A student looks into a microscope while seated next to a professor.

Biology Department

The Biology Department offers a major that provides the essential background for students who wish to pursue graduate or professional studies in health care and those who wish to pursue careers in biological research. From its founding, the College and the Biology Department have prepared students to enter medical school and graduate programs in the life sciences.

Meet the Department Chair

Holly Martinson. Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Biology and Department Chair

Biology Major/Minor: Provides entry to a wide variety of course patterns that allow students to tailor a program that matches their interests.
Biology Major - Ecology & Evolution Specialization: The study of Ecology and Evolution will allow students to spend time discovering how organisms interact with their environments while also considering the role of evolution in forming those organisms and ecosystems.
Biology Major - Molecular Biology Specialization: The study of Molecular Biology explores the intricate mechanisms that drive life, such as genetics and biochemistry.
Biology Major with Education Minor (Secondary): Students interested in teaching Biology at the secondary level (grades 7-12) in Maryland public schools major in Biology and complete a core set of secondary education requirements. This program will prepare students to earn certification to teach biology in grades 7 through 12 across the state of Maryland.
Biomedical Science Major: Prepare for medical, dental, or veterinary school with this cutting-edge major. Study topics in biology, chemistry, physics, and statistics, with a foundation in psychology and sociology.

What can I do with a Biology Degree?

Many Biology students find employment and enjoy successful careers with a bachelor’s degree. They enter a variety of fields such as genetics, immunology, marine science, cancer research, and environmental analysis. In addition, many students successfully enroll in postgraduate programs at the master’s or doctoral level immediately following graduation from McDaniel. Our undergraduate course offerings cover the basic requirements for most graduate programs. Students should be aware that many doctoral programs require calculus (MAT 1117), two semesters of organic chemistry (CHE 2217, 2218), and two semesters of physics (PHY 1101, 1102) in addition to the courses required by the major. Specific requirements should be discussed with the student’s faculty advisor, and advisors of specific professional tracks (such as premed).

Students may decide to pursue a career in such health science fields as medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy, or veterinary medicine. Our curriculum, coupled with pre-professional advising, enables students to meet the course requirements for these programs. Students interested in health careers should consult Dr. Susan Parrish for specific advice early in their undergraduate studies.

Biology at Work

Two students in lab coats look at a microscope.

A Decade of Collaboration, Transformation, and Growth In the Biology Lab

When Cheng Huang joined the McDaniel faculty in 2012, the associate professor of Biology launched his research lab with a goal of creating transformational opportunities for undergraduate students. Since then, ambitious Biology students have honed their skills with summertime experiments on zebrafish embryos in the Huang lab.

Photo of professor Maureen Williams in a tie-dyed lab coat sitting in a science lab.

Maureen Williams, Ph.D. Faculty Spotlight

A certified scuba instructor who loves to be outdoors, Maureen Williams brings her own hands-on experience into the classroom and Biology lab. She has published internationally collaborative research on subjects like parasite communities in coral reef fish in remote Pacific islands and on the resilience of Japanese river ecosystems during heatwaves.

McDaniel College mascot with Randy Day '77

Randy Day '77 Meet an Alum

When Randy Day ’77 was 12, he worked on a farm tending peaches, apples and strawberry plants. Now the chief operating officer of Perdue Farms, Day has come full circle in the field of agriculture. As a Biology major at McDaniel, Day learned how to diversify his skills and study a wide range of subjects that have come in handy as a COO.

Meet Graduates of the Biology Department

We're proud to call these recent graduates alumni, and prouder still to share a selection of their stories here – told as only they can tell them, in their own words.

Sebastian Whipple
Class of 2024 / Kinesiology, Biology, Chemistry

Hyosik Kim
Class of 2022 / Biology - Molecular Biology

Nakayla Lawson
Class of 2025 / Biology - Molecular Biology, Spanish

Sydney Kelly
Class of 2021 / Biology

Meet McDaniel: Profiles from the Hill

Biology Department in the News

Education students recognized as Teachers of Promise

Six students who graduated from McDaniel College on May 23 with a major in Elementary Education or minor in Secondary Education along with one graduate student who is completing the Master of Science in Teaching program were named Teachers of Promise by the Maryland State Department of Education. McDaniel’s Education program boasts an almost 100% retention rate for early-career educators who are still working in the profession after five years.
Seven ROTC cadets from Class of 2026 commissioned as Army officers

Seven McDaniel graduating seniors, who served as members of the Green Terror Battalion, received commissions as Army officers on May 22. The keynote speaker for the ceremony was retired Col. Andrew R. Dziengeleski ’96, an associate professor at the College of Strategic Security Cooperation at the Defense Security Cooperation University.
Biology seniors present at national Ecology conference

Two seniors majoring in Biology, Kaitlyn Braun and Anna Kale, presented at the 2026 Benthic Ecology Meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Anna Kale, who is also majoring in Environmental Studies, was awarded "Best Student Poster Presentation," among other undergraduate and master's students, as well as Ph.D. candidates.