Science Center

The Science Center houses more lab space than classroom space, a greenhouse on the roof, and industry-leading research facilities. Classes in the sciences emphasize hands-on learning and usually have a lab component of the class.

Media Gallery

Oberlin College Virtual Tour: Sciences

A professor wearing purple gloves shows students a lab procedure.

Two students conduct research in a chemistry lab.

A student studies in the science library.

Students in purple lab coats conduct research.

Students study on their computer and write on a whiteboard.

A photo of the outside of the Oberlin Science Center.

Pictured is a sandstone building from the early 1900s, known as the Wright Physics Lab building. Greenery surrounds the building.

Sciences at Oberlin

Science Scholar Programs

🧪 Sciences at Oberlin

While Oberlin is a liberal arts college, the science fields are very strong. Oberlin was the first undergraduate institution to offer neuroscience as a major, and many of our biology and chemistry students are on the Pre-Med track, which has a placement rate to medical schools that is more than double the national average!

Undergraduate Research

About two-thirds of students do research while at Oberlin! Oberlin is an undergraduate-only institution, so you won’t be competing with graduate students for lab space or time with your professors. It’s really easy to get involved in research on campus; students can approach professors with their own idea, or professors might reach out to students to get involved in their ongoing research projects. Research happens all over campus, whether in the humanities, sciences, or arts! Past research projects have included investigating Congressional gerrymandering in the Politics department to analyzing soil samples to determine erosion rates in the Geosciences department to translating crime reports from the Paris city archives in the French department!

🧬 Science Scholar Programs

Oberlin supports all students in their academic success. We have several programs that focus on helping students who have not been historically represented in higher education and in the sciences.

Oberlin College Research Fellowship

The Oberlin College Research Fellowship (OCRF) prepares students to earn advanced degrees and pursue careers in fields such as higher education, medicine, or law by providing summer research experiences.

Brenda Grier Miller Scholars

The Brenda Grier Miller Scholars provides first-generation, high financial need students an opportunity to build community, gain access to resources, and navigate the college environment by having you connect with Oberlin students, faculty, and staff before classes begin and throughout the year. First-year students who meet the initial qualifications and who are not part of another cohort-based program—STRONG, Bonner, Posse Scholars—will be invited to apply.

STRONG Scholars

The STRONG program represents Oberlin College’s commitment to increasing the diversity of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math workforce. The STRONG program has talented students from underrepresented backgrounds with a clear dedication to STEM participate in a specialized first-year experience designed to help them adapt to college and thrive in their STEM journey at Oberlin and beyond.

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) has the goal of increasing the number of students from underrepresented minority groups (URM) who pursue PhDs.