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Earning a biology degree doesn’t just prepare you for a single career path. It provides you with the technical research abilities, the life science background and the analytical and computer skills you need to succeed in a number of varied career paths.
You can use your biology degree to save the world – or at least, make it a better place to live – as an environmental scientist. You’ll study different environments to learn about the ecosystem, the organisms that life in it, any threats to the environment and ways to solve environmental problems.
There are plenty of different career opportunities for environmental scientists, especially those with a biology degree. If you’re interested in the study of animals, you can become a zoologist or a wildlife biologist. Some biologists specialize even further in studying certain kinds of organisms, like birds, or organisms that make their homes in certain environments, like saltwater or freshwater ecosystems.
Lab work is an essential part of a biology degree program, so it makes sense that many biology graduates find opportunities working in laboratories. Research positions exist at a wide range of work environments, from academic departments at research universities to for-profit pharmaceutical firms and from government entities to medical schools.
Biologists at all levels of education can earn a living in research roles. For example, biological technician is a great entry-level job for candidates who have just graduated with their undergraduate degrees in biology. These professionals are the ones who conduct the research based on the methodology set by those in charge of the project. Once candidates have more career experience or a higher level of education, they can become project managers of research initiatives.
If you want to be a physician, a strong background in biology is a must. In fact, more than half of applicants accepted into medical school had majored in biological sciences as undergraduates, according to U.S. News & World Report . At schools that offer them, pre-med programs are often part of biology departments.
Even if you don’t want to be a doctor, biology is a useful major for aspiring healthcare workers. Many students who graduate with a biology degree go on to become health services managers, physician’s assistants, health educators and health communications specialists.
You probably didn’t envision working in finance, law, or sales when you decided to earn a degree in biology, but that could be where you end up. The science background and the important analytical and computer skills you learn as a biology major can prove useful in a number of career paths.
For example, you find that your science background has prepared you well for evaluating investment opportunities in the pharmaceutical, medical and biotechnology industries as a financial analyst. Because you understand the science behind medications, you could excel as a pharmaceutical sales representative. You might even choose to go to law school so you can become an attorney who handles environmental issues, biotechnology patents or medical malpractice claims.
Whether you want to work in medicine, start a “green” career protecting the environment or turn your science knowledge into a unique starting point for a totally different occupation, a biology degree is a great place to start your education.