Bachelor of Science - Biology at Cape Breton University

Biology

• Biology is offered in the Bachelor of Science program.
• School of Science and Technology
• Degree Options: Honours, Major, Concentration, Minor

A Learning Environment

CBU’s Bachelor of Science Biology program is designed for students to get a good grounding in key concepts and skills essential for becoming a biologist. The range of our courses allows students to specialize in the areas of ecology and evolutionary biology, cell and molecular biology and health/medical sciences.

Exposing students to scientific research is an important component of the educational experience that we offer in CBU’s biology courses. Not only is research challenging and fun, but it also provides students with important skills required for their future careers in the sciences.

What is the Study of Biology?

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of all living organisms. Although living organisms share some unifying themes, such as their origin from the same basic cellular structure and their molecular basis of inheritance, they are extremely diverse.

This diversity of life leads to many divisions in biological science. Biologists look at such topics as origins, structure, function, reproduction, growth and development, behaviour and evolution of different organisms. In addition, biologists consider how living organisms interact with each other, and the environment, on an individual and group basis.

CBU Biology courses span three main themes:

• Molecular and cell biology
• Organismal and evolutionary diversity
• Health sciences

More than 85% of our courses also include a laboratory component, with an emphasis placed on hands-on activities, skills development and field-based exercises. Many of our labs take students outside the classroom to apply material learned in lectures to the forests, streams and shorelines nearby.

Why Study Biology At CBU?

Biology is a diverse and interesting subject matter, and you’re already a big part of it.

• Unlike larger universities, our small class sizes provide students with the opportunity to get to know and interact with our friendly faculty and lab instructors.   
• CBU’s biology faculty are actively engaged in diverse fields of research including forest ecology, plant genetics, invertebrate zoology, freshwater and marine biology, avian behavioural ecology, neuroethology and vertebrate palaeontology.
• To name a few, CBU biology research projects have taken students snorkeling in the tropical waters of Barbados, sampling whelk and sea cucumber from fishing boats off Scatarie Bank and examining the effects of moose grazing in the Cape Breton Highlands.
• Biology at CBU offers a sound foundation for a wide variety of professional careers in fields including Business, Conservation, Education, Healthcare, Natural Resources and Technology.  
• Graduates of BSc Biology at CBU are prepared to go on to graduate studies to pursue Research or Academic careers in any branch of biology. Talk to Enrolment Services Professional about building onto your Biology degree with post-graduate studies.