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 (no longer available after Fall 2020), 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.
![Top 300 World University Rankings in 2022](/biology/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/uploads/images/top300-y2022-wur.jpg?itok=vJcqwmwa)
Events
Symposium on Neuroscience Research (SoNR)
Symposium on Neuroscience Research (SoNR) hosted by the University of Waterloo Neurodegenerative Disease Research Association (UW NDRA).
News
Dr. Laura Hug and Dr. Ihab Ilyas recognized with prestigious honour
The Royal Society of Canada welcomes Drs. Ihab Ilyas and Laura Hug as part of the latest cohort of fellows and RSC College members
Leveraging AI in cultivated seafood research
Waterloo students earn more than $700,000 in grants to scale their research efforts on lab-grown fish
Celebrating Excellence in Biology
This week, students and faculty in the Department of Biology gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of their colleagues at the 2024 Biology Awards.