Biological Sciences

Whether you enjoy solving problems in a laboratory or working outdoors, our Biological Sciences programme will provide you with the ultimate learning environment. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, intriguing ecosystems, and many important biological industries, the University of Waikato is uniquely placed in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island.

Waikato University’s Biological Sciences research is highly regarded internationally. Our projects are supported by multi-million dollar investments from government and industry, many of which have significant iwi and other community involvement. These include lakes management, freshwater ecology, horticultural and agricultural research, coastal marine science and aquaculture, urban restoration, animal behaviour and physiology, medical microbiology and Antarctic ecosystems. This funding supports many student and collaborative projects, together with scholarship and postgraduate opportunities.

Facilities

The University of Waikato’s School of Science is home to a suite of well-equipped laboratories. Research units and facilities within Biological Sciences include the Waikato Stable Isotope Unit, the Waikato DNA Sequencing Facility, the Thermophile & Microbial Biochemistry & Biotechnology Unit, the International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, the University of Waikato Herbarium (a controlled environment glasshouse facility), and field centres for freshwater and coastal marine science.

Build a successful career

Careers in Biological Sciences come in many shapes and sizes, with many offering opportunities for travel. From managing the Savannah animals at Hamilton Zoo, to working with embryos at a London fertility clinic, our graduates find jobs in exciting and challenging industries in New Zealand and overseas. You could find a career as an ecologist managing the restoration of natural ecosystems, a physiologist aiming to understand how organisms function, or a geneticist using DNA as the key to identifying diseases or organisms.