Dealing with complex biological systems requires an understanding of interactions at multiple levels of organization. The Integrative and Organismal Biology area of concentration provides a course of study in whole-organism and physiological systems within evolutionary and ecological contexts. With a combination of lecture and lab courses, students can build a degree around plant or animal model systems or focus on biological diversity and interactions among organisms. Through all of these pathways, students gain an understanding of biological processes at the levels of specific physiological systems, organisms, and ecosystems across evolutionary time. Common themes in scientific method and measurement are also emphasized throughout the concentration to build a skill set that can be applied to multiple types of biological endeavor.
Students who graduate with a concentration in Integrative and Organismal Systems are equipped to enter into careers in health-related fields (e.g., human or veterinary medicine), wildlife biology, management, conservation, biological research or education, and other exciting fields focusing on the biology of whole organisms.
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