Graceland’s active hands-on learning approach to a biology degree opens doors to teaching, lab work, and postgraduate studies in healthcare, research and more.
Biology is the study of life—from the smallest cells and molecules to entire ecosystems—and it’s one of the most versatile science degrees you can earn. At Graceland University, you’ll build a strong foundation through hands-on laboratory experiences, undergraduate research, and close mentoring from faculty who know you by name. Whether your goal is medical school, graduate study, biotechnology, conservation, research, or another science-related career, you’ll graduate prepared to take the next step.
Graceland’s Biology major offers three specialized tracks that allow you to tailor your education to your interests and career goals: General Biology, Molecular & Biotechnology, and Human Biology & Disease. Each track combines rigorous coursework with practical experience to help you develop the scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills employers and graduate programs value.
Every biology student at Graceland begins with a strong foundation in the life sciences before focusing on a specialized area of study. Each track includes hands-on laboratory experiences, opportunities to work alongside faculty on research projects, and preparation for graduate school or careers in science and healthcare.
The General Biology track offers the broadest study of the biological sciences, giving you the flexibility to pursue a wide variety of careers or continue your education. You’ll study living organisms from the molecular level to entire ecosystems while developing critical thinking, laboratory, and research skills.
Best for students interested in:
Career pathways include:
The Human Biology & Disease track focuses on the biology of the human body and the causes, prevention, and treatment of disease. Coursework emphasizes anatomy, physiology, microbiology, immunology, genetics, and chemistry while providing excellent preparation for professional schools and healthcare careers.
Best for students interested in:
Career pathways include:
The Molecular & Biotechnology track examines life at the cellular and molecular level. You’ll learn advanced laboratory techniques while studying genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, and biochemistry. This track prepares students for careers in biotechnology, biomedical research, pharmaceuticals, and other rapidly growing scientific fields.
Best for students interested in:
Career pathways include:
Students who are enrolled in our Bachelor of Science in Biology program will design, conduct, and present their own original research in collaboration with a faculty mentor. Students learn laboratory techniques and have hands-on experience operating sophisticated laboratory equipment which will better prepare them for their futures in biology-related fields. Students will also learn in a variety of classroom styles in order to promote an active learning experience. The biology faculty here at Graceland are experts in their field. All have earned the highest degree possible and are ready to teach and support our students and prepare them for success in whatever way they choose to use their degrees.
Upon Graduation
+95%
Biology majors are employed or go to graduate school since 2019.
Graceland Science and Math department
Estimated Salary
$85,000
Biology graduates
Graceland University’s Resch Science and Technology Hall provides students with opportunities to interact with and learn on equipment that, at other universities, they might not have access to until graduate school. By providing opportunities to explore their field with the best technology, Graceland students have an advantage over many other graduates in the region. The playlist below shows off many of Graceland’s excellent labs and equipment.
Tour Our Labs
99% of students on the Lamoni campus receive financial aid.
As you consider college, you want a simple, easy-to-understand formula designed to ensure that the one-of-a-kind Graceland Experience is within reach for your family. Undergraduate tuition includes our unique Transformational Leadership major, and we offer generous financial aid and scholarships to all of our students, making Graceland as affordable, if not moreso, than most public universities.
Exclusively for students majoring in Allied Health, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Information Technology, and Data Science, the Resch Scholars Program rewards high-performing science students through a combination of enhanced learning opportunities and the Resch Scholars Program scholarship. The scholarship is for a variable amount up to full tuition and is renewable for up to four years.
To be eligible, students must also hold a 3.0+ GPA (3.5+ GPA for full tuition) and Graceland must receive a completed FAFSA by January 1, 2024. Be sure to use Graceland’s FAFSA code 001866. Other eligibility and renewal requirements can be found on the Resch Scholars website at the link below.
Graceland’s Bachelor of Science in Biology offers three specialized tracks that share a common core before branching in distinct directions. The General Biology track is the broadest, covering life from the molecular level all the way to ecosystems, and is the most flexible for students who want to keep career options open — including wildlife and conservation work, environmental science, lab research, and biology education. The Human Biology & Disease track focuses tightly on the biology of the human body and is purpose-built for students heading toward medical, dental, PA, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or veterinary programs. The Molecular & Biotechnology track dives into cellular and molecular processes — genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics — and prepares students for careers in biotech, pharmaceutical research, and laboratory science, as well as graduate study in molecular biology. All three tracks share foundational courses in Biology I and II, Cell Biology and Genetics, General Chemistry I and II, Statistics, and a three-course Capstone Research sequence — so you’re not locked into a direction before you’ve gotten started.
Every Biology major at Graceland completes a shared core that includes two introductory biology courses with labs, Cell Biology and Genetics, two semesters of General Chemistry, Statistics for Sciences, and Calculus (required for Human Biology & Disease and Molecular & Biotechnology; College Algebra is an option in the General Biology track). Perhaps most significantly, all students complete a three-course Capstone Research sequence: Research I, where you develop a scientific question and write a research proposal with a faculty mentor; Research II, where you actually conduct the experiment; and Research III, where you complete the research, present it orally and via poster, and submit a final thesis manuscript. You graduate with documented, original research experience — not just coursework.
The Human Biology & Disease curriculum — covering anatomy, physiology, microbiology, immunology, Cell and Cancer Biology, and both semesters of Organic Chemistry alongside Physics — is specifically designed to match the prerequisites for medical school, dental school, PA programs, pharmacy school, physical therapy doctoral programs, and veterinary programs. For students heading that direction, it’s an excellent and efficient preparation. Students who want direct post-graduation employment in a biology-related role are also well-positioned for clinical laboratory science, research technician work, and healthcare-adjacent roles — but careers like physician, pharmacist, and PA require graduate or professional degrees before you can practice.
Strong, especially for the graduate-level professions this track feeds. Medical scientists (researchers working on disease and treatments) earn a median annual wage of $100,590 and are projected to see 9% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the national average — with roughly 9,600 openings projected each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, who often enter directly with a bachelor’s degree, earn a median of $61,890, with about 22,600 openings projected annually.
This track feeds directly into one of the higher-paying corners of biology. Biochemists and biophysicists — a natural fit for the coursework in Biochemistry I, Molecular Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Organic Chemistry — earn a median annual wage of $103,650 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with 6% employment growth projected from 2024 to 2034 and about 2,900 openings per year. Microbiologists, another strong fit, earn a median of $87,330 with 4% projected growth and roughly 1,700 annual openings. It’s worth noting that many roles in molecular biology and biomedical research at the research scientist level require or strongly prefer a graduate degree — the bachelor’s degree here is a well-built launching pad, not necessarily the final credential.
The General Biology track offers the most flexibility and the widest range of possible directions, which is genuinely its strength. Wildlife biologists, conservation specialists, and ecologists are classic pathways — though the Bureau of Labor Statistics is honest that this is a competitive and modestly-sized field: zoologists and wildlife biologists are projected to grow only 2% from 2024 to 2034, with about 1,400 openings per year nationally. Environmental scientists, another strong fit, earn a median of approximately $80,000 with better hiring volume. For students who want to work in ecology, conservation, or natural resource management, relevant internship experience, field skills, and often a graduate degree in a specialized area substantially improve employment outcomes. The General Biology track also serves students who want to teach biology at the secondary level, pursue graduate study across a range of life sciences, or combine biology with another discipline.
It’s the most differentiating feature of Graceland’s Biology program, and it’s not a token research requirement. Over three semesters, working closely with a faculty mentor, you develop a genuine scientific question, design and execute an experiment, analyze your data, and produce a thesis manuscript and public poster presentation. Students have the opportunity to operate sophisticated lab equipment in the Resch Science and Technology Hall that at most universities they wouldn’t touch until graduate school. When you’re applying to graduate programs, professional schools, or research positions, being able to say you’ve designed, conducted, and written up original research as an undergraduate — and can point to an actual thesis — is a meaningful credential. Graduate admissions committees and research employers notice it.
Resch Science and Technology Hall is Graceland’s dedicated science facility, and the equipment there is one of the most concrete advantages the program has. Graceland students have access to laboratory instruments that at peer institutions are typically reserved for graduate students — the kinds of instruments used in real research contexts, including spectrophotometers, PCR equipment, gel electrophoresis systems, and bioinformatics software. This matters both for skill development and for the practical competence that hiring managers and graduate admissions faculty assess when they’re comparing candidates.
Yes, and it’s significant. The Resch Scholars Program is available exclusively to students majoring in Allied Health, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years and can cover up to full tuition for students who maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA (students with a 3.0+ GPA are eligible for a variable award below full tuition). Eligibility also requires a completed FAFSA submitted by January 1 using Graceland’s FAFSA code 001866. Given that 99% of Graceland students on the Lamoni campus already receive some financial aid, this scholarship — targeted specifically at high-performing science students — can make a real difference in the overall cost of a four-year science degree.
Yes, and there’s a particularly well-designed option for students interested in environmental science and data. The Data Analytics for Environmental Science Certificate is a 20-21 credit add-on that combines Environmental Science, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Python programming, and a data analytics capstone using real industry datasets. It’s designed to bridge biology and computational skills — a combination that’s increasingly valuable in environmental consulting, government agency work, conservation organizations, and environmental research. The General Biology track already includes Ecology and Conservation Biology, so this certificate pairs especially naturally with that pathway. Students interested in the molecular side of biology should also look at the Bioinformatics course (BIOL4420) within the Molecular & Biotechnology track, which similarly connects biology to data-driven analytical tools.
Yes. Biology majors who want Iowa Teacher Certification with a secondary biology endorsement (grades 5-12) complete the Biology major requirements alongside the Secondary Education Program, with Methods of Teaching Science and Mathematics as the required methods course. It’s also possible for non-Biology majors to earn a secondary biology endorsement by completing 24-30 credit hours in biology alongside a teaching major — giving students in other science-adjacent programs a path to biology teaching without fully switching majors. Secondary science teaching is worth considering seriously: it’s a stable, in-demand career path in a field where many biology-specific roles are competitive and often require graduate study, and science teachers are consistently in demand across much of the country.
The most direct answer is access. At a large university, undergraduate biology students often spend two or three years in introductory courses before getting near meaningful research, and lab time is frequently spent on prescribed exercises rather than actual scientific inquiry. At Graceland, the three-course Capstone Research sequence is a degree requirement — every Biology graduate has designed and conducted their own original research. Faculty members, all of whom hold terminal degrees in their fields, teach the courses and mentor the research directly. You’re working with actual scientists who know your project and your goals, not teaching assistants in large lecture sections. For students who are motivated and serious about science, that combination of early research access, graduate-level equipment, and genuine faculty mentorship is a stronger preparation than a larger program where you’re more likely to be a number.
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