About Us
The department provides:
a major program leading to the B.S. degree
a minor program
a coterminal program leading to the M.S. degree
a doctoral program leading to the Ph.D. degree, and
courses designed for the non-major.
Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Biology
The mission of the undergraduate program in Biology is to provide students with in-depth knowledge in the discipline, from molecular biology to ecology. Students in the program learn to think and analyze information critically, draw connections among the different areas of biology, and communicate their ideas effectively to the scientific community. The major exposes students to the scientific process through a set of core courses and electives from a range of subdisciplines. The Biology major serves as preparation for professional careers, including medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences, teaching, consulting, research, and field studies.
Mission of the Graduate Program in Biology
For graduate-level students, the department offers resources and experience learning from and working with world-renowned faculty involved in research on ecology, neurobiology, population biology, plant and animal physiology, biochemistry, immunology, cell and developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology.
The M.S. degree program offers general or specialized study to individuals seeking biologically oriented course work, and to undergraduate science majors wishing to increase or update their science background or obtain advanced research experience.
The training for a Ph.D. in Biology is focused on learning skills required to be a successful research scientist and teacher, including how to ask important questions and then devise and carry out experiments to answer these questions. Students work closely with an established advisor and meet regularly with a committee of faculty members to ensure that they understand the importance of diverse perspectives on experimental questions and approaches. Students learn how to evaluate critically pertinent original literature to stay abreast of scientific progress in their areas of interest. They also learn how to make professional presentations, write manuscripts for publication, and become effective teachers.
Facilities
The offices, labs, and personnel of the Department of Biology are located in the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Biology Research, Gilbert Biological Sciences, James H. Clark Center, ChEM-H and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, and Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Environment and Energy (Y2E2) buildings. Along with the Carnegie Institution of Washington, all are on the main campus. Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (JRBP) is located near Stanford University's campus in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Hopkins Marine Station is on Monterey Bay in Pacific Grove.
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve encompasses geologic, topographic, and biotic diversity within its 1,189 acres and provides a natural laboratory for researchers from around the world, educational experiences for students and docent-led visitors, and a refuge for native plants and animals. See the JRBP website.
Hopkins Marine Station, located 90 miles from the main University campus in Pacific Grove, was founded in 1892 as the first marine laboratory on the west coast of North America. For more information see the "Hopkins Marine Station" section of this bulletin.
The Robin Li and Melissa Ma Science Library, located in the Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning, supports research and teaching for the Department of Biology and other related disciplines. The Harold A. Miller Library focuses primarily on marine biology to support the research and teaching needs of the Hopkins Marine Station, but it also collects materials on oceanography, fisheries, and other aquatic sciences.
People
Browse the people that work for Stanford's Department of Biology.
Connect with Us
Use these channels to learn more about our department and reach out to us.
Visit our website: http://biology.stanford.edu
Email us: biologyinfo@stanford.edu
Call our main office: (650) 723-2413
Find Us on Campus or Send Us Mail
Department of Biology
Gilbert Biological Sciences Building
371 Jane Stanford Way, Room 109
Mail Code: 5020
Stanford, CA 94305