Biology is the study of living organisms in both laboratory and field conditions. Students explore the living world and build their understanding of its complex interrelationships and the role of human beings within it.

The program’s flexible design allows students to achieve their academic and professional goals. Students can earn their BA in biology while preparing for admission to graduate or professional programs in education, medical, dental, veterinary, physician assistant, pharmacy, and physical therapy.

The program can also serve as a springboard to programs in the life sciences at UNH in Durham in majors such as microbiology, zoology, plant biology, wildlife management, environmental conservation, biochemistry and animal sciences.

Employment opportunities in the public and private sectors include education, food, water, wastewater and other industrial laboratories, clinical laboratories, biotechnology, environmental research and monitoring and animal behavior.

For more information contact Stephen Pugh, Program Coordinator at 603-641-4128 spugh@unh.edu; or contact the Office of Admissions.

Students must complete a minimum of 128 credits and satisfy the University’s Discovery Program and foreign language requirements. BIOL 413, 414 may be used to satisfy the biological sciences Discovery requirement and CHEM 403, 404 may be used to satisfy the Physical Sciences Discovery requirement. PSYC 402 may be used to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning Discovery requirement; however, students interested in graduate or professional programs would be encouraged to take MATH 425, Calculus I, or MATH 424b, Calculus for Life Sciences to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.

The UNH Manchester B.A. in Biological Sciences Program is structured with three levels of coursework.

Biology Core Curriculum (9 courses, 37 credits)

The biology core curriculum consists of five required biology courses
BIOL 413-414, Principles of Biology I and II
BMS 503, General Microbiology
BIOL 541, General Ecology
GEN 604, Principles of Genetics

Two required chemistry courses
CHEM 403-404, General Chemistry I and II

One course in mathematics
MATH 418, Analysis and Application of Functions, or
MATH 425, Calculus I, or
MATH 424b, Calculus for Life Sciences
One course in statistics
PSYC 402, Statistics in Psychology (other statistics courses such as BIOL 528 or BUS 430 may used to satisfy this requirement).

Depending on their specific academic and career goals and in consultation with their advisor, students may elect to take additional supporting science courses such as CHEM 545/546, Organic Chemistry with lab (one semester); CHEM 651/653 - 652/654, Organic Chemistry I and II with lab (two semesters); BMCB 658/659, Biochemistry with lab; MATH 426 Calculus II; and Physics 407-408, General Physics I and II. These courses are often required for admission to medical, professional and other graduate programs.

Self-Designed Concentration in Biology

(4 courses, 16 credits)
Students will select, in consultation with their advisor, four biology courses at the 600-700 level to be taken at UNH Manchester or UNH Durham.

The capstone experience will be fulfilled by taking the one-credit course, BSCI 701, Senior Seminar, during either semester of the senior year and a capstone experience, such as BSCI 792, Research, BSCI 793, Internship, or BSCI 795, Independent Study, Senior Seminar will meet weekly during either semester of the senior year in a seminar format to share information about students’ research or independent study activities, listen to presentations on timely issues in biology and to support and provide training in poster production, Power Point and other methods of oral presentation and scientific writing as students prepare to present the results of their capstone activities at the Undergraduate Research Conference or other venues.

In addition, all students will take elective courses to fulfill the 128-credit requirement for a B.A. degree. These elective courses could fulfill the requirements for a major or minor in another program or they could fulfill a self-designed interdisciplinary concentration. They could include some of the supporting science courses listed above. These courses would be selected in consultation with their advisor and the appropriate faculty advisor in another program.

Note: Pre-medical and pre-dental students should enroll in CHEM 651/653 and 652/654. These courses may substitute for CHEM 545/546 and BMCB 658/659. In addition they should also enroll in MATH 426.

The study of general biology, microbiology, and chemistry comes alive in UNH Manchester's science labs. Concepts and theories discussed in class are reinforced with hands on experiences in the labs. Observation, sampling, experimentation, organization, and research provide new ways to understand the world. Students learn how to use the equipment and tools of scientific inquiry, including microscopes, spectrophotometers and equipment used for genetic analysis. In the labs students often find a passion for learning and discover new career opportunities.

• UNH Manchester has four laboratories: microbiology, general biology, chemistry (organic and biochemistry), and a research laboratory.
• UNH Manchester labs are taught by residential faculty or experienced instructors, not graduate assistants. Science faculty members specialize in teaching in their discipline. With low student-teacher ratios, students and teachers are partners in the learning process.
• Each lab is limited to 16 students. This provides the optimal learning environment with hands-on experience and access to equipment.
• Many labs have peer tutors and lab assistants who work with the faculty member to help students perform experiments or conduct research.
• Students have a unique learning opportunity in small classes with faculty members who are both teachers, scholars, and mentors and inspire student discovery.
• Many upper level students conduct research during their senior year, sometimes in collaboration with a faculty member. They present their findings at UNH's Undergraduate Research Conference held each spring.
• Students work with and culture bacteria and other small forms of life in the microbiology lab. In the chemistry labs, students study the properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.
• UNH Manchester supports hands-on field research opportunities such as sampling and analysis of water from the area's lakes, ponds, and rivers, and live-trapping studies of small mammals.

Bachelor’s Degree leading to a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

Students interested in the UNH Manchester –Massachusetts College Pharmacy & Health Sciences (MCPHS) MPAS program must enter a bachelor degree program and successfully complete the prerequisites for admission to the Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies. Most students accomplish this by enrolling in the Biological Sciences major, although other majors are also possible. Throughout the undergraduate program, students work closely with their advisors to develop an academic plan to guide the student toward his or her academic goals.

Students must complete all major and university requirements at UNH. The most competitive students (top six) are given preferential consideration for admission to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at MCPHS’s Manchester Campus. Upon completion of the UNH degree requirements, students transfer to MCPHS to complete the requirements of a 24-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree.

Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree at UNH or another college or university can attend UNH Manchester to complete the MCPHS’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies program pre-requisites. Students transferring to UNH Manchester from colleges or universities are not eligible for the collaborative program, but may apply through MCPHS’s regular admission process.

Pre-Pharmacy Track leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (PharmD)

Students interested in the UNH Manchester-Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & health Sciences Doctor of Pharmacy program complete three years of study at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester in a Pre-Pharmacy track. Once these requirements are completed students then transfer to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Manchester campus to complete the requirements of the accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy degree while completing the remaining UNH degree requirements for the BA Biology degree. Each academic year, UNH Manchester’s most competitive biology students (top six) are given preferential consideration for admission to the accelerated professional phase of MCPHS PharmD program.

Students interested in the UNH Manchester-MCPHS program must complete all courses at either the UNH Manchester or Durham campuses.

Alternative models:

Students can complete the BA in Biology at UNH Manchester and then apply to MCPHS. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree can also attend UNH Manchester to complete MCPHS’s PharmD program pre-requisites. Students transferring to UNH Manchester from colleges or universities are not eligible for the accelerated PharmD program, but may apply through the regular transfer admission process.

Scholars in Science and Technology Program

The UNH Manchester Scholars in Science and TEchnology (SST) program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program and administered by the University of New Hampshire at Manchester.

The STEM scholarship is a renewable scholarship. The amount of the award varies based on the student's academic grade level and number of years in the program. Scholarships are typically renewable (pending funding) provided the students meets the requirements of the program.

• Student interested in pursuing bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Computer Information Systems, Engineering Technology, or be admitted in UNH Manchester associates program and demonstrate interest in STEM discipline.
• Full-time Freshman, Sophomore and Junior students with minimum of 12 credits each semester
• Maintain a minimum semester UNH GPA average of 2.75 and earn at least a C in every course
• Must submit FAFSA and demonstrate financial need
• Click here to apply and for more information

Award Amounts:

• Freshmen up to $3,000
• Sophomore up to $4,000
• Junior up to $5,000

Visit our Financial Aid section for more information about the FAFSA, and look for more UNH Manchester Scholarships.

A Biology degree opens doors to a vast number of career opportunities. The skills learned through the study of Biology are readily transferable to an array of occupations including environmental science, physician, biochemist, and horticulturalist.

The study of Biology develops skills critical to a large number of career fields.

These qualities include:

• An understanding of biological principles, concepts, and theories, including the ability to evaluate and synthesize information and ideas.
• Communicating technical information relating to biological topics in written materials and oral presentations.
• Gathering, analyzing, organizing, evaluating scientifi c data, to solve problems.
• Analysis and evaluation of original research literature in the biological sciences.
• Competency in the use of common biology and chemistry laboratory equipment and instrumentation.

Make the most of your major:

• Become a tutor in biology, chemistry, and/or math
• Develop a minor
• Complete an internship
• Apply for research support from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
• Volunteer at a hospital, lab, environmental education center, animal shelter, etc.
• Present at theUNH Undergraduate Research Conference
• Get involved in the research of a faculty member
• Take a course at a biology field station

What can I do with this degree?

Click on each course title to read the full description. For all courses offered at our campus, click here