Major Spotlight: Biology
For students who are fascinated by the nature of living things, enjoy conducting experiments, and like math and science, a major in biology could be a great choice. Biology majors study the beginnings of both plant and animal life forms and analyze their structures, functions, and traits. The study of biology has many areas of specialization, allowing students multiple career paths in a wide variety of fields.
The biology major program consists of both lab-based and lecture-based courses. Students will typically spend their first two years forming a solid knowledge base in chemistry, biology, and calculus. They will often have to take multiple introductory level courses in ecology, evolution, biostatistics, genetics, biochemistry, and human anatomy and physiology.
There is a strong hands-on component to the major. Students will be required to conduct both individual and group research and lab projects throughout the course of the major. This will give them hands-on experience designing, conducting, analyzing, and communicating the results of experiments. They will learn collaboration skills as well as hone their abilities to collect data, take notes, analyze results, and participate in the scientific field.
As students progress, they will focus their courses under a concentration. Some concentrations are biotechnology, microbiology, bioinformatics, and molecular biology. Concentrations offered vary depending on the college program.
Biology majors have considerable choices upon graduation. They may choose to continue their studies in a graduate program. This would be necessary for the student who wishes to become a professor or specialize in a field such as epidemiology.
Students who wish to become doctors, nurses, pediatricians, veterinarians, or some other professional in the medical field will need to attend a post-graduate program. Biology is a common preparatory major for medical school as it provides a strong knowledge base and skills required in the field.
With further study, biology majors may also become pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, physical therapists, or assistants ‒ or researchers in any of these fields.
Students may choose to become high school or middle school educators, teaching biology or marine biology. If majors want to educate the public but do not want to work as a teacher in schools, they may choose to become health educators or community health workers.
For graduates who are skilled in writing, there is a demand for science journalists at science publications, websites, newspapers, and journals.
Students interested in the environment may find jobs as forest rangers, zoo workers or botanists. They may become environmental scientists or researchers focused on the environment. They may also find jobs at nonprofit organizations or in government agencies interested in environmental protection and management.
Those who enjoy lab work may become biological technicians who aid in research at universities and for research organizations.
Others who enjoy designing products may enter the field of biotechnology. Biotechnologists design and improve existing technology in a vast array of fields. In medicine, they may design new medicinal treatments such as protein drugs. They may also work in agriculture to improve the production, quality, or preservation of various agricultural commodities, or in cosmetics designing new makeup or skincare products.
Finally, if students are interested in law, they can apply their major in a few different ways. They may become medical malpractice lawyers, using their understanding to determine whether doctors have acted ethically. They may also become lawyers fighting for or against environmental policies, using their knowledge of ecosystems.
Possible Career Paths for Biology Majors
Biologist
Biomedical engineer
Botanist
Community health worker
Dentist
Epidemiologist
Environmental conservationist / activist
Genetic counselor
High school science teacher
Hydrologist
Marine biologist
Medical manager
Medical researcher
Microbiologist
Nurse
Pharmacologist
Physician
Physician assistant
Quality control inspector
Science writer
Researcher
Veterinarian
Zoologist