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Department of Biology

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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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In the News

Biology Professor Jonathan Hulvey participates in a lab demonstration at Tiny Earth Day.

VIDEO: Eastern joins global effort to find new antibiotics

May 04, 2026

Biology Professor Jonathan Hulvey recently involved his students in an event meant to educate students at Norwich Free Academy (NFA) about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, as well as to pique high schoolers’ interest in science careers and student research at Eastern.

Student presenting

VIDEO: Students shine at CREATE conference

 May 04, 2026

Student research and creative activity took center stage at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 24 during the annual CREATE conference, a campus-wide celebration of undergraduate scholarship.

Julianna Concepción (left) and Abby Heidorn (right).

Barnard Awards go to seniors Abby Heidorn and Julianna Concepción

April 29, 2026

Each spring, Eastern recognizes two outstanding graduating seniors as winners of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, the top academic honor in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system. For this year’s winners, biology major Abby Heidorn ’26 and English major Julianna Concepción ’26, the award is emblematic of a journey toward personal and academic success.

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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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