Biology

All Majors & Minors

Biology

Degree

Bachelor of Science, Major, Minor

School/College

College of Arts & Sciences

Biology student holding a microscope and looking at a closeup image on screen.

The Biology Department at ��ɫ��Ƭ University is dedicated to delivering an excellent, comprehensive education to our students. Throughout their course of study, students are given innovative classroom instruction along with hands-on experience in labs, providing them with a deep appreciation and understanding of the diversity of living things, their adaptations to the environment, and their evolutionary and ecological relationships.

Learn from and Collaborate with Dedicated Faculty

The Biology Department's faculty consists of passionate scholars and researchers committed to student education and success. Undergraduates have the opportunity to attend diverse seminars, engage in original research, co-author publications, and pursue internships both on and off campus. Students often work on projects like bird surveys at the Audubon Center or internships at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Prepare for Future Challenges

By studying biology at various levels, you’ll develop a deep understanding of the challenges faced by living organisms. This foundation equips you with the knowledge and skills to tackle issues in graduate, medical, dental, or allied health schools, as well as careers in life and medical sciences.

Pursue Research Opportunities

The College of Arts and Sciences encourages undergraduates from all disciplines to conduct innovative, collaborative research with faculty guidance. Over 300 faculty-student research projects in STEM, humanities, arts, and social sciences are conducted annually, with many presented at national conferences or published in professional journals. Explore recent biology research projects and learn more on the College’s undergraduate research webpage.

Engage in Real-World Applications

Biology students at ��ɫ��Ƭ University have ample opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings. From internships to collaborative research projects, these experiences not only enhance learning but also prepare students for future professional and academic challenges in the life sciences.

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Course Requirements

67-71 credits

18-20

Contact Us

Undergraduate Admission
admis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4100

Internships

Internships provide the opportunity for practical experience in a career field related to your major. Most departments offer credit for internships in appropriate agencies and business firms. This experience is optional in the senior year for qualified students and may be undertaken for a maximum of 6 academic credits for a year-long program. Research and internship experiences are extra courses and do not count towards the biology major degree requirements.

Recent Placements

St. Vincent's and Bridgeport hospitals
Hartford, Danbury, Norwalk, Waterbury and Stamford hospitals
The Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven
��ɫ��Ƭ County Rehabilitation Center
The Maritime Center in Norwalk
Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture School
Bridgeport Hydraulic Company
Stratford Conservation Commission
Connecticut Audubon Society
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Earthplace
Environment CT and ConnPIRG
The offices of various medical practitioners

“I would recommend exploring all the different branches of Biology; ��ɫ��Ƭ offers a diverse range of biology courses and there is a great variety to choose from.”

- Caitlin Fanella ‘25

As students proceed through their academic journey, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Office of Career and Professional Development offers advising, counseling, programming, and experiential opportunities to help students discover their strengths, explore career paths, and build essential skills needed to succeed in their professional career.

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��ɫ��Ƭ supports the scholarly success and intellectual growth of our students by providing various resources on campus including the Science Center, Writing Center, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, and more.

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The purpose of the internship program is to provide you with the opportunity of earning experience in the public or private sector which has relevance to your academic major. It is expected that the internship will be mutually beneficial to both you and the organization in which you are involved. As a cooperative effort, the internship experience should allow you an opportunity for the practical application of the principles and theories you are learning in your major field of study.

Your progress will be monitored by both an on-the-job supervisor and a faculty member. If you're interested in an internship, you should discuss arrangements as early as possible with a member of the faculty.

To be eligible for an internship, you must:

Have completed your junior year of study

Be in good academic standing as defined by the department in which you're pursuing your major

Obtain approval to register for an internship from the designated faculty member and departmental chair

Dr. Donald J. Ross Sr. Biology Lecture Series

The Dr. Donald J. Ross Sr. Biology Lecture Series, established in 2011, honors the legacy of Professor Emeritus Donald Ross, a founding member of ��ɫ��Ƭ University's Biology Department. The series continues to engage students in scientific inquiry through virtual and hybrid events featuring faculty, alumni, and guest speakers. This fall, the monthly lectures will cover diverse topics such as predator-prey interactions and research on C. elegans.

For lecture series event links and details, visit .

Undergraduate biology students Maggie Xie ’20, Isabelle Seppa ’20, Brenna McAllister ’21, and Giulia Crosio ‘20 spent summer break conducting a variety of innovative cancer cell research in Dr. Shelley Phelan’s biology lab.Their potentially groundbreaking studies included discovering new ways to detect cancer cell aggressiveness using natural fluorescents, determining the ability to grow breast cancer cells on 3D printed polylactic acid scaffolds, and analyzing the effects of olive leaf chemical compounds on the death of leukemia cancer cells.
Biology students Katherine Biardi ’19 and Teresa Sauer ’20 teamed up with faculty mentor Jennifer Klug, PhD, to study the effects of algal blooms in Lake Lillinonah. Biardi’s research focused on an analysis of water quality data collected from 2010 to 2018, to determine long-term water quality trends at the lake. Sauer’s research focused on analyzing the effect of high river inflow on the lake’s water quality to better understand how the health and recreation potential of Lake Lillinonah is influenced by severe precipitation events.
Biology undergraduate Giulia Crosio ’20 and faculty mentor Anita Fernandez, PhD, conducted a recent study using C. elegans, a tiny nematode worm with similar genes to humans and other animals, to examine the roles of different genes and how they collaborate to promote fertility.

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Biology

What You'll Learn and Do