Biology Majors & Minor
Earn your biology degree at Carthage
Biologists study the evolution of life, which connects molecules to cells, tissues to systems, and organisms to ecosystems, through the unbroken chain of ancestors to descendants.
The curriculum at Carthage will prepare biology majors for academic and industrial research positions, graduate study in fields from conservation to molecular genetics, and entry into health careers.
“The professors have all been very generous and passionate about their teaching. I am very grateful they go above and beyond to ensure their students succeed in class! Many of them make the environment comfortable — where you can be your true self.”
“I chose Carthage because of the great programs that the College offered and, of course, the lake!”
“I love how small and tight-knit the community is, and I really love the personal relationships that are made here. Carthage is more than just a school — it’s a family.”
“I absolutely love how pretty the school looks and the small class sizes.”
“As a liberal arts school, Carthage highlights exploring different disciplines and connecting them. The combination of both, and of course the lake view, were the main reasons I chose Carthage.”
“The Biology Department at Carthage has strong research opportunities and lots of interesting classes to take. The professors are helpful and are very good to get to know.”
“Not only a perfectly sized smaller school, but Carthage also offers everything I need to become a paleontologist.”
“There is a variety of specialties and skills you can learn as a biology major. I came to Carthage for its paleontology program, which is rare in undergraduate studies and even rarer to have it through a biological and anatomical perspective.”
Research Experiences as a biology major
All freshman biology majors gain authentic research experience in introductory courses and agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and NASA support other ongoing experiments. Research is further ingrained through the required senior thesis and the paid Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. Carthage biology students are also competitive for research positions in laboratories abroad and prestigious Fulbright fellowships.
Recent student research projects have made discoveries in molecular biology, cancer biology, space biology, human physiology, ecology, and paleontology. Students work with faculty mentorship on their own or in a small group, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and making significant contributions to science. Student researchers present research results at a campus seminar, and many choose to share their findings at a regional or national scientific conference and prepare manuscripts for publication in disciplinary journals.
Beyond the Classroom
Student organizations such as Beta Beta Beta honor society, Pre-Health Club, and Carthage United to Rescue the Earth (CURE) are popular among biology majors.
On faculty-led J-Term study tours, you can assist with medical care or water quality in Nicaragua or hunt for dinosaur fossils with a renowned paleontologist in Montana. Other recent study tours have taken students to learn about life in places such as Arizona, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, Singapore, Taiwan, and China.
opportunities for biology students
Special Academic Options for Biology Majors
PRE-HEALTH
Aspiring healthcare professionals frequently consult a faculty coordinator to select courses matching their abilities and goals. Carthage pre-health students can apply for early admission to the medical or dental program at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and sometimes bypass the entrance exam.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Motivated students can shorten their educational route by a full year in this dual-degree program with Washington University in St. Louis.
Occupational Therapy at Carthage
ENGINEERING
In this dual-degree program, you will spend three years at Carthage and the final four to five semesters at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland or Washington University in St. Louis.
See more dual-degree opportunities
Where Carthage biology Majors go
Employers
- Abbott Laboratories
- Santa Barbara (Calif.) Zoological Society
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Medical or other graduate programs
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Tufts University
- University of Wisconsin
- Yale University
Scholarships for Biology Majors
Carthage awards two full-tuition Math/Science Scholarships each year to incoming students. These scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate ability in biology, computer science, mathematics, and other natural sciences and are renewable for four years.