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Pursue a biology degree and receive an excellent liberal arts education with experience in quantitative and analytical thought, along with preparation for related professions.

Learn in a lab-focused program with hands-on training from award-winning faculty.

Biology students work with a professor to examine plant defenses and plant-bacteria interactions in our on-campus greenhouse

Why the Department of Biology?

24

Average biology lab size: you're more than just a number.

1,300

The number of students majoring in Biology, making it the largest major in the College of Science and second largest at Mason. 

80,000

The Biology Department supports the third largest herbarium in Virginia that contains over 80,000 plants specimens from around the world

2022 Biology Department Awards Ceremony

Let’s once again celebrate our honorees and awardees for academic year 202-2022. Our Awards Ceremony was held in person at the George Mason University Fairfax Campus May 18th 2022, and via audio on Zoom. The participants submitted slides for the event, and we wanted to share them all with you! We congratulate all of our graduating class of 2022, and wish them well in the future!

A comprehensive education in biological sciences for biologists, educators, or those on a health career path.

Our student-focused programs offer lab and field studies in plants, animals, and ecology, providing the background necessary for popular careers in biological science, such as environmental management, microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, genetics, and medical laboratory sciences.

Students in biology lab class

Unparalleled experience-building with world-renowned organizations, laboratories and U.S. government agencies.

Our proximity to Washington, D.C., gives students unique opportunities to learn from and perform research for premier science institutes and companies within the health and biological science sectors including NIH, USDA, FDA, EPA, and the Smithsonian Institute.

student research in SSB

STEM careers are in demand, projected to grow 10% by 2026

Employment of life, physical, and social science occupations is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all other occupations. Get there faster: undergraduates earn credits toward degrees through internships and lab-based projects, field research, apprenticeships, and internships.

Students learn about wood turtle sampling and conservation biology with Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation faculty.

Visit Us On Campus

Whether you're preparing for graduate studies, or diving into biological fundamentals, you'll find it here. Come explore our biology programs, visit a class, and meet our Mason Science community.

  • Biology Department Main Offices

    Room 1200, Exploratory Hall (Formerly Science & Tech II)

  • Campus Map
Exploratory Hall at George Mason University Fairfax Campus

Biology News & Events

Upcoming Events

More Events
Mar27

Motivating Students in STEM Courses

Mar 27, 2024, 9:00 - 10:15 AM

Zoom

REGISTER TO ATTEND by Monday, March 25, 2024. Do you teach a STEM course but feel that your students lack motivation? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone. Since the pandemic, professors across the country have been expressing that they have noticed a general trend in reduced student motivation. In
Apr2

Promoting Academic Integrity in STEM Classrooms

Apr 2, 2024, 10:30 - 11:45 AM

Zoom

REGISTER TO ATTEND by March 29, 2024 It seems like academic integrity has always been a concern of STEM faculty, but now with so many new technologies available to students, this topic may seem overwhelming. So, what can be done about this ever-evolving issue? In this workshop, we will discuss
Apr10

Submit an abstract: College of Science Undergraduate Research Colloquium

Apr 10, 2024, 8:30 AM - 11:59 PM

Join us for the thirteenth annual College of Science Undergraduate Research Colloquium on Monday May 6, 2024, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center . This event will be open to all Mason students, staff, and faculty. To participate, submit your titles and abstracts no later than