Student assessing blood pressure in a research lab.

Human Biology Bachelor's Degree

Advance Human Health

Gain a deep understanding of people through a biological perspective—from chemical processes to whole organisms, and how humans impact and interact with their environment.

Our broad-based curriculum holistically prepares resilient critical thinkers for hands-on contributions in educational, industry, research, and healthcare settings. You will benefit from hands-on interdisciplinary opportunities in human health-related fields across our campus and beyond. Get involved in undergraduate research through paid work experience. Earn research credits toward your degree, or apply for a summer undergraduate research fellowship or undergraduate research internship. Create the future of human health while considering proactive preventative approaches, clinical treatments, environmental interactions, and social factors.

Discover Human Biology

Human biology includes a variety of subdisciplines, such as anatomy, physiology, genetics, nutrition, ecology, evolution, and anthropology. Understanding each of these fields and their interrelationships is the key to advance human health, and help you determine what you want to specialize in. Investigate biological and physiological processes of the human body at all levels—chemical, molecular, cellular, tissue, system, and organism.

Facilities Found Only at a Technological University

Learn in up-to-date labs and research facilities, with access to some of the most advanced technology in the industry. Our new H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex is a $53 million facility that provides a state-of-the-art teaching environment including industry-relevant, STEM-based educational and research programs in health and human-centered engineering, as well as research labs for health-related STEM studies.

Work on advanced DNA analysis, confocal microscopy, cell sorting, chromatography, and more.
Learn human anatomy hands-on in lab courses using the H-STEM Complex's Anatomage Tables (think life-sized human cadaver meets iPad).
Become a Certified EMT! Michigan Tech offers you EMT training, with almost the entire cost of training covered in exchange for one year of service on our Emergency Medical Services team on campus. Be part of a team that serves the community and saves lives.

70%

placement rate for graduates into medical school
No. 5
best colleges for biology in Michigan

Choose Your Career Path

Pre-Health Professions Pathway

Incorporate a Pre-Health minor and prepare for admission into health professional programs. Human biology students with a Pre-Health minor can take advantage of many professional program partnerships. For instance, Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine provides early assurance of admission (February as opposed to June) for select Michigan Tech Pre-Health minors. Pick from these pathways:

Pre-Law Pathway

You may choose to allocate your free electives toward a minor in Law and Society and take additional classes in Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology, Biological Sciences, or Chemistry.

Science and Technical Writing Pathway

If you have an interest in science and technical writing, you may choose to allocate your free electives toward a minor in Writing along with other courses in Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology, Biological Sciences, or Chemistry.

Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway

If you are interested in pursuing a career in business, you may choose to allocate your free electives toward a minor or certificate in Business or Economics along with other courses in Business, Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology, Biological Sciences, or Chemistry.

Other Possible Pathways

Have something else in mind? Pursue your passion by combining your human biology degree with any of 80 other minors or certificates such as Microbiology, Psychology, Biochemistry and Public Health. With a BS in Human Biology, you design your own educational pathway to meet your future career goals.

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Michigan Tech Human Biology Majors Go On to Graduate Studies

The growing list of colleges and universities that recently admitted Michigan Tech graduates includes:

Ferris State University
Marquette University
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Palmer College of Chiropractic
University of Pittsburgh
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Be Career Ready

Career Opportunities for Human Biology Majors

Your future career options are unlimited with a bachelor's degree in human biology. Career opportunities can be found in:

Academia
Biotechnology
Business and Industry
Communications
Education
Forensics
Genetics
Government
Healthcare
Nonprofit sectors
Pharmaceuticals
Public policy
Quality assurance
Research

Additional Career Opportunities

Michigan Tech Human Biology Majors Get Hired

The growing list of companies that have hired Michigan Tech human biology graduates includes:

ICU Medical
Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
Munson Medical Center

Ready to take the next step?

Learn more about studying human biology at Michigan's flagship technological university.

"I chose human biology as it complements my plans to become a PA. The courses and experiences that I have been lucky enough to be a part of prepare me everyday to become a Physician Assistant."

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Kate Meister '23

BS Human Biology

Study Biological Sciences at a Technological University

At Michigan Tech, you’ll build research skills and foundational knowledge required to succeed in graduate school, research, or industry. You'll learn and experience first-hand how biology is central to solving real-world problems in sustainability, human health, environment and industry. With biology faculty that also serve as your research advisors and mentors, you'll investigate, explore and experiment in the lab and present results in classrooms, research symposia, and scientific journals.

Get personalized attention: Build valuable relationships with world-class professors in labs averaging 18 students. Our faculty can help pair you with research opportunities that meet your needs and provide valuable experience.
Customize your biology education: At Michigan Tech, our programs span biological sciences, biochemistry and molecular biology (biology focus), computational biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, human biology, medical laboratory science and nursing. Gain exposure to a variety of biology fields through this interdisciplinary approach and discover your niche interests. Take classes across different specialties to tailor your degree to fit your individual pathway.
Engage in biological science research: Become involved in a research project under the direction of a faculty member. Whether you are planning to go to graduate school or enter the job market upon graduation, you’ll have an edge on the competition—hands-on experience with undergraduate research and state-of-the-art research instrumentation.
Get involved: Apply your interest in biology to practical problems with the Enterprise Program—teams of undergraduate students working on real-world products and research for industry. Or join any number of professional organizations—Biochemistry Club; Plant and Gardening Club; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Club; Pre-Health Association; Association of Students for People, Environments, and Nature; and more.

College of Sciences and Arts

The College of Sciences and Arts is a community of faculty, staff, and students committed to excellence and driven by our passion for education, outreach, research, and creativity across the social and natural sciences, humanities, and the arts. Uniquely situated in the heart of Michigan's R1 flagship technological university, we specialize in human-centered potential and discovery-based learning designed to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Knowing that every student at Michigan Tech will pass through our doors, our college strives to be at the forefront of interdisciplinary collaborations that lead to breakthrough solutions.

Our students gain a profound understanding of social and cultural contexts through experiential learning and innovative research. We welcome you to be part of our caring, expansive college community, with 32 undergraduate and 24 graduate degrees to choose from.

The opportunities in Michigan Tech's College of Sciences and Arts are limitless. Transform into a civic leader ready to contribute to a sustainable future. Lead and participate in action-based experiences that are critical to the start of a fulfilling career. Job-shadow at a local hospital or veterinary clinic while preparing for a career in health. Design sound and lighting for a regional production. Conduct community forums on the implications of artificial intelligence. Work to purify vaccines. Study the impact of social media on society. Research the mysteries of space and galaxies beyond our universe. Explore transforming abandoned iron and copper mines into giant batteries. Understand freshwater ecosystem health. Document the nature of changes in cognitive function and motor behavior in aging and dementia.

At Michigan Tech, your academic growth is supported by a variety of learning centers, along with our Humanities Digital Media Zone and Writing Center. Model climate in the only cloud chamber of its kind. Take part in interdisciplinary health research in our state-of-the-art H-STEM Complex. Create amazing sights and sounds in our visual art, sound, and theatre performance spaces.

Tomorrow Needs You

Supercharge your analytical skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow's high-tech business landscape.

Undergraduate Majors in Biology

Not sure which major is the right fit? No problem. Browse the entire list of College of Sciences and Arts majors. Or, give yourself time and declare the General Sciences and Arts major, which lets you decide when you arrive on campus. To learn more, speak to an academic advisor.

"Human Biology makes me feel like I am getting the knowledge I need to succeed every step of the way. Whether that might be in research or in graduate school, I feel like I have the tools and knowledge necessary for success."Enioluwa Wright ’24, BS Human Biology, Pre-Health Professions minor