The Department of Biological Sciences has a faculty of forty members. Approximately 1,000 Majors seek undergraduate degrees in biology, botany, microbiology, and zoology. Faculty specialties are equally split between field biology and laboratory science.
Many faculty members conduct research that is funded at the federal level.
Consequently, there are numerous opportunities for undergraduate students to obtain firsthand research experience. The department offers about 50 undergraduate courses in biology. Most of these courses include a laboratory providing students with real experiences in the discipline. The Department of Biological Sciences staffs a Biomedical Professions office designed to maximally support students who wish to pursue the health professions. Growth in Biological Sciences at NAU resulted in the construction of a new building to be shared with the Department of Chemistry.