Bachelor of Science - Biology

The mission of our department and curriculum is to educate students in the field of biology and foster a community of learning and practice. Our approaches are embedded in the context of a Kalamazoo College liberal arts education. Through our courses, research collaborations, advising, and departmental experiences, we help all students find their place in science and develop a biologist's keen awareness of the natural world. Specifically, our goal is that all students who participate in Biology will:

1) feel curious about the natural world and empathetic toward our shared environment;

2) know what has been discovered about the natural world, the process by which such knowledge is gained, and how to evaluate competing claims;

3) identify as new members of an interdependent community whose goal is to address socially relevant problems and questions; and

4) continually apply/practice newfound knowledge and skills via career exploration, problem-solving, research, communication, and teamwork.

Kalamazoo College is a premier liberal arts institution and one of the nation’s 100 oldest colleges and universities. Visionary Baptists founded k in 1833 as The Michigan and Huron Institute.

It all started when a young minister named Thomas Merrill arrived in Michigan with $7.00 and a plan to establish a Baptist college on the frontier. In 1833, with the ambitious assistance of Judge Caleb Eldred, Merrill’s dream became real, and the history of Kalamazoo College formally began.

The institution changed its name to Kalamazoo College in 1855 when it earned the ability to grant degrees.

In the years that have followed, the College has gone through many eras of growth and change. Buildings, personalities, and academic programs have come and gone. Through it all, we have maintained a tradition of excellence second to none among liberal arts colleges.