Biology Major in Pennsylvania
Explore the wonders of life in the Biology program at a Christian faith-based institution. Ideal for students curious about living organisms and ecosystems, this program can lead to careers in healthcare, research or environmental science. Embrace a journey where science and faith intersect.
100%
of first-year
students receive financial aid
students receive financial aid
98%
of the class of 2025 were
employed or in a graduate program
within 6 - 9 months after graduation
employed or in a graduate program
within 6 - 9 months after graduation
12:1
student to faculty ratio
Study Biology at a Christian University
Messiah University’s Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in biology offers you a strong foundation of core biology courses and the opportunity to focus in a particular area of interest through the biomedical and organismal biology concentrations. Students may also complete the biology major with no concentration or pair it with a teaching certificate.
As a biology major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Gain firsthand experience using phase contrast and fluorescence microscopes, mammalian tissue culture facilities and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instruments, along with other sophisticated equipment to analyze cultures and manipulate molecules.
- Earn a teaching certification in biology with minimal additional coursework. Graduates are highly sought after by local districts and often immediately employed.
- Be able to take courses in the biomedical concentration that will prepare you for medical school.
- Participate in travel courses or directed research.
- Attend public events on science and faith.
- Conduct malaria/AIDS research at Macha Mission Hospital in Zambia in collaboration with Johns Hopkins.
- Study in a program where more than 2/3 of our graduating seniors score above the national average on the standardized ETS Field Test in Biology.
- Join the Biology Club, a student-driven group where you can enjoy activities like hiking, off-campus trips and monthly "Nerd Nights."
- Study in a Christian college environment with the freedom to intellectually challenge and embrace different views of faith and science.
With your biology degree from Messiah University in hand, you’ll be prepared for whatever post-graduation path you pursue, whether working in biology, furthering your studies in a biology master’s program, or attending medical school.
As a graduate of the biology program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Research associate
- Staff at pharmaceutical companies
- Staff at biotech companies
- Positions with biology related organizations such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, zoos, etc.
For more information on career planning for the biology program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s nationally recognized internship program helps place students in a variety of biology internships. A few examples include:
- National Institutes of Health
- Nature Conservancy
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center
- Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture
- United States Department of Agriculture
Programs related to Biology
In the Biology program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Biology (B.S.) Biomedical Concentration
Biology (B.S.) General Concentration
Biology (B.S.) Organismal Concentration
Careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of this program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
Where they work
- Harvard Medical School
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Nature Conservancy
- Audubon Society
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife
- Philadelphia Zoo
- Maryland Attorney General's Office
- GLA Laboratories
- Sentient Medical Systems
- Hackensack University Medical Center
- Charles River Laboratories
- Glaxo Smith Kline
- Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization
- Health South Regional Specialty Hospital
- Lancaster Laboratories
- Penn State Hershey School of Medicine
- Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds
- Americorps
- Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO)
- Animal Health Care Center of Hershey
- WEC International
- Mennonite Christian Service Fellowship of India
- Vanderbilt University
- The Institute for Tropical Marine Ecology
- National Student Partnerships
- Yale University School of Public Health
- University at Buffalo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
- Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
- PA Dept. of Agriculture
- Bureau of Land Management
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- Catholic Health Initiatives at St. Joes Medical Center
- Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania/Salus University
- La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology
- Cangene bioPharma
- Crestwood Care and Rehabilitation Center
- James Madison University
- Young Evangelicals for Climate Action
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
- Eurofins Laboratories
- Aerotek
- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
- Maryland Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants
- Charter Internal Medicine
- Toigo Organic Farms
- Bartlett Tree Experts
What they do
- Biomedical research associates
- GC/MS Analyst
- Intraoperative Monitoring Technologist
- Lab Technician - Chemistry Dept.
- Research Associate Immunology Division
- Transgenic Breeding Technician
- Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Assistant
- ECU Technician
- Lab Technician
- Naturalist/Program Specialist
- Research Assistant
- Researcher - Neuroscience Research Dept.
- Environmental Monitoring Specialist
- Veterinary Technician
- Research Associate
- Grad Student - Public Health
- AmeriCorps Vista - Full Time Service
- Clinical Associate
- Chemist
- Fisheries Biologist
- Student - Dental Hygiene
- High School Science Teacher
- Research Technician
- Grad Student
- Camp - Assistant Program Director
- Optometric Technician
- Private Caregiver
- Microbiologist
- Licensed Nursing Assistant
- D.P.T. in Physical Therapy
- Associate Scientist
- Surgical Assistant
- Cultivation Technician
- Plant Healthcare Specialist
- Ag Resource Conservation Specialist
Graduate school
- University of Pennsylvania
- Johns Hopkins University
- Loma Linda University
- University of Wisconsin
- Ohio State University
- Case Western Reserve
- Penn State University
- University of Florida
- Drexel University College of Medicine
- Parker College of Chiropractic
- Southern College of Optometry
- University of Maryland
- West Chester University
- Temple University
- UMDNJ Medical School
- Chatham College
- University of Virginia
- Arcadia University
- University of Virginia
- Taylor University
- Barry University
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Pennsylvania
- Frostburg State University
- Taylor University
- American University of the Caribbean
- PSU College of Medicine
- University of Pittsburgh
- Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- University of Maryland at Baltimore
- Duquesne University
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Southern College of Optometry
- Temple University School of Medicine
- Lebanon Valley College
- Clemson University
- DeSales University
- Slippery Rock University
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Alderson Broaddus
- University of Rochester
98% of the Class of 2025 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Research and hands-on learning
Throughout the degree program, you’ll constantly have hands-on experiences that complement your biology classes. Many students conduct original research in our state-of-the-art laboratories which have research-quality equipment such as a real-time polymer chain reaction machine and deconvolution fluorescence microscopes. Others team with faculty to join their research projects in areas such as cancer metastasis, phytoremediation, neuroscience, cellular immunology, forest ecology and herpetology. Some students even take to campus’ expansive woodlands, fields and wetlands for their research. While students lecture approximately three hours a week for each class, you also learn hands-on in the lab or field for an equal amount of time. Including ancillary training in chemistry and physics, the average biological sciences student will obtain over 432 hours of laboratory/field training before graduation.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
The Christian college experience and the integration of faith and science
In the biology major, you’ll also have the opportunity to go beyond our Christian college campus in Pennsylvania and see the world as your classroom. Biology degree students often participate in faculty-led courses abroad in Central America and Zambia. No matter your area of focus, you will find a wealth of intriguing courses and exciting hands-on experiences that will enhance your learning and stewardship techniques as you complete the biology program.
In this program, there is freedom to intellectually challenge and embrace different views of faith and science. While there are foundational beliefs shared by professors, students are never forced to conform.
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