INFORMATION FOR
The Department of Biology offers opportunities for a superior education that provides a pathway to careers in the medical professions, research, industry and more.
"We’re lucky, as biology students at William Paterson. We have access to hands-on experiences with awesome professors who take the time to mentor us and get to know us." Grace shares her story.
Alumni in science and health are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in Biology/Biotech Fields (NACE)
Noteworthy Biology/Biotech Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
Concentrations
○ Ecology Concentration – Upper-level course work focuses on ecology-related topics.
○ General Biology Concentration – Provides the most flexibility in upper-level course selection. This is the recommended concentration for pre-med students.
○ Organismal Biology Concentration – Requires Animal Physiology and Animal Behavior at the upper level, and allows students maximum focus on animal/human topics.
○ Pre-Medical Professions – Requires Animal Physiology and Microbiology at the upper level. This is the recommended concentration for all pre-professional students.
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View academic program requirements and course descriptions in the University Course Catalog:
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The biotechnology program emphasizes coursework and training in many aspects of molecular biology, genetics, plant tissue culture, animal cell culture, DNA analysis techniques, protein isolation and recombinant DNA techniques. Students with the required grade point average may enter the biotechnology master's degree program directly. The program is designed not only to train students in the necessary technical skills but also to provide them with the theoretical basis for continued study. Graduates are prepared to pursue further graduate study in biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and other related areas or to obtain employment in academic, clinical, industrial, or government research laboratories.
Qualified William Paterson University undergraduate students may complete an undergraduate bachelor's and a graduate master's degree in five years by taking graduate-level courses during their senior year. The program is open to BS Biology and BS Biotechnology majors, and leads to the MS Biotechnology degree. Students who meet the entry requirements must talk to their academic advisor to prior to, or at latest by, the second semester of their junior year. Once admitted to the accelerated program, students work with their undergraduate adviser and the graduate program director to develop a plan of study for their accelerated graduate degree.
The post-baccalaureate program is a certificate program intended for college graduates who wish to pursue a medical or other pre-professional education but have not yet taken any or all of the science courses required for admission to medical or other pre-professional schools including dentistry, veterinary, physician's assistant, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and other health care professions. Students in this program are eligible for financial aid.
The MS in biotechnology focuses on preparing students for successful careers in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries. The program provides a structured curriculum that focuses on experimental design, data interpretation, and development of technical laboratory skills. This program also encourages students to take up to two graduate courses in business and/or professional communications to develop the soft skills needed to succeed in the business/industry environment. The thesis option is open to research in the areas of cell/molecular biology and genomics. Learn more »
The biology major is the most popular and straightforward (no extra coursework required) route to gaining admission to all medically related professional schools to pursue a degree as a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, pharmacist, physician’s assistant, physical therapist (PT), or medical perfusionist. The biotechnology major prepares students for careers in academic, clinical, industrial, or government research labs, and for graduate study in biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and related fields.
In our biology/biotechnology programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including:
Many of our graduates pursue advanced degrees in medicine, veterinary science, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Other jobs in the field include senior laboratory technician, biology technician, biochemist, research scientist, biologist/microbiologist, health communications specialist, pharmaceutical sales rep, biology teacher, and medical equipment sales, among others.
Our professors are proud practitioners in their fields and love to share their expertise beyond the classroom. Mentorship is at the core of our department, and it’s our goal that every student work directly with a faculty member to expand their knowledge and worldview.
Biology major and current medical student at The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
Emmanuel Onaivi, professor of biology at William Paterson University, has been recognized as a “Highly Ranked Scholar” by ScholarGPS, placing him among the top 0.5 percent of scholars worldwide for his lifetime body of research. In addition to his overall ranking, Professor Onaivi is ranked No. 27 worldwide for his work on cannabinoid receptor research.
The ScholarGPS rankings are derived from public data on close to 30 million scholars and 120,000 institutions worldwide. Scholars are evaluated across 14 broad fields, 177 disciplines, and more than 350,000 specialties.
“This honor highlights Dr. Onaivi’s pioneering contributions to advancing knowledge in the field of neuropharmacology, cannabinoid science, and drug discovery,” says WP College of Science and Health Dean Venkat Sharma. “This is an extraordinary achievement reflecting his research productivity, impact, and scholarly quality.”
Onaivi has published more than 120 research articles (journal papers and book chapters) since 1987, with citations of his work in others’ academic studies estimated to be at over 9,600, per ScholarGPS. He also edited three books on the biology of marijuana and cannabinoid research methods.
His work has led to breakthroughs on numerous topics such as the potential role of cannabinoid receptors in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders; dopamine dysregulation and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; the regulation of neural systems underlying addiction; and the comorbidity of medical and psychiatric disorders with addiction. He has presented his work before the United States Congress on Capitol Hill and has received research grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Drug Abuse, among others.
Onaivi has mentored dozens of students in his on-campus laboratory – postdoctoral fellows, doctoral, master’s, undergraduate, and even high school students –who have gone on to successful careers as medical doctors, pharmacists, and scientists.
He is particularly fond of mentoring younger students, as he gets to watch more of their academic journeys unfold. Also, he often finds their contributions to his work to be the most valuable.
“These students have the distinct advantages of having minds free from pre-cut answers that we all acquire in our twenties,” Onaivi says of high school and undergraduate students. “They are willing to ask the kind of naïve questions that drive change and new direction.”
Onaivi proudly displays a photo of one of his former WP undergraduate research students, Monika Chung ’17, at her graduation from medical school last year. She went on to a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, studying the metastasis of breast cancer to the brain, and is currently a resident in Combined Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
A Fulbright Scholar, guest scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and editor-in-chief for the journal Drug and Alcohol Research, Professor Onaivi has been a member of the William Paterson faculty since 2000. He received the University’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 2007, 2015, and 2021.
