Top Biology Programs in U.S. Universities

Harvard University
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratories at Harvard University.

Corbis / Getty Images / Getty Images

College and university biology programs provide the opportunity to study a plethora of ideas and concepts. Below is a list of the top biology programs from colleges and universities in the United States. Obviously, publications rate the programs differently, but I've seen the following programs turn up consistently in the rankings. It is always best to compare and contrast different programs as biology programs are unique. Always choose the best school for your interests and aspirations. Good luck!

Top Biology Programs: East

Boston University
Offers programs of study with undergraduate specialization in behavioral biology, cell biology, molecular biology & genetics, ecology & conservation biology, neurobiology, and quantitative biology.

Brown University
Offers opportunities for study at all levels of biological organization, as well as a range of collaborative opportunities for independent study and research.

Carnegie Mellon University
One of the nation's top private research institutions, this university offers courses that focus on five core areas: genetics and molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics, cell and developmental biology, neuroscience, and computational biology.

Columbia University
Offers programs to prepare students for careers in basic research, medicine, public health, and biotechnology.

Cornell University
Cornell's Biological Sciences program has hundreds of course offerings with concentrations in fields such as animal physiology, biochemistry, computational biology, marine biology, and plant biology.

Dartmouth College
Courses of study provide students with an understanding of biology at environmental, organismal, cellular, and molecular levels.

Duke University
Provides opportunities for specializations in sub-disciplines including anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, animal behavior, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, genomics, marine biology, neurobiology, pharmacology, and plant biology.

Emory University
Offers advanced programs of study in various sub-disciplines including cell and molecular biology, physiology, ecology and evolutionary biology.

Harvard University
Offers specialized plans of study in biomedical engineering, chemical and physical biology (CPB), chemistry, human developmental and regenerative biology (HDRB), human evolutionary biology (HEB), molecular and cellular biology (MCB), neurobiology, organismic and evolutionary biology (OEB), and psychology.

Johns Hopkins University
Offers opportunities for study in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, biophysics, cellular and molecular biology, microbiology, and much more.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT offers courses of study in areas such as biochemistry, bioengineering, biophysics, neurobiology, and computational biology.

Penn State University
Includes programs of study in fields including general biology, ecology, genetics & developmental biology, neuroscience, plant biology, and vertebrate physiology.

Princeton University
Offers opportunities for study in areas including molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, and chemical and biological engineering.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The programs of study at UNC prepare students for careers in the biological, environmental, and medical sciences. This includes fields such as medical, dental, and veterinary medicine.

University of Pennsylvania
Offers areas of study including genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, development, plant biology, vertebrate physiology, neurobiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution.

University of Virginia
The biology curriculum offers specialization in areas such as genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, ecology, and evolution.

Yale University
The Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) provides opportunities for study in biotechnology, plant sciences, neurobiology, genetics, cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and chemical biology.

Central

Indiana University - Bloomington
Students earning a degree in biology at this university are prepared for careers in biology, biotechnology, and health-related fields. Specialized areas of study include ecology, genetics, microbiology, cellular, developmental, environmental, and molecular biology.

Michigan State University
Offers various programs in the biological sciences including biochemistry and molecular biology.

Northwestern University
Offers opportunities for study in the biological sciences with concentrations in biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, neurobiology, physiology, and plant biology.

Ohio State University
Programs of study include forensic biology, life sciences education, and pre-health professions.

Purdue University
Offers a wide range of study in fields of biology such as biochemistry; cell, molecular, and developmental biology; ecology, evolution, and environmental biology; genetics; health and disease; microbiology; and neurobiology and physiology.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Provides opportunities for study in genomics, physiology, ecology, evolution, and cell and molecular biology.

University of Iowa
Offers biology programs of study in areas including cell and developmental biology, evolution, genetics, neurobiology, and plant biology.

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Programs provide opportunities for study in ecology and evolutionary biology; molecular, cellular and developmental biology, and neuroscience.

University of Notre Dame
Biological and environmental sciences programs allow students to study evolutionary biology, cellular and molecular biology, cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, and more.

Vanderbilt University
Offers courses and research opportunities in biochemistry, structural biology and biophysics, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, computational biology, evolutionary biology, ecology, developmental biology, and neurobiology.

Washington University in St. Louis
Provides opportunities for study in genetics, neuroscience, development, population biology, plant biology, and more.

West

Arizona State University
The field of biological science at Arizona State offers opportunities for study in animal physiology and behavior; biology and society; conservation biology and ecology; genetics, cell and developmental biology.

Baylor University
Biology programs at Baylor are designed for students interested in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, ecology, environmental science, wildlife, conservation, forestry, genetics, or other areas of biology.

Rice University
Offers opportunities to study in biochemistry and cell biology; biological sciences; ecology and evolutionary biology.

University of Colorado at Boulder
Offers four undergraduate biology-related programs of study in molecular, cellular and developmental biology; ecology and evolutionary biology; integrative physiology; and biochemistry.

University of Kansas
Provides opportunities for study in biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and molecular biosciences.

University of Minnesota
Programs of study in biology and in cell and molecular biology are offered for individuals interested in graduate study or professional training in the biological and health sciences.

University of Montana
Offers opportunities to earn degrees in biology, microbiology, and medical technology.

University of Nevada Las Vegas
UNLV's biological sciences program offers areas of concentration in biotechnology, cell and molecular biology, comprehensive biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, education, integrative physiology, and microbiology.

University of Oklahoma
This biological sciences program prepares students to enter medical, dental, or veterinary training, as well as other biology-related careers.

University of Oregon
Offers biology programs of study with concentrations in ecology & evolution; human biology; marine biology; molecular cellular & developmental biology; and neuroscience & behavior.

University of Wisconsin at Madison
The University of Wisconsin's biology program includes opportunities for specialization in neurobiology and evolutionary biology.

Pacific

California Institute of Technology
Offers opportunities for study in biology or bioengineering.

Stanford University
This biology program gives students the foundation needed to pursue careers in the medical and veterinary fields, as well as preparation for graduate study.

University of California at Berkeley
Provides opportunities for study in biochemistry & molecular biology; cell & developmental biology; genetics, genomics & development; immunology & pathogenesis; and neurobiology.

University of California at Davis
Student may choose to major in several concentrations including biochemistry and molecular biology; biological sciences; cell biology; evolution, ecology and biodiversity; exercise biology; genetics; microbiology; neurobiology, physiology and behavior; and plant biology.

University of California at Irvine
Offers opportunities for study in biological sciences, biochemistry and molecular biology, biology/education, developmental and cell biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, genetics, microbiology and immunology, and neurobiology.

University of California at Los Angeles
Provides opportunities to study in biology and a number of biology-related areas including ecology, behavior, and evolution; marine biology; microbiology, immunology, & molecular genetics; molecular, cell developmental biology; integrative biology and physiology; neuroscience; and computational & systems biology.

University of California at Santa Barbara
Students may choose to major in several specialized areas of biology including aquatic biology; biochemistry and molecular biology; ecology and evolution; cell and developmental biology; pharmacology; physiology; and zoology.

University of Southern California
Offers opportunities for study in biological sciences, human development and aging, neuroscience, environmental science, and more.

University of Washington at Seattle
Provides opportunities for study in areas of biology including ecology, evolution, & conservation biology; molecular, cellular & developmental biology; physiology and plant biology.

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Bailey, Regina. "Top Biology Programs in U.S. Universities." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/top-biology-programs-373327. Bailey, Regina. (2020, August 26). Top Biology Programs in U.S. Universities. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/top-biology-programs-373327 Bailey, Regina. "Top Biology Programs in U.S. Universities." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/top-biology-programs-373327 (accessed March 29, 2024).