Yes, Really!)

Biology thrives on collaboration and mentorship. Discover our biology department’s exceptional faculty, their groundbreaking projects, and the remarkable expertise they bring to Reed. We invite you to email them so you can gain insights into their research and perhaps join their labs as a biology student.

Learn About our Faculty and Staff

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