Biology at Middlebury provides students opportunities to explore the diversity of life within the tradition of a liberal arts education.

Thanks for your interest in Biology 140 and Biology 145! For Fall 2023 registration we will use a google form waitlist. It will open on Friday April 28th at noon. You do not need to email any of the professors to be added to the waitlist. Priority for getting into the class off the waitlist will be based on: first class year, then whether you have been on an intro bio waitlist before, and finally the time you signed up for the google form waitlist. The waitlist can be found at go.middlebury.edu/introbiowaitlist when it opens on April 28th at noon.

 

 

Our Courses

Biology courses cover topics across the field of biology while allowing for in-depth study of sub-disciplines. Students who choose to major or minor in biology take our two introductory courses: Ecology & Evolution and Cells & Genetics. Coursework beyond the introductory level provides depth by including taxon-based organismal courses, research methods courses, and other upper-level courses. Here are the Learning Goals for the biology major.

    Biology students participate in a coral reef survey.
    Biology students participate in a coral reef survey in the Bahamas.

    Interdisciplinary Approach

    Biology informs many aspects of our lives. As such Biology faculty are active participants in programs across the larger College curriculum: Environmental Science Program, Global HealthNeuroscience Program, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Program. Students interested in teaching at the elementary or secondary level a major or minor in Education Studies.

    Students collecting river data in the field.

    Related Programs

    Biology Department faculty are active participants in the teaching of courses that are offered by these programs and supervise research students in each.
     

    Environmental Studies

    The Environmental Studies (ES) Program is of interest to students who wish to study the human relationship to the environment from many different directions. Students enrolled in the conservation biology focus of the ES Program automatically get joint major status with biology and ES.

    Explore Environmental Studies

    Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

    The Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBBC) Program is for students who wish the opportunity to have an in-depth exploration of the flow and regulation of genetic information contained in DNA to its expression in the development and function of cells.

    Explore MBBC

    Neuroscience

    The Neuroscience Program offers students the opportunity to explore the neural bases of behavior from multiple perspectives, including biology, psychology, and philosophy.

    Explore Neuroscience

    Our Alumni

    Our alums move on to a variety of different careers and paths after graduating. Many biology majors go directly to medical, dental, and veterinary schools. Some go on to other graduate study. Many work as field or lab assistants or for NGOs or for the government. Below are just a few examples of what our recent grads are doing for careers. 

    • The Joint Genome Institute, Head, Genomics Technologies Program
    • Maine Medical Center, Pediatric Pulmonologist
    • Procter & Gamble, Senior Engineer, Process and Engineering
    • Ambit Biosciences, Director, Molecular Biology and Technology Development
    • Environmental Protection Agency, Deputy Director, Engineering and Analysis
    • Center for Disease Control, Epidemiologist
    • Columbia Land Conservancy, Director, Outreach and Resource Development
    • School Specialty Science, Vice President, Product Development
    • Plaistow-Kingston Animal Medical Center, Associate Veterinarian
    • Google, Account Executive, Healthcare
    • 3D Systems Corporation, Creative Director, Food Products
    • Limerick Biopharma, Director, Translational Biology
    • Ocean Conservancy, Chief Scientist
    • Foundation for Blood Research, Genetic Counselor
    • The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Pollinator Conservation Specialist
    • World Health Organization, Consultant, Geneva
    • San Francisco Estuary Institute, Environmental Analyst
    • NRG Energy, Senior Associate, Solar Development
    • The Research Foundation at SUNY-ESF, Director of Science
    • Environmental Defense Fund, Consultant

    Meet with Faculty

    Office Hours

    Explore the Major

    Requirements

    Explore Research

    Student and Faculty Work