Bachelor of Science in BiologySchool of Arts and Sciences

The science behind the living world

You’ve always been curious about what’s behind life in the world. As a Bachelor of Science in Biology major you will uncover a world and discover what it looks like and how it is shaped both by science and technology. Your degree will provide you with the flexibility to pursue a career in medicine, health sciences, research, ecology, veterinary science, or agriculture.

Edgewood’s Biological Sciences Department boasts two state-of-the-art locations on campus, providing laboratory classroom space conducive to hands-on learning. Research space, labs, and classrooms are also located on the shore of Lake Wingra, providing easy access to research opportunities that include watershed implications and environmental factors that impact the lake.

The curriculum provides an overview of the evolution and structure of biological systems within ecosystems and genetics. Students take electives in organismal biology, ecology and evolution, and cell and molecular biology, depending on their interest and career path.

Edgewood’s biology faculty are engaged mentors, trainers, and educators who strive to develop close relationships with students. If you need research experience to obtain a job or enter medical school, our faculty mentor individual research projects so that students gain the experience graduate schools and employers expect. Students enroll in a specific course designed to learn experimental design and data analysis, complete their major capstone research project, and present their research project.

Student Organizations

Achievement in Medicine

Achievement in Medicine (AIM) brings together students who are thinking of pursuing a degree in the medical/health field post-graduation. Guest speakers include doctors, physical therapists, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, and other individuals with other medical specialties have presented to members of AIM. Resources for MCAT/GRE as well as volunteer and shadow experiences are available through this organization.

Wood’s Edge

Wood’s Edge is an organization for students who are interested in the outdoors and caring for the environment. Participate in a variety of recreation and service activities such as:

• Hiking, camping, canoeing, and outdoor recreation
• Community service and education projects
• Invasive species management on campus
• Rearing garden seedlings
• Tending the campus garden
• Selling fresh healthy produce to our community

Woods Edge is a main sponsor of Edgewood’s annual Earth Week celebration, which includes many events revolving around the care and appreciation of our environment.

Biology Experiences

Every biology major conducts their own research project with a faculty member. Topics range from biomedical and biomolecular projects to ecological and organismal projects.

Students who study Biology at Edgewood explore the natural world within a variety of opportunities within the U.S. and abroad. Destinations to study include the Mississippi Delta, Florida Keys, Yellowstone National Park, and the canyon country of Utah and Colorado. Short-term, faculty-led abroad opportunities include the Galápagos Islands , Costa Rica, and Iceland.

Hands-On Research and Networking Experiences

Undergraduate Research Facilities

The Biological Sciences Division at Edgewood College offers multiple research labs that are dedicated to undergraduate research. Most of the state-of-the-art labs and classroom space is in the Sonderegger Science Center, providing space that facilitates experiential learning. Additional classrooms, labs, and research space, including a greenhouse, are in Mazzuchelli Center, on the shore of Lake Wingra. You’ll have access to unique opportunities to step out of the classroom and get involved in research and projects that can impact the lake, its watershed, and the surrounding Madison neighborhoods.

Networking Opportunities

Edgewood biology graduates have excellent success obtaining jobs at local companies such as Exact Sciences, Promega, WI Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin, UW Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Covance. Biology graduates who meet the requirements for entry into graduate and professional medical schools have successfully entered their preferred programs with a competitive success rate. This can be attributed to faculty’s expert advising, close student-to-faculty relationships, faculty-mentored independent research projects, and local networking through the student organization AIM and internships.

3D Virtual Cadaver Anatomage Table

This educational tool provides pre-nursing students with a unique and immersive way to study anatomy while enhancing their understanding of the human body. Students interact with a digital cadaver to learn all levels of anatomy from the whole body to microanatomy and includes 3D investigations of normal and pathological case studies. With this unprecedented level of detail, the advanced technology of the Anatomage table allows students to visualize every aspect of the human body and makes it an innovative tool used to teach anatomy and pathology. The interactive and dynamic nature of the tool makes learning anatomy more hands-on, creating an engaging learning experience. An investment in the students’ educational experience, the 3D Anatomage Table serves to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application, ultimately improving the overall educational outcomes and clinical preparedness of all students studying the health sciences.

Zebrafish Research Facility

The Biological Sciences Department engages students in research projects using molecular techniques such as qPCR, hormonal control of mating in anoles, invasive plant ecology, toxin and drug effects on learning and behavior in zebrafish, and more. A specific example of a student project was their investigation of the effects of a high-fat diet on exercise performance using a state-of-the-art swim tunnel in the zebrafish research facility.