Biology
Step into nature
Environmental biology explores the interactions among organisms, the environment and human activities. Our students study the diversity of life on earth (including plants, animals and microorganisms) and the ecological and evolutionary processes acting on populations, communities, and ecosystems through space and time. It is a dynamic and growing major which prepares students with the scientific background needed to understand and address the many pressing environmental concerns that exist in the modern world. Our program emphasizes experiential learning and creates opportunities for students to get out of the classroom into nature.
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100%
of students conduct an internship helping to launch their career
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18
environmental and ecology courses to choose from to complete your degree
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$37,500
average starting salary for environmental biology majors
High-Quality Education
Students gain hands-on experience working out in the field in some of our courses. Personal attention between students and faculty provides students with great research experience as well.
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We focus on each student as an individual and strive to create a strong foundation from which each graduate is able to launch satisfying careers that meet their vocational aspirations.
Dayton's Old River Park served for more than a half-century as a recreational area for NCR employees and their families, but now our students are using a portion of the 45-acre park for environmental research and education.
Learn MoreAccelerated Learning
The 5-year “Bachelor's Plus Master's” (BPM) degree option allows students to obtain both a bachelor of science in environmental biology and a master of science in biology in five years. The undergraduate degree is earned in the first four years, with the master's degree being earned in the fifth year.
BPM students are charged at the regular undergraduate tuition rate for their first four years, and are offered an ~30% discounted rate (the graduate tuition rate) for the 24 semester hours of graduate coursework they must complete in their fifth year. To help support their M.S. degree completion, several paid teaching opportunities in the chemistry department are available for BPM students.
We invite you to contact the Department of Biology to learn more about coursework, research and other requirements.
Contact the Department of Biology
Explore
Visit Campus
Interested in learning more about environmental biology? We'd love to meet with you. Schedule an academic appointment by calling our department at 937-229-2521. You can also choose to schedule a general campus tour and admission presentation.
Dive Deeper into Environmental Biology
The University of Dayton Environmental Biology program offers students the opportunity to learn about environmental science in outdoor areas that include a pollinator prairie and a 5-acre research and education park. Students gain skills through hands-on research experiences and learn how to implement them to make an impact on modern environmental concerns.
University of Dayton students majoring in environmental biology apply what they learn in the classroom through actual field research in outdoor laboratory spaces, seeing the impact of their work in real-world settings. Students work with faculty, graduate students and peers to develop the skills to succeed in environmental science careers.
University of Dayton students majoring in environmental biology gain real-world experience through faculty-mentored research, working in campus laboratories and field research areas. Students build close relationships with faculty and connect what they learn in the classroom to the ecological processes they see occurring in the field.
Rivers Institute
Students engage with faculty and community members to build community around the rivers by preserving and protecting our watershed.
Hanley Sustainability Institute
Nationally recognized for work on campus and within the Dayton community, the Institute allows students to engage with faculty and community stakeholders to help make campus and the community more sustainable.
Experiential Learning
Real-World Experience
Through practical learning opportunities like internships and co-ops, you can build your resume, gain practical experience and prepare for a successful career.
$4 million
in sponsored faculty research
27
average class size for upper level environmental biology courses