The word biology comes from the Greek words bios and logos, meaning life and study, respectively. Biology is consequently the study of anything living, from the simplest molecules that constitute the cells’ building stones to entire ecosystems.

Our future and quality of life depend upon our sensible management of the environment and our natural resources. Biology helps us to understand all living creatures around us, and is therefore the best tool available to achieve a sustainable development. Biology also plays an important part in fighting disease, in food production and other issues which are crucial for man's future on the Earth. That is why biology is more important to the world than ever.

As a discipline, biology is both comprehensive and varied. Over the past decade, intensive research and new and advanced methods have resulted in a significant increase in knowledge. Classical biology disciplines such as ecology, ethology and physiology have been followed by new disciplines which border on medicine, technology, environmental protection, and nature management. At the same time, biological research has adopted advanced mathematics, statistics, and information technology.

For our students, this means dealing with large amounts of information. At the same time, it also implies that the options when choosing fields of study and subjects for specialization have never been better.

Bachelor’s Degree
The Bachelor’s Degree in Biology at NTNU is completed after three years. Its objective is to provide the students with extensive knowledge of biology covering a wide field. We greatly emphasize field and laboratory-based teaching.

The three first semesters of this study are identical for all students, but from the fourth semester onwards you have to choose one of four possible subject combinations. The subject combinations are fields of study that decide which Master’s programmes you may choose on completion of your Bachelor’s degree. For this reason, it is important that your choice of subject combination is thought-through and well-founded.

The Bachelor’s Degree in Biology offers the following subject combinations: