Programs

The Department offers three majors and one minor. Each of the three majors leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Additionally, students may pursue other unique and exciting experiences through individual research and courses with international field trips.

Our department’s foundational strengths:

Focus on teaching: All classes and labs are taught by professors whose top priority is high-quality teaching.

Small class size: The average upper-level class size is 15 – 20.

Internships, Community Service, and Career Skill Development: Each Major includes courses that provide opportunities for students to engage in off-campus activities that will enhance their career readiness, including working at Fredericksburg area health care facilities, volunteering at area community service organizations, working with wildlife management groups, and working closely with the UMW Center for Career & Professional Development to find internship opportunities at a wide variety of places.

Opportunities for research: Students at all levels can engage in authentic research. Undergraduate research is an integral part of every faculty member’s research program.

Sophisticated equipment and facilities: In addition to the 8 teaching labs, the newly renovated Department in the Jepson Science Center boasts

- a large molecular biology research suite with laboratory bench space for up to 40 undergraduate research students,
- two tissue culture suites containing 4 complete tissue culture consoles,
- a complete virology lab,
- an electron microscopy lab containing a scanning and transmission electron microscope,
- a centrifugation core containing two modern high-speed centrifuges,
- facilities for students engaging in plant research, including a phytotron a small greenhouse, and an extensive herbarium collection,
- field equipment for collecting biological data from the terrestrial, aquatic, and estuarine habitats surrounding campus,
- and much, much more.