BS Biology Major Programs
The BS Biology Ecology Major Program is designed to provide the fundamentals of ecology while allowing flexibility for application to specific areas of study. This major program allows for specializations under the fields of expertise of the faculty members, namely – Plant Ecology, Marine Ecology, Insect Ecology, Animal Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Freshwater Ecology, Bioinformatics/Ecosystem Modeling, Palynology/Pollination Ecology, Cave Ecology, Wildlife Ecology, and Conservation Biology.
A good foundation in ecology is essential in all applied studies in biology, as well as in other allied fields such as environmental science and resource management. It is hoped that a good background in ecology will enable graduates to pursue various career opportunities related to the field.
The program has a current teaching staff of fifteen (15) faculty members (six with doctorate degree, four with master’s degree and five with baccalaureate degree), one professor emeritus, one adjunct faculty, and two support staff.
Prospective students include undergraduate students of bachelor’s degree in biology interested in ecology or closely related fields.
Career Opportunities
Opportunities for graduates include teaching and/or research positions in universities, government agencies, and private sectors. More applied careers for ecologists may be found in forestry and wildlife management, biosecurity and pest management, ecological medicine and epidemiology, environmental design and planning, as well as in conservation and restoration of ecosystems. Ecology graduates may also be ecological consultants for Philippine and foreign governments and private industries. Some of our graduates have become entrepreneurs, teachers, government officials, and medical doctors.
Major Options
Students under this major field have three options on the distribution of 30 Undergraduate units as provided in the BS Biology curriculum:
- 1.Thesis option (6 units BIO 200 plus 24 units major courses)
- 2.Special Problem option (3 units BIO 190 plus 27 units major courses)
- 3.All-course option (30 units major courses)
Within the thirty (30) Undergraduate Courses, each student is also entitled to six (6) units of Elective courses.
The Genetics and Molecular Biology Division (GMBD) offers two major courses, namely: Genetics and Cell and Molecular Biology. These are a part of B. S. Biology, the baccalaureate degree offering of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), a National Center of Excellence in Biology that is mandated to nurture all basic areas in biology.
Brief Description of the Major Fields
Genetics as a major field is designed to enhance the ability of the students to understand and apply the principles of the science of heredity and variation. Its core concepts, such as Mendelian laws, chromosomal theory of inheritance, and characteristics of the DNA molecule, hold true for all organisms from bacteria to humans. It is an exciting field in biology which seeks to answer questions about the nature and behavior of the genetic material as expressed in the development of individuals and in the population. Further, it seeks to equip students with analytical minds in confronting current biosocial issues. A solid foundation in genetics helps students to explain chromosomal and molecular bases of biological phenomena, to verify evolutionary relationships between different species, and to elucidate interactions of molecules in relation to heredity.
Cell and Molecular Biology as a major field aims to produce graduates with strong academic background on cell structure and function as well as molecular biology concepts and techniques. It focuses on how genes, gene products and other biomolecules interact in the organization and perpetuation of life. Like Genetics, this field cuts across the different areas in biology with concepts applicable to all organisms. It is a dynamic field in biology which requires the integration of various subject areas, like cytology, genetics, biochemistry, developmental biology, and physiology. Recent advances in genome sequencing has also revolutionized this major field with impacts on gene functions, cellular dynamics and metabolism, and other mechanisms used by the cell such as epigenetic controls to respond to different environmental stimuli.
As major fields in the undergraduate biology program, several students have graduated with honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude).
Prospective Students
Prospective students include undergraduate students of bachelor’s degree in biology interested in pursuing a medical degree, research opportunities, or a teaching position in the academe.
Career Opportunities
Opportunities of graduates with major in Genetics or Cell and Molecular Biology include teaching and/or research positions in the government and private sector, technical support in institutions involved in biodiversity studies and conservation, molecular phylogeny, medical and forensic fields, biology communication and extension work, and biotechnology among others. The said major fields also provide the academic background and skills for pursuing graduate studies in genetics, medicine, molecular biology and biotechnology, and other allied fields.
Major Options
Students under this major field have three options on the distribution of 30 Undergraduate units as provided in the BS Biology curriculum:
- 1.Thesis option (6 units BIO 200 plus 24 units major courses)
- 2.Special Problem option (3 units BIO 190 plus 27 units major courses)
- 3.All-course option (30 units major courses)
Within the Thirty (30) Undergraduate Courses. each student is also entitled to six (6) units of Elective courses.
The Plant Biology as a major field in the B. S. Biology is part of the baccalaureate degree offering of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS). Its institution as a major field of specialization in the B. S. Biology program was approved on April 28 2003, with the justification that as a National Center of Excellence in Biology, the IBS is mandated to nurture all basic areas in biology, one of them being plant biology. This field of specialization is designed to develop the ability of the students to understand the basic principles of plant science. A good foundation in plant science is essential in all applied studies in botany and biology, whether it is in agriculture, forestry, food science, veterinary science, molecular biology and biotechnology. Such a holistic foundation in botany will enable a better appreciation of plants not only for their utilitarian value, but also for their being an integral, unique and vital component of various ecosystems.
As a major field in the undergraduate biology program, several students are graduating under the program since 2007. However, its first graduate can be traced in 1972 when B. S. Botany as a degree program was then offered by the Department of Botany of the College of Sciences and Humanities, which was later renamed into the College of Arts and Sciences in 1977 and the three departments (Botany, Life Sciences and Zoology) becoming the nucleus of the now Institute of Biological Sciences formally established in 1983.
The program at present has a current teaching staff of eleven (11) faculty members (six with doctorate degree, three with master degree and two with baccalaureate degree), one professor emeritus, and four research and support staff.
Prospective students include undergraduate students of bachelor’s degree in biology interested in plant sciences or closely related fields.
Opportunities of graduates include teaching and/or research positions in the government and private sector, technical support to plant-based industries, plant science communicator/technical writer/media practitioner, and pursuance of further studies in botany, plant sciences, molecular biology, biotechnology, and medical fields.
Students under this major field have three options on the distribution of 30 Undergraduate units as provided in the BS Biology curriculum:
- Thesis option (6 units BIO 200 plus 24 units major courses)
- Special Problem option (3 units BIO 190 plus 27 units major courses)
- All-course option (30 units major courses)
The Systematics major program is a field of specialization unique to the BS Biology Program because it cuts across the fields of genetics, molecular biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, and ecology in the attempt to understand and explain the principles and processes involved in the origin of biological diversity. It is a field that tandems with evolutionary biology and provides among its most important outputs the most basic requirement for all that is biology – correct identification of organisms. Mentoring activities provided by the interdisciplinary pool of faculty in this program include instruction and guidance in classification, taxonomy, nomenclature, phylogenetic analysis using both morphological and molecular data, computer modelling, biological surveys, and inventories. The Systematics major program, therefore, provides more than adequate preparation for careers in field biology, conservation, medicine, government, and industry, as well as for post-graduate work and academia.
What will I study in the wildlife biology major program?
Wildlife Biology is a major field that delves deep into the biology and conservation of vertebrate wildlife. Adhering to the original definition of “wildlife” used since its inception, students will explore the world of non-domesticated tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) found in the wild and in their natural habitat. This program focuses on wild vertebrates that include well-recognized keystone and flagship species and addresses the unique management and conservation challenges faced by these animals in a continuously changing world.
What courses will I take?
All wildlife biology majors are required to take WLDL 101 (Introduction to Philippine Wildlife), WLDL 150 (Wildlife Ecology) and ZOO 113 (Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy). Students are also expected to take major courses that are fundamental to wildlife studies such as herpetology, ornithology, and/or mammalogy. Please, consult the course curriculum for more details.
What research topics can I work on?
Wildlife biology major students are expected to conduct thesis topics on amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Our students’ research projects often involve an interconnection with allied fields of science (ex. environmental science, forestry, medicine, biotechnology, etc.) or an integrative approach with organisms related to wildlife (ex. parasites, arthropod prey, plant food, etc.). Funding support is made available to students if their topic is within the scope of the research project of their chosen adviser.
What are my career options?
The wildlife biology major program provides students with a strong background for future careers as protected area managers, environmental officers, medical doctors, educators, and researchers in the academe, government, and non-government conservation organizations.
Why should I choose the BS Biology Major in Wildlife Biology program in UPLB?
1. The Institute of Biological Sciences is the Center of Excellence in Biological Sciences Instruction.
2. Our faculty from the Animal Biology Division maintain active research and extension activities on the biology, ecology, and conservation of Philippine wildlife.
3. UPLB is located in the foot of Mt. Makiling, where students can conveniently conduct research on terrestrial wildlife.
What will I study in the Zoology major program?
Zoology is a branch of biology that spans a broad range of investigations on animals, including their morphology, anatomy, physiology, classification, and ecology.
Under the UPLB undergraduate biology major in zoology program, students will receive a strong background in general biology and an in-depth understanding of animal life. The zoology program provides a flexible curriculum that would emphasize the student’s interest in any of the following fields of study: biomedical and health sciences, aquatic ecology, and terrestrial ecology and conservation.
What courses will I take?
All zoology major students are required to take courses on comparative vertebrate anatomy, animal physiology, and developmental zoology. Students also take major courses that reflect their chosen field of specialization in biomedical sciences, aquatic ecology, or terrestrial ecology. A field course on marine zoology is also offered during the summer semester to students who wish to study marine organisms such as corals, mollusks, echinoderms, and fishes in their natural habitats. Consult the course curriculum for more details.
What research topics can I work on?
Students interested in conducting a special problem or thesis can work with faculty with the same research interests. Funding support is made available to students if their topic is within the scope of the research project of their adviser. Current research projects include conservation and culture of endangered and endemic fishes, biology and ecology of mollusks, coral reef resilience to climate change, parasites of freshwater fish, and others. Select students can also participate in the International Activity for Health Summer Educational Program held in Kobe University, Japan.
What are my career options?
Because of the versatile nature of the zoology curriculum, zoology graduates can proceed to a wide array of professions. Zoology graduates can study medicine and other allied fields. Others can pursue a career in research or conservation and work for various institutes such as the government sector and non-government organizations. They may also become consultants for monitoring and environmental impact studies. Zoology graduates may also work for zoological parks and aquaria. In addition, the undergraduate program can prepare students towards obtaining a graduate degree and entering the academe as professors.
Why will I take the UPLB Biology major in Zoology program?
- The UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences is the Center of Excellence in Biological Sciences Instruction
- Our faculty from the Animal Biology Division is comprised of professionals with diverse technical backgrounds. Many have received additional training in fields such as medicine, biochemistry, parasitology, taxonomy, and marine sciences.
- Research projects and training programs involve active collaborations with other universities and institutions such as Kobe University, Japan; University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute; World Fish Center; to name a few.