Biology, Environmental Science & Sustainable Development Department

A Faithful Study of Living Things

Taylor’s Biology, Environmental Science & Sustainable Development Department strives to embody the mentality that science leads to stewardship and service. You’ll be encouraged to explore the ethical reasoning behind a faith-based pursuit of biology, environmental science, and sustainability.

Whether you’re pursuing scientific investigation, education, research, or medical school, dental school, or another pre-professional school, our faculty will actively advise you one-on-one to help you choose the best long-term path.

Biology, Environmental Science & Sustainable Development Department Opportunities

96%

Accepted into post-graduate professional school

Conduct research projects with faculty

145

Acres in the Arboretum for teaching and research

Biology
at Taylor

From advanced biology internships, research in cell and molecular biology, and biology courses focused on current scientific trends, you’ll get a breadth of real-world experiences guaranteed to prepare for a career in biology or further education in graduate school.

Growing Outside the Classroom

Health Professions Advising
Get personalized guidance during your time at Taylor as you prepare for professional or graduate school, whether medical, dental, veterinary, or other. Schedule an appointment to talk with the Health Science Coordinator during your Taylor visit.
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On-site Undergraduate Research Program

Complete research projects in microscopy, cell and molecular biology, genetics, and animal behavior and physiology under the mentorship of Biology faculty. Recent projects have included research on cell culturing, bone remodeling, and Drosophila (fruit fly) genetics.

Our Biology professors have diverse areas of expertise, including molecular biology, cell biology, physiology, zoology, and science education. Each faculty member will engage and uniquely challenge you to relate your education to your faith.
Planting Seeds Around the World
Expand your horizons through study abroad trips. Explore national landmarks like the Black Hills region of South Dakota or the Rocky Mountains, or travel internationally on medical missions trips or with health outreach programs. Gain real experience working with in the industry as a hospital intern, field biologist or wildlife biologist, or research biologist.
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Alpha Pi Lota
This pre-healthcare club facilitated by a practicing medical doctor allows you to focus on medical ethics, prepare for the MCAT, share summer research experiences, hear from health care professionals, and talk about graduate-level health care programs.
State and National Conferences

Attend biology education and research conferences, such as the annual Global Missions Health Conference and the Experimental Biology Conference. every year Biology students can present their own research at the Indiana Academy of Science’s annual meeting.

See for Yourself

Dr. Jessica Baker explains the benefits of a Biology degree at Taylor.

Life After Taylor

Career Opportunities

Taylor Biology grads have been hired by major hospitals, the U.S. government, and high-profile national organizations, such as Mayo Clinic, Eli Lilly and Company, Roche Pharmaceutical, World Vision, and Medair.

With a BS or BA in Biology, you could pursue a variety of life science careers, including genetic counselor, botanist, forester, zoologist, and biological technician, among others. Biology Education majors will be equipped to pursue one of these biology careers or a career as a high school biology teacher or middle school science teacher.

Graduate Programs

Graduates of the Biology department have also been accepted to some of the nation’s premier graduate and medical schools, including:

Boston University
Des Moines University
Duke University
Emory University
George Washington University
Harvard University
Indiana University
Johns Hopkins University
Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Michigan State University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of California, Berkeley
University of Colorado
Vanderbilt University
Yale University

Environmental Science and Sustainable Development
at Taylor

If you enjoy God's creation; have concern for both people and the environment; and like field study, scientific investigation, analysis, and finding solutions to problems in the environment, the Environmental Science & Sustainable Development program may be right for you.

Expand Your Reach
Environmental Science & Sustainable Development majors are not limited to learning about the environment and sustainability in rural Indiana. Every student in the department participates in a summer course in Field Natural History of the Black Hills in South Dakota and studies abroad in Guatemala or Ecuador. Some of our students choose to study geology, botany, zoology, and ecology on a weeklong camping trip to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.

Nature is Your Classroom

Pursue research and immersive learning experiences at the award-winning Randall Environmental Center. The building incorporates a state-of-the-art interior environmental design with outdoor views of the surrounding natural areas. Randall houses environmental growth chambers; a Geographic Information System; a greenhouse for horticultural projects; equipment for field research in botany, ecology, geology, soils, and hydrology; and large collections of rocks, minerals, and specimens.

Outdoor Research Spaces

Arboretum: Just outside the Randall Center resides a 145-acre arboretum that contains a variety of ecosystems used for teaching and research. Mature woodlands, meadows, a small pond, a prairie demonstration plot, and a 5-year succession plot are housed within the land. The arboretum is also home to instrumentation for ongoing monitoring of weather conditions within various ecosystems.
Avis Prairie: Just across from the Taylor University campus is Avis Prairie, a 25-acre ecological restoration. Taylor students have conducted numerous field-based research projects there, including prairie succession and soil development, the effects of nutrient enrichment on prairie establishment and structure, strategies for increasing plant diversity, and the effects of flood events.
Taylor “Square Mile”: A variety of research projects have been developed on this 600-acre property, including current environmental course projects, a reforestation project with periodic plantings and monitoring, and several graduate research projects. New uses and projects on the property are currently being explored and planned with student participation.

Meet our Alumni

Biology, Environmental Science & Sustainable Development Department