About Us
OSU Biology Program
Issues and advances in areas such as biotechnology, environmental science, medicine and other fields continually emphasize the importance of biology and biologists in the future of our country and the world. The Biology Program prepares students for diverse fields through broad, interdisciplinary training in the life sciences. Faculty teaching, research and mentoring expertise are drawn from the OSU Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Botany and Plant Pathology, Microbiology, and Zoology. Some highlights include:
- An undergraduate major and minor and four transcript-visible Options in Biotechnology, Genetics, Marine Biology, and Pre-Education.
- Specialized resources for students pursuing medicine and other health professions.
- A broad range of courses and expertise in the life sciences allow students to pursue individual interests in areas such as:
- Conservation biology - OSU is rated #1 by the journal Conservation Biology
- Ecology and evolutionary biology - OSU is rated # 11 by the journal Ecology
- Ecology and the environment - OSU is rated #4 by Thomson Reuters
- Marine science - OSU is a national leader
- Advising that matches students and advisors based on career goals and emphasizes professional development such as research and internships.
- A variety of undergraduate research opportunities. OSU is rated a Very High Research Activity Institution by the Carnegie Foundation (1 of 63 nationally); does more research than all Oregon schools and is a Land, Sea, Space and Sun Grant Institution (1 of 2 nationally).
- A variety of internship, volunteer, and job opportunities from the local Environmental Protection Agency to biotechnology companies. Corvallis has the second highest number of scientists per capita of any U.S. city according to the National Science Foundation.
- Over fifty biology-specific international opportunities are available including study abroad and international internship sites around the world, and students can also complete an International Degree in Biology.
- More Biology students complete the prestigious University Honors Degree than any other major.
- University and College of Science Scholarships, as well as grants to support undergraduate research.


















