Which Universities Offer Biology Degrees and Majors in Illinois?
Learn about biology bachelor's degree programs in Illinois. See specialization options, requirements and courses, and get career and salary info for the state. Schools offering Clinical Laboratory Science degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Career Information for Biology Professionals in Illinois
While many careers in the biological sciences require master's or doctoral degrees, you can enter some fields with a bachelor's degree. For example, you might find work as a biological technician. You may also qualify for teaching licensure if you complete a biology bachelor's program that includes a teacher education component. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of employed biological technicians was expected to increase 14% from 2010-2020. The BLS predicted slower-than-average growth of 7% for high school teaching positions during the same 10-year period.
As of May 2011, Illinois was among the top five highest-paying states for biological technicians, reports the BLS. The annual average salary of Illinois-based biological technicians was about $48,000, compared to the national mean salary of $42,000. High school teachers in Illinois earned an average of about $64,000 per year.
Illinois Universities with Bachelor's Degree Programs in Biology
DePaul University
- Program: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
- Specialization Options: Cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, biotechnology, neuroscience and pre-health
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $31,650 per year (for students entering in 2012)
- School Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit; about 16,000 undergraduate students
- Address: 2325 N. Clifton Ave., Room 118, Chicago, IL, 60614
- Phone: (773) 325-7595
DePaul University's College of Science and Health offers a bachelor's degree program in biological sciences with several concentration options. General biological sciences courses include plant and vertebrate physiology, biostatistics, genetics and molecular biology. In addition to coursework, undergraduate students can participate in seminars, internships and research opportunities. In conjunction with the College of Education, you can also earn a biology education degree that may lead to teaching certification in Illinois, allowing you to work as a biology teacher in a public school. The college also houses several centers and institutes in support of quantitative, environmental and public policy research.
Illinois State University
- Program: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences; Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Specialization Options: Teacher education or organismal biology; general, biochemistry or molecular biology
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $335.00 per hour for IL residents, $578.00 per hour for non-residents (for 2012-2013)
- School Type: 4-year, public; roughly 18,300 undergraduate students
- Address: Julian Hall 210, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790-2200
- Phone: (309) 438-3722
Illinois State University offers two biology bachelor's degree programs: a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a cross-disciplinary Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The biological sciences program incorporates major coursework in cellular biology, genetics, evolution, biological diversity, microbiology and ecology. Specialized tracks in teacher education and organismal biology are available.
Offered through the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Chemistry, the biochemistry and molecular biology program is designed to prep graduates for further study in biology, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy or chemistry, as well as for entry-level employment in the biotechnical or pharmaceutical fields. Depending on your career interests, you may pursue one of four paths: pre-professional, chemistry, biology or pre-pharmacy. The school provides additional career-related training through an optional research thesis project and internship program.
Northern Illinois University
- Program: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
- Field of Study Options: Pre-professional biomedicine, cell and molecular biotechnology, microbiology, biodiversity and teacher education
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $329.57 per hour for IL residents, $659.14 per hour for non-residents (for 2012-2013)
- School Type: 4-year, public; nearly 17,900 undergraduate students
- Address: 356 Montgomery Hall, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL 60115-2828
- Phone: (815) 753-0437
Located about 60 miles west of Chicago, Northern Illinois University's bachelor's degree program in biological sciences emphasizes core coursework in chemistry, mathematics and physics. Required major courses include cellular biology, genetics and organismal biology, many of which have complimentary laboratory courses. The university's biological sciences undergraduate program includes opportunities to take part in research projects; you can also participate in a study abroad program with Oxford University. Related facilities of interest to biological sciences students include X-ray and radioisotope laboratories, live animal quarters and greenhouses, among others.
University of Illinois at Chicago
- Program: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences; Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $7,844 per semester for IL residents, $14,039 per semester for non-residents (for 2012-2013; includes required fees)
- School Type: 4-year, public; about 16,900 undergraduate students
- Address: 601 S. Morgan, Chicago, IL 60607
- Phone: (312) 996-4350
The University of Illinois at Chicago is the city's largest university, and its Department of Biological Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biological Sciences. Required major coursework includes cells and organisms, populations and communities, genetics, ecology and physiology. Areas of specific study can be pursued in a number of subfields, including botany, microbiology, physiology, population biology or biochemistry. Biological sciences majors also have access to plant research and stable isotope laboratories; animal care and electron microscopy facilities are available as well. The department also offers a B.S. in Biochemistry and a B.S. in Neuroscience. The department has three primary research groups, which include molecular, cell and developmental biology; ecology and evolution; and neurobiology.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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