Organismal Biology

Organismal Biology is is subdiscipline of biology focused on physiology, ecology, and evolution. If you are interested in understanding how different organisms function or how they interact with their environment, Organismal Biology might be the major for you.

a student peers into a microscope while his classmate looks on

About Our Organismal Biology Program

  • Learn the fundamental principles of Physiology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology through hands-on research and fieldwork.
  • Research is at the core of Pitzer’s Organismal Biology program. We have extensive lab facilities at the Nucleus, our brand-new, 65,000-square-foot science building. 
  • You can conduct fieldwork with faculty on almost 100 acres of protected land at the Robert Redford Conservancy and Bernard Field Station, adjacent to the Claremont Colleges.
  • Conduct research abroad and work to restore Costa Rica’s lowland rainforests at Pitzer's Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology.

At a Glance

Degree Awarded

  • Bachelor of Arts

Field Group

Biology (Department of Natural Sciences)

Program Type

Area of Study

This program is offered through the Department of Natural Sciences

Organismal Biology & Our Values

Pitzer’s core values are woven throughout all of our academic programs. Learn how our Organismal Biology program addresses interdisciplinary learning and social responsibility.

Student Engagement

We’ve consistently been a top producer of Fulbright students: Over the past five years, Organismal Biology students have received three Fulbright grants to continue their undergraduate research abroad. 

3 Research Fulbrights

Three Pitzer students have received Fulbright grants for their research, and several more have done fieldwork through our study abroad programs.

Visit the Office of Fellowships

Environmental Sustainability

You’ll have the chance to conduct biological fieldwork on campus with our Robert Redford Conservancy and Bernard Field Station providing ample research opportunities in Biology, Ecology, and Environmental analysis.

Explore the Robert Redford Conservancy
97 Acres

The Robert Redford Conservancy and Bernard Field Station sit on a combined 97 acres of conserved land, providing students a chance to study California’s native wildlife just steps from their dorms.

0 Net Energy Usage

The Redford Conservancy draws its power from two 21 kW solar arrays onsite, making it one of the first buildings to accomplish net zero energy usage.

Students walk out of the Robert Redford Conservancy building

Get Involved

A professor explains an experiment to students in a chemistry lab

Research

Lily Gane ’20, Organismal Biology major, conducted research on the role that a protein called titin plays in muscle movement, and won a Keck Summer Research fellowship to continue her research in labs at the Department of Natural Sciences and Northern Arizona University.

Pitzer alumna Alyssa Dunn '23

Awards

Alyssa Dunn ’23, an Organismal Biology major, won a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to conduct research in Poland. Her work focused on the ways that blood-borne infections and parasites interact with each other and their hosts.

Jana Biedenwig smiles in the panda enclosure with a panda sitting behind her.

Careers

Organismal Biology major Jana Biedenweg ’20 oversees the welfare of the first giant pandas to come to the U.S. in two decades, putting her passion for biology and wildlife conservation into practice.

Read Jana's Story

Organismal Biology Program Details

View Course Catalog

As an Organismal Biology student, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge to engage with and evaluate issues in Biology and the wider world, leaving you poised to take the lead in a wide range of fields.

What You'll Learn

  1. How to understand, articulate, and apply foundational scientific principles and findings in Physiology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology.
  2. How to think critically, analytically, and scientifically by developing scientific questions and using research tools and methods to answer them.
  3. How to read and critique original research articles.
  4. How to use quantitative approaches to data analysis, presentation, and modeling.
  5. How to articulate the ways science relates to current problems, especially in relation to conservation, climate change, and ecosystem degradation.

Organismal Biology Program Faculty

No profile image for Jennifer Armstrong

Jennifer Armstrong

  • Professor of Biology
No profile image for Michael Brown

Michael Brown

  • Biology Education Specialist
No profile image for Sarah Budischak

Sarah Budischak

  • Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Pete Chandrangsu

Pete Chandrangsu

  • Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Brian Duistermars

Brian Duistermars

  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Elise Ferree

Elise Ferree

  • Professorial Lecturer in Biology
No profile image for Patrick Ferree

Patrick Ferree

  • Professor of Biology
No profile image for Findley Finseth

Findley Finseth

  • Associate Professor of Biology
Professor Sarah Gilman

Sarah Gilman

  • Associate Professor of Biology
No profile image for Ashley Heers

Ashley Heers

  • Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Kyle Jay

Kyle Jay

  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Erin Jones

Erin Jones

  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Cory Kohn

Cory Kohn

  • Biology Education Specialist
No profile image for Jenna Monroy

Jenna Monroy

  • Associate Professor of Biology
No profile image for Marion Preest

Marion Preest

  • Professor of Biology
No profile image for Benjamin Schlau

Benjamin Schlau

  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Aditi Vyas

Aditi Vyas

  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
No profile image for Emily Wiley

Emily Wiley

  • Professor of Biology
  • Associate Dean CMC

Related Programs

Biology

If you’re fascinated by organisms at any scale and wonder how life works, A Biology major could be a great fit

  • Bachelor of Arts

Human Biology

Human Biology explores humans and humanity from a variety of perspectives. Be at the forefront of fields from anthropology to public health, bringing an interdisciplinary approach wherever your career takes you.

  • Bachelor of Arts

Environmental Analysis

Gain the tools and experiences needed to address environmental challenges and develop an understanding of impactful stewardship through a multidisciplinary lens

  • Bachelor of Arts