Welcome to Biology at Waterloo

Biology is the study of living organisms: their structure, function, organization, origin, and evolution.

As a biologist, you’ll have career options that span a wide range of professions, including laboratory and field research, environmental assessment, the health professions, education, and industry. By choosing one of our areas of specialization, such as Animal Physiology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, or Plant Biology, you can better prepare yourself for these exciting career opportunities.

Our Biology program is versatile, allowing you to complement your Genetics, Cell Biology, Physiology, Ecology, Plant Biology, and Human Anatomy courses with studies from the arts, humanities, languages, and mathematics areas. Related labs, tutorial sessions, and field trips provide hands-on experience in a wide range of biological disciplines.

The Department of Biology offers undergraduate degrees in Bioinformatics, Biomedical Sciences (formerly Pre-Optometry/Pre-Health), Honours Biochemistry, Honours Biochemistry/Biotechnology (Regular and Co-op), Honours Environmental Sciences (Ecology Specialization) and Honours Biology (Regular and Co-op). View the degrees and programs. More information about our graduate programs is available on our graduate program site.

Learn more about the Department of Biology's vision/strategic plan.

News

  1. Aug. 21, 2019Tree of life: Powerful online tool will help researchers make new genomic discoveries
    Annotree

    University of Waterloo researchers have developed a powerful new online tool that allows users to navigate through an interactive microbial tree of life, and to generate new scientific hypotheses and discoveries.

    By integrating data across thousands of microbial genomes, “AnnoTree” provides a comprehensive framework for exploring the evolution of microbial genes and functions, and can be used to advance research across a wide range of industries including microbiology, biotechnology, industrial products, biofuels, and food science.

  2. Aug. 7, 2019Opinion: Canada should work with First Nations to avert extinction crisis by DAVID SCHINDLER & R.C. ROONEY
    Smoggy city

    Dr. R.C. Rooney, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, at the University of Waterloo and Dr. David Schindler, Professor Emeritus of Ecology, Biological Sciences Department, at the University of Alberta. Both are among more than 30 signatories to a call-to action letter recently sent to Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

  3. Aug. 6, 2019Researchers trap and track bats in P.E.I. National Park
    Researcher Evan Woelk Balzer holds a little brown bat he caught in P.E.I. National Park. (Evan Woelk Balzer)

    University of Waterloo graduate student Evan Woelk Balzer in CBC News feature. Read the complete article here. 

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