Biology
Study the science of life in the classroom, lab, and field.
Biology is a diverse field of study encompassing everything from the planetary to the microscopic.
At UMass Amherst, you’ll have the opportunity to study a range of topics including genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurobiology, botany, and paleontology.
You’ll conduct hands-on research in laboratories and in the field—independently and working closely with our innovative faculty, who are avid scholars and top educators.
For many students, an undergraduate biology program paves the way for graduate study and careers in medicine or academia. A bachelor’s degree in biology can also lead to careers in education and in public or private industry.
Explore our programs
Alumni spotlight
In the spotlight
When I arrived at UMass Amherst as a biology major and BioTAP honors student, I had the opportunity to dive even deeper into the intricacies of life and explore the mechanisms that allow humans to function properly—and understand what happens when the mechanisms function improperly.
Featured faculty
Ana Caicedo
Professor
Ana Caicedo is the graduate program director for the Plant Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and a professor in Biology.
Duncan J. Irschick
Professor
Duncan J. Irschick is the graduate program director for the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and a professor in Biology.
Abigail Jensen
Associate Professor
Abigail Jensen is a graduate program director and an associate professor in the Department of Biology.
In the news
UMass Amherst Receives $2.5 Million from Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Reshape STEM Education
This grant will allow UMass to provide key STEM-related experiences to students to counter racial disparities.
UMass Amherst Neuroscientist aims to Advance Knowledge of Human Brain Development by Mapping the Sea Slug Brain
NIH-funded research represents a unique way to ‘build a brain’
You say Tomato, These Umass Amherst Scientists say Evolutionary Mystery
New research from UMass Amherst the first to examine entire tomato species, from tiny, hairy and terrible-tasting to large and sweet