Isn’t choosing a career all about discovering your passions and blazing a trail toward putting those passions to work? Fortunately, there are many possible trails you can blaze while getting a solid biology education from AUM.
You might find yourself taking a marine biology course at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on the Gulf of Mexico. Or spending a semester abroad with other students in Costa Rica, South Africa, or the Galapagos Islands. Or, you might stay on campus and assist one of your professors working on a research project funded by the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Department of Energy. You might even be recognized for making an ecological discovery while working in AUM’s roughly 250 acres of ancient woodlands and wetlands.
The Bachelor of Science in Biology prepares students for a wide range of jobs and post-graduate options, including graduate school, health professions and others.
If your degree focus is in one of the S.T.E.M. fields—science, pre-engineering, computer science or mathematics—AUM provides an automatic scholarship to minor in Education and earn an Alabama teaching certificate. This unique program is called “AUMTeach.”
Get Your Degree
The Know How
What you will know with a General Biology degree from AUM
We Prepare You For A Career Working Inside Or Outside
Know how to conduct yourself professionally in a lab (maybe as a microbiologist) and in the field, working as a zoologist or a wildlife biologist.
We Offer You The Chance To Assist With Research
Know how to conduct and document research by working with a faculty member. Or build your network traveling to professional conferences.
We Prepare You For A Rewarding Career
Know how (and why) careers in biology can be financially rewarding.
We Encourage You To Be Hands On
Know how to be hands-on by conducting research in the department’s Bioprocessing and Biofuels Research Lab or the Geospatial Research Institute.
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Game Plan for Success
Your GPS is an academic tracker that provides a step-by-step guide to graduating on time.
Students can take semesters abroad in places like Costa Rica and South Africa and summers abroad in the Galapagos Islands.
Faculty members currently have grants from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, and the Alabama State Department of Education.
Nearly 20 percent of students do research with a faculty member and many go on to publish papers and travel to conferences.
Soaring Warhawks
Chris Norris was just accepted into graduate school at Auburn University to study population genetics in lizards.
Kaori Knights teaches flow cytometry for VMR.
Anna Parker and Aya Zaeid have recently graduated from law school.
After his tenure working at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Greg Vinson is now a professional angler.
Matthew Heartsill just accepted a job at the U.S. Geological Survey as a hydrologic technician.
Nathan Frazier graduated with a masters in Poultry Science from Auburn University and recently completed his Ph.D. in Colorado..
Andrew Nichols was recently accepted into graduate school and will be pursuing a Ph.D.
Amanda Strozier is pursuing her master’s in Aquatic Ecology at Auburn University after completing an internship in South Africa to study sharks.
Customize Your Degree
Choose to double major in Chemistrywith the addition of 3 courses to your degree plan
Add a minor (like Writing and Editing) that could help you excel in graduate school and future research
Apply to the University Honors Program, a diverse community of students who take classes together, work on community service projects, and travel the U.S. and abroad.
Video Testimonials
Tell me about the Environmental Science/Biology concentration.
There is a wide variety of job opportunities either in the lab, in the field, or a combination. Microbiologists, biochemists and agricultural scientists are employed in the private, nonprofit and government sectors. Some graduates go on to earn a master’s degree before taking the career plunge. Check out our Career Discovery Board, below on this page.
It helps to have a solid background in high school science topics, but don’t worry. Your interest in biology is more important than your previous class load. Besides, AUM has free tutoring and our professors are known to spend extra time on any student who needs it!
Students in the General Biology program work with an expert advisor who will help you choose the right undergraduate classes and help you prepare for grad school applications.
It depends on several factors, including whether you have gone on to earn a master’s degree. Your experience, seniority and personal initiative also have a big impact on your income. See sample salaries on this page, under Rewarding Occupations and Job Growth.
Students seeking to continue their education in Medical, Veterinary, or Dental school are given dedicated resources that provide class schedule advising focused on career choice, assistance with graduate school applications, and more.
Degree Options
Is a Bachelor of Science in Biology Degree right for me?
With this bachelor’s degree as your educational foundation, you have many career possibilities.
Career/Job Title
Entry-level Education Requirements
Job Growth 2020-2030
Annual Median Salary
Conservation Scientist and Forester
Bachelor's degree
7% (As fast as average)
$64,010
Microbiologist
Bachelor's degree
5% (Slower than average)
$84,400
Natural Sciences Manager
Bachelor's degree (Master?s preferred)
6% (As fast as average)
$137,940
Biochemist
Master?s degree (Ph.D. preferred)
5% (Slower than average)
$94,270
Biology Technician
Bachelor's degree
7% (As fast as average)
$46,340
Agricultural and Food Scientist
Bachelor's degree
9% (As fast as average)
$68,830
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologist
Bachelor's degree
5% (Slower than average)
$66,350ÿ
Note: Salaries vary depending on several factors including your level of experience, education, training, demographics, and industry. Here is a sampling of the future job growth and salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learn More
Quick Facts
College of Sciences
At AUM’s College of Sciences, you will have hands-on learning experiences, working side by side with scholars and researchers using state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment.
This degree requires students to meet on campus. Students in these courses enroll in a program to connect in a campus setting and to collaborate using a variety of technological and educational tools. Professors play an inspirational role in building relationships among teams and individuals in this setting. The criteria for many programs can only be met with In-Class coursework. Be sure to check with your advisor to understand the best route to take.
In-Class
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Required Courses
You will need to complete courses in the university core, biology, related science areas, and electives. Contact the Biology and Environmental Sciences Department for a current listing of courses required to complete the Biology Health Sciences concentration.
The course listings below are only a few of the classes this concentration requires. For a full review of this program in detail, please see our official online catalog AND consult with an academic advisor.
Course Number
Course Name
What you will know…
BIOL 1020
Organisms, Adaptations, and the Environment
Get acquainted with the unifying principles of biology: biological diversity, evolution, and ecology.
BIOL 1010/1011
Cellular and Molecular Basis of Life
You’ll design your own experiment, perform it, analyze the data and then present the work to your peers.
BIOL 2010/2011
Fundamentals of Microbiology/Lab
Basic aspects of microbiology including control of microbes, infection, and immunity selected infectious agents.
BIOL 2100/2101
Anatomy and Physiology/Lab
Structure and function of the tissues, as well as the integumentary, skeletal, articular, muscular, nervous, and sensory systems.
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