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Students in Eastern's biology program become biologists through extensive practice, spending more time in the laboratory and field than in lecture. They learn about life processes while developing analytical skills and technical expertise.

  • State-of-art scientific equipment
  • Small classes
  • Full-time faculty
  • Tropical Biology field course—50 years in the Caribbean and counting
  • Summer internship opportunities
  • Independent research mentored by individual faculty members
  • Present your work at regional, national and international scientific conferences
  • Prepare for graduate/professional school
  • Careers range from genetics to dentistry; from medicine to optometry and veterinary science; from ecology to plant biology, marine biology, biotechnology and teaching
Employability for Biology Majors Our Faculty

Eastern Success Scholars Program

Success Scholars seeks to support students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, through scholarships and purposeful faculty and peer relationships formed to foster academic learning and trust, ultimately leading to improved achievement, retention and graduation rates. You must be a US citizen or permanent resident to be eligible.  The comprehensive plan includes a summer orientation program, a STEM-focused first-year seminar, faculty and peer mentoring in biology and mathematical sciences courses, learning communities that continue through a scholar’s tenure, research experiences, and research and career seminars.

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Biology Department (@ecsubiology) • Instagram photos and videos

In the News

Thomas inspects Tolypocladium paradoxum, a fungal parasite of cicada nymphs.

Student on mission to spread fungus awareness

 June 24, 2026

When was the last time you saw a mushroom — not just noticed one, but really looked at it? Junior biology and history major Deana Tempest Thomas believes that fungi are often seen as the black sheep of the biosphere: overlooked, underappreciated, and unfairly judged, despite being a core part of the biological world.

Students with Professor Steve Muchiri during the "Data Analytics-Oriented Undergraduate Research: Industry 4.0 and Big Data Analytics in Healthcare" institute.

Eastern expands Summer Research Institutes

June 23, 2026

Nearly 70 Eastern students began their summer immersed in research. This June, the University expanded its Summer Research Institute (SRI) program from three to seven faculty-led institutes, providing opportunities for students to investigate a wide range of topics, from poetry and filmmaking to healthcare data analytics and molecular biology.

Marc Freeman ’93

Eastern alumnus elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

 June 08, 2026

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences announced its 2026 class of elected members this April, recognizing 252 distinguished leaders in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, public policy, research, and science. Among them was Marc Freeman, a 1993 biology graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University and director of the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR.

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Connect With Us on Social Media Biology Department @ECSUBiology ecsubiology

Programs of Study

  • Biology students at Eastern gain extensive practical experience and spend more time in the laboratory and on field projects than in lecture. Students receive the full attention of their professors, all of whom have Ph.D. degrees from top universities — professors teach both lectures and laboratories. Working in small classes with state-of-art scientific equipment ranging from a qPCR machine to a confocal microscope, students acquire hands-on experiences in the laboratory and in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Just one example of the major's flexibility is its pre-med focus. In addition to the Biology major, a Biology minor is offered to other majors.

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  • The Genetic Counseling minor exposes students to this growing field, and provides coursework required for admission to a genetic counseling graduate program. As we enter the age of personalized medicine, there will be an increased demand for genetic counselors who know how to analyze and interpret sequencing results for patients and consumers.

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  • Students in the Bioinformatics minor use computers to analyze genomic information, which is revolutionizing our understanding of health and disease. Students will learn core concepts in computer programming, genomics and data analysis, and will apply bioinformatics programming and analytic skills to solve biological problems.

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  • The Cannabis Cultivation and Chemistry minor uses hands-on and theoretical approaches to train students to cultivate and chemically analyze cannabis or hemp. In addition to instruction in cannabis cultivation and chemical analysis, students can also learn about the related fields of sustainability, public health and policy, plant taxonomy, mycology, genetics, integrated pest management, biotechnology, and data analysis.

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