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Bio Lab

Biology

Cure cancer? Develop state-of-the-art organ transplant procedures? Invent biomaterials that help burn victims regrow their skin? Whatever lofty goal you’ve set for yourself, and however you’ve decided to put your bio-inclined brain to work, the McDaniel Biology major is your home base. Your launch pad to a future of rewarding scholarly and career opportunities.

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Degree Types
Major, Minor
Institution
Complementary Programs
Biochemistry
Heart
Distinctive Requirements
5 Lab Courses
Document
Academic Spaces
6 Research Labs

Why McDaniel for your Biology Degree?

students walk in front of Eaton Hall

Thanks to our carefully structured courses and gifted professors who gladly dive into research projects with their students, our graduates find great, meaningful jobs in many venues and industries. They enter a variety of fields such as genetics, marine science, cancer research, environmental analysis, or work as laboratory research associates.

On campus, Biology majors will study in Eaton Hall, which houses state-of-the-art biology and chemistry laboratories, faculty offices, and research labs dedicated for student use to take their knowledge to a new level.

Pathways to Success: Near-Limitless Career and Graduate School Opportunities

A biology degree is a ticket to near-limitless career and graduate school opportunities. Our graduates have found success in places like:

  • Medical school
  • Veterinary school
  • Research labs
  • The pharmaceutical industry
  • Biotechnology companies
  • The federal government

Preparation for Graduate School 

Many McDaniel Biology grads also decide to pursue careers in such health science fields as medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy, or veterinary medicine.

Learn more about our pre-med & pre-health advising and preparation.

Distinctive Courses in Biology

CHE 1104 - General Chemistry II: Chemical Reactivity

The second half of the two-semester, general chemistry sequence is designed primarily for those students who are interested in majoring in the sciences and have sufficiently solid backgrounds in science and mathematics to allow for a more in-depth investigation of the field. The course starts with an overview of the physical properties of solids, liquids and gases and how they can be interpreted using kinetic molecular theory. Major topics also include an introduction to chemical kinetics, the principles of chemical equilibrium, and chemical thermodynamics. Finally, a detailed study of two important classes of reactions, acid-base and reduction-oxidation, will be covered. In the laboratory, students explore gases, solutions, kinetics, and equilibrium, using conventional and instrumental techniques, applying their skills in a problem-solving environment.

BIO 2234 - Marine Biology

A study of organisms inhabiting marine and estuarine environments including structural and functional adaptations to these ecological regions. Emphasis will be placed on ecological principles involving marine organisms.

BIO 3316 - Animal Physiology

A study and analysis of functional processes in animals and the involvement of these processes in homeostatic regulation. Topics include osmotic and ionic regulation, excretion, respiration, circulation, muscles, nervous communication, and hormones.

BIO 3312 - Genomics

A study of genes and their functions on a global scale, through analysis of the entire genetic blueprint of an organism. Areas of emphasis include: comparative genomics, evolution of genomes, bioinformatics, and proteomics.

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Special Opportunities for Biology students

There are several major, minor, and specialization tracks for you to pursue in McDaniel’s biology department.

Huang Biology Lab

Biology Major with Education Minor

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. 

Student-faculty researchers senior Phuc Truong, senior Jake Holechek, Chemistry professor Dana Ferraris and senior Bobby Lease.

Biology – Molecular Biology Specialization

Are you someone who loves diving into the smallest details? Are you fascinated by the intricate structures that make up all living things? If so, a Molecular Biology degree from McDaniel College might be perfect for you. In our Molecular Biology program, you'll study the fundamental building blocks of life. Get ready to delve into the fascinating world of molecules!

Tropical Marine Biology

Biology Major - Ecology & Evolution Specialization

In the Ecology & Evolution program at McDaniel College, you'll get hands-on with Biology research in and out of the classroom. Eels, geckos, zebrafish embryos, wildflowers, and native bees are just a few of the natural subjects that McDaniel student researchers study.

McDaniel Commitment in Action

The McDaniel Commitment—a series of opportunities guaranteed to all students—provides enhanced mentoring and coaching, and ensures every undergraduate student completes at least two meaningful experiential learning opportunities.

Jackie Fahrenholz in Indonesia for student research.

Study Abroad

Allison Parker gathering real-world experiences and exploring careers at the famed National Aquarium.

Internships

Garrett Gregoire standing in front of presentation.

Research

Biology Student with Lizard
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Experiential Learning Senior Capstone Hands-on Research

Nicolette Olson, a Biology major from Woodbine, Md., spent six weeks in Madagascar researching color variability in the leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus ebenaui.

"I actually got the chance to go to Madagascar with Dr. Morrison and Operation Wallacea and it was amazing. I got to go out with other dissertation students; there were fourteen of us and we were all doing a bunch of different projects."

Research & Internships

Jade Enright, Molecular Biology major at McDaniel College, conducted research at Yale.

Molecular Biology major conducts summer research at Yale Amgen Scholars Program

Jade Enright, a senior Molecular Biology major with a strong Chemistry minor, conducted research at Yale University after being named an Amgen Scholar. Enright worked in a graduate molecular biology lab overseen by a Yale professor and staffed with four post-doctoral fellows, four Ph.D. students and a lab manager.

Molecular Biology major Cooper Hostetler

Biology major’s passion for plants feeds his research to improve soybeans National Science Foundation Internship

Like many science majors, Cooper Hostetler wants to make the world a better place through technology. But the McDaniel senior Molecular Biology major’s focus isn’t medicine or engineering or even video game design. Instead he imagines fields of green — literally —  producing super food for animals and people.

McDaniel Biology professors and students at the SICB conference in New Orleans

Four Biology seniors present research at annual biology conference Annual Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Conference

Four seniors at McDaniel College presented student-faculty research findings with Biology professor Katie Staab at the annual Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology conference.

Hira Khan poses in front of blooming tree with white flowers

Student Spotlight Hira Khan '26 Biology major | Chemistry & Arabic minors

From a molecular level to a global scale, Hira Khan has broadened her horizons during her time at McDaniel. "Throughout my time at McDaniel, I've greatly expanded my intercultural competence by being an active Global Fellow, developing fluency in Arabic and Mandarin Chinese, and studying abroad in Hong Kong. I've grown into a person who has a nuanced understanding of the world and can navigate new environments with ease."

Read about Hira's McDaniel experience.

Student Spotlights

A student sits at a table with a notebook and mug in front of him.

Class of 2024: Sebastian Whipple Kinesiology and Biology Major

A science major wasn’t originally in Sebastian Whipple’s plans. But through mentorship from faculty like professors Cheng Huang, Dana Ferraris, and Jessica Ford, he discovered the fun of Biology, Chemistry, and Kinesiology. Through student-faculty research in the lab and peer tutoring, Sebastian knows now that his future lies in the sciences.

"My Kinesiology capstone tests if personality can predict how athletes talk to themselves during sports. Basically, trying to answer if a person’s innate personality has anything to do with how they talk to themselves, hopefully helping coaches understand their athletes better."

Read about Sebastian's McDaniel experience.
Nakayla Lawson sits in an armchair, wearing a black shirt and a black and white striped blazer.

Class of 2025: Nakayla Lawson Molecular Biology major | Spanish minor

Through her extensive laboratory experience at McDaniel, Nakayla Lawson advanced to become a mentor in the lab to her fellow researchers. After scuba diving on a Marine Biology Jan Term trip and volunteering at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s shock trauma and pediatrics department, she is graduating with a love for research and medicine. 

"I realized that research isn’t just something I enjoy — it’s something I need. ... I know now that I wouldn’t be satisfied without research, and I truly can’t see myself in a career that doesn’t involve scientific discovery. Becoming a medical scientist is the only path that feels right to me."

Read about Nakayla's McDaniel experience.
McDaniel College alumna Ashley Brown '06 DDS

Impressive Outcomes Dr. Ashley Brown ’06

Brown shadowed her family dentist during the summers and became intrigued by dentistry’s unique blend of art, science and engineering. As high school came to a close, she earned an academic scholarship to McDaniel and left her home in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in the fall of 2002 to become a member of the first entering class of what was now McDaniel College. “McDaniel taught me to think critically, and this helped me tremendously at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry,” says Brown, whose love of science was fostered by now retired Biology professors Bill Long and Esther Iglich. “This critical thinking helped me to excel, graduating in the top 5 percent of my class.

Read "Dr. Ashley Brown ’06"

News for Biology

  • A male student shows his work with a microscope in the lab.

    Students study genetics, parasites, and more during summer research

    When they’re not making new discoveries, collaborating across the country, or preparing to present at a national conference, students conducting summer research on campus stay entertained by naming fruit flies, wrangling lizards, and navigating conflicts with squirrels.
  • Teachers of Promise 2026

    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.
  • A female cadet takes the Oath of Office.

    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.

Related Programs

Chemistry Biochemistry Environmental Studies Kinesiology Data Analytics, M.S. (STEM Designated with Day-1 CPT)
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Keep in Touch

Tell us a little about yourself and we'll share updates & information. (We'll also make sure you don't miss any important deadlines.)

Request More Info
mapsearch Created with Sketch.

See Yourself Here

Take your first steps on the Hill! Visiting campus is one of the best ways to determine if McDaniel is right for you.

Visit McDaniel
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