Bachelor of Arts in Biology
Program Overview & Goals
Biology is the study of life—big and small, simple and complex, lone organisms and entire ecosystems of plants and animals interacting. Start your exploration of our living world at Hendrix College.
In the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology degree program, you will work with faculty who are committed to preparing you for a career in science. Expect classroom discussions, hands-on lab exercises, fieldwork, and research projects that bring concepts to life and encourage you to think more deeply.
Exceptional facilities back those exceptional experiences. Our 65,000-square-foot Donald W. Reynolds Center for Life Sciences features specialized labs in areas such as botany, genetics, and microbiology, along with a greenhouse, herbarium, animal research facilities, and other resources that help you learn by doing.
Via Hendrix
In biology, DNA provides the blueprint for how an organism develops and functions. Via Hendrix is the blueprint behind your own development as a student, person, and professional. It is a program that encourages you to explore your goals, identify your passions, and work with your advisors, professors, and mentors to create a plan to get there.
Careers & Outcomes
Our Biology degree program is flexible. Graduates pursue careers in healthcare, basic and applied research, teaching, policy, environmental conservation, and many other fields. If you are considering a medical degree, you will be well-prepared: Hendrix grads enter medical school at twice the national rate.
Salary Projections
The median annual pay for careers in biology is $75,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Top Industries
- Medicine/Veterinary Care
- Laboratory Research
- Wildlife Conservation
- Environmental Science
Career Options
More than half of the B.A. in Biology graduates from Hendrix pursue master’s or doctoral degrees, and, from there, pursue opportunities in fields including:
- Science Writer/Correspondent, The Scientist Magazine
- Senior Data Scientist, Genentech
- Assistant Professor, Oregon State University
- Environmental Scientist, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Co-op Opportunities
The best way to see science at work is to get to work. Every Hendrix student participates in a co-op, a full-time, semester-long professional work experience with a company or institution.
These are some of the places where Biology students can complete their co-op:
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
- Charles Darwin Research Institute
- Conway Human Development Center
- Little Rock Zoo
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- University of Arkansas School for Medical Sciences
Biology students also have the opportunity to use a summer intensive research experience (IRE) to fulfill the co-op requirement. This immersive research experience is an optional (approval required) pathway for students planning to pursue graduate studies.
Roadmap to the B.A. in Biology Program
Combine in-depth exploration of the life sciences with liberal arts classes that strengthen your problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.
You will also have the chance to participate in other hands-on experiences, including our six-week Hendrix-in-Costa Rica course and numerous opportunities for independent research within the Biology Department.
Year One
Your first year at Hendrix is for determining what you want from your time at college. All of your foundational classes, such as Fundamentals of Cellular Life, Evolution and Diversity of Life, and two chemistry classes, have a hands-on laboratory component to put theory into action. You will also participate in our First Year Experience—a program that asks you to imagine your future and build a plan to get there.
Year Two
Most Biology students take Genetics, Ecology, and Biological Communication in their second year. Your integrated advising team of faculty and career advisors will work closely with you to plan your road ahead. But those conversations with advisors and mentors go deeper than curriculum. Hendrix supports all aspects of your development, from securing relevant hands-on experience to finding opportunities to grow as a person.
Year Three
In your third year, you will spend a semester in a co-op placement, engaging in a full-time, for-credit professional work experience at an institution, company, or nonprofit organization. This helps you focus on building tangible, career-ready skills that will serve you well after you graduate. Biology students also have the option to complete a summer intensive research experience to fulfill the co-op requirement for the program.
Year Four
In addition to electives that match your own personal interests, your last year includes the Senior Experience. You will complete the Biology Seminar capstone course that challenges you to conduct research and write a formal review paper with a presentation, mirroring the environment you can expect in the professional scientific community.
Featured Courses
In addition to six required classes in the Biology core, you will choose from a wide variety of electives that expose you to different facets of the field, from marine biology and zoology to botany and immunology. Regardless of subject, though, almost all provide opportunities for hands-on engagement through labs and research.
BIOL 250
Genetics
Explore fundamental principles of heredity, including both Mendelian and molecular genetics, in this laboratory class. You will pay particular attention to the genetic principles that affect biological systems from single-celled organisms to more complex multicellular organisms, including humans.
BIOL 155
Evolution and Diversity of Life
Using local ecosystems as a backdrop, you learn how to survey the diversity of life and the mechanisms and principles of evolution. You also explore the wide variety of organisms within the region in a group lab project.
BIOL 325
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Uncover the remarkable science behind how your nervous system works, exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive everything your brain and body do.
Through hands-on lab work, you can dive into fascinating topics such as neural signaling, sensation, movement, and brain development, gaining a new appreciation for the complexity happening inside you at every moment.
BIOL 335
Marine Biology
Investigate marine organisms and their environments firsthand, with a focus on ecosystems such as barrier islands, estuaries, mangroves, seagrass beds, or coral reefs. Venture beyond the classroom and into the ocean, traveling to a real marine research destination to study living ecosystems up close, in places like the Gulf Coast Research Lab in Mississippi or the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Meet the Faculty
Hendrix’s Department of Biology faculty have earned National Science Foundation grants, regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals (often in collaboration with students), and have conducted fieldwork across the country and around the world. But they are not just experts—they are also mentors, eager to help you discover a love of science and build a life in the field.
Andrea A. Duina
Professor of Biology
Andrew M. Schurko
Professor of Biology
Jennifer Dearolf
Professor of Biology
Related Programs
Science programs at Hendrix can prepare you for careers in medicine, pharmaceutical development, public health, and many more.
Your Next Steps Via Hendrix
A Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hendrix opens the door to careers focused on everything from the smallest organisms to vast ecosystems. Learn more about how we will support you on the journey.