Department of Biological Sciences

Academic programs in biology prepare students for a range of careers in industry, government, education and research. The biology major is recommended for students interested in botany, zoology, ecology, microbiology, molecular biology, environmental biology or teaching. It’s also an excellent preparation for graduate studies in biology, medicine and dentistry. Find out more about the advantages of studying biology.

In addition to offering a major, minor and master’s in biology, the Department of Biological Sciences participates in the molecular biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics (MB3) and environmental science and studies programs.

What We Offer

The department offers students:

• small classes taught by accomplished faculty who are dedicated teachers, mentors and researchers
• state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including laboratories, greenhouses, an herbarium, transmission electron microscopes, centrifuges, spectrophometers, microscopes, physiographs, an infrared gas analyzer and specialized field equipment
• outdoor spaces for scientific exploration, including the Glen Arboretum—12 acres of woods on campus—and the Field Station—223 wooded acres in northern Baltimore County
• research and internship opportunities in campus laboratories and at off-campus field and lab sites
• innovative Towson UTeach program allowing teachers-in-training to complete a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification coursework in four years

What’s New in Biological Sciences

Videos of Interest

• Summer 2021: Study Abroad in the Amazon (YouTube)

Recent Publications

• Dr. Elana Ehrlich. along with Dr. Mary Devadas, an associate professor in Towson's Chemistry Department, engineer a gold nanoparticle loaded with DNA and a chemotherapeutic drug to combat Hsp90 inhibitor drug resistance
• Dr. Brian Fath and colleagues published a paper in the Journal of Bioeconomics on how the product differentiation in economic markets can be modeled using power-law distribution similar to how biodiversity increases (niche expansion) in ecosystems
• Dr. Jay Nelson's paper in the University of Chicago Press Journals focuses on Wild striped bass juveniles forming dominance hierarchies and their routine exposed to hypoxic waters in the Chesapeake Bay