Why Major in Biology?
Biology is the study of life. A good foundation in Biology neither goes out of style nor limits one to only a single career track. A competent, broad understanding of Biology will always be needed in medical, veterinary, nutritional and other careers working with the body. Finally, there is biological research for the sheer beauty of discovery; for Christians, this humbles us and leads to greater awe of God's hand as Creator. The BS in Biology at Eastern University prepares students for immediate entrance into graduate programs or careers in biology. Students may choose one of the following tracks:
- Medical (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-vet, and pre-PA)
- Field biology (graduate and professional work in ecology and related disciplines)
- General biology (individual course selection for specific interests)
Interested in becoming a biology teacher? Earn a biology major with a Certification in Secondary Biology Education. You can even easily add an online Master's in Education in just 1 more year!
Why Choose Eastern?
- Personalized faculty Support: Our program is designed to give students extensive faculty contact both during and outside of classes. Our largest classes (60-80 students) are our two introductory courses. Otherwise, upper level courses have approximately 20 students or less, while senior research and thesis classes are limited to 5 students. This allows students to build rich relationships with professors.
- Faculty research and service: Students can receive credit in directed research projects working with professors in their area of expertise.
- Christian faith integration: We seek to integrate a Christian worldview - truth God has revealed in the Bible - with our study of the measurable. This includes wrestling with the best responses to new knowledge and technologies, whether issues of global climate change, applications of genetics or issues surrounding evolution.
- Labs and student research: Students have access to standard research equipment, such as laminar flow hoods for cell culture; fluorescent microscopes; thermal cyclers for PCR (polymerase chain reaction); and other tools for DNA and protein electrophoresis. We have standard field biology equipment, and a GIS site license for ecosystem mapping and analysis. Experience with these research tools have prepared students well for employment or graduate school following graduation.
- Field biology labs and proximity to diverse ecosystems: A strength of our program is extensive field time in our environmental-related courses, at numerous off-campus locations. The 100-acre St. Davids campus itself offers forests and wetlands for study. Eastern is within two hours of Atlantic Ocean barrier islands, salt marshes and bird migration stopovers; the biologically unique New Jersey Pine Barrens; the Appalachian Mountains, and the Pocono Plateau, which includes glacial bogs. Our immediate Philadelphia area includes serpentine barrens, five biogeographical zones and a freshwater tidal marsh. Field trips built into our courses allow students to directly observe and study these.
- International programs (Spanish and Biology): Students with Spanish proficiency equivalent to two years of college Spanish or more can study abroad at Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, one of the best schools in Latin America for laboratory biology, chemistry and medicine. Students interested in ecology and tropical biology can study abroad in the Quetzal Education and Research Center (QERC) in Costa Rica.
- International programs and the Creation Care study program: Eastern helped found this program, offering study abroad Fall or Spring semesters in Belize, New Zealand or British Columbia. Courses, all built around the theme of environmental sustainability, fulfill core requirements in Humanities and Social Sciences for science majors, as well as provide a field biology elective. Internships are available in Belize.
- Off-campus programs for biology: the Au Sable Institute: More than 50 Christian colleges and universities partner to offer field courses in May and Summer I and II, in northern Michigan, Whidbey Island in Puget Sound (Washington State), Costa Rica, and India. Courses taken at Au Sable are directly credited through Eastern.
Graduate in 3 Years!
Graduate in 3 years, lighten your course load, or easily double major with Eastern University FastPass.
Featured Alum
Biology Alumna Gabriella Paez '13: 2018 SustainPHL Activist of the Year
The Philadelphia’s SustainPHL Awards highlight and celebrate community change-makers and sustainability visionaries. Gabriella Paez, Esperanza College's Education and Community Development Manager, was acknowledged for her leadership and passion to provide sustainable resources and accessibility to the Hunting Park community. Read More.
