Biology

The biology department at Holy Cross offers students a rigorous curriculum in all aspects of modern biology, including molecular, cellular, organismal, ecological, and evolutionary studies.

In state-of-the-art laboratories, complete with an impressive array of modern instrumentation, students gain hands-on experience with the diverse methods biologists use in studying life—including macroscopic and microscopic observation, experimental design, hypothesis testing, and data analysis.

Biology faculty members are both excellent teachers and active scholars who train undergraduates in the ideas, methods, and standards of scientific research. The department's undergraduate research program offers qualified students additional opportunities to conduct research in association with faculty members.

Biology is one of two majors at the College with competitive admission, allowing enrolled students ample opportunity to receive individual attention in small classes.  Approximately 70 percent of the department's graduates go on to receive advanced degrees, many in biomedical sciences.

Announcing: The New Biology Department Curriculum and Admission to the Biology Major: The members of the Biology Department have just completed a revision to the biology curriculum and the requirements for the major. Students beginning with the class of 2016 will complete the major under this new curriculum.  Members of the class of 2015 may elect to stay in the present program or go to the new program. 

A central feature of the new program is that majors who have completed the new three course introductory biology sequence will select a track in which they will concentrate their studies. These tracks are Cellular and Molecular Biology and Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology.

Also, beginning with the class of 2016, students will not enter the College with declared majors.  Instead, new students should take courses in areas of interest. For those who are potentially interested in the biology major this means that students should begin biology and chemistry their first year. We expect to continue to graduate about 60 majors per year. This size allows us to keep our classes small and provide many students with the opportunity to do independent research.

Details on the structure of the new major and the application process that students in the class of 2016 will begin using after they arrive can be located by using the new curriculum webpage.