Biology majors cover a broad field of subdisciplines, and the work itself can be highly rewarding. Though majoring in biology can be demanding with large course loads, it can lead to a fulfilling intellectual journey that results in a multitude of career paths and academic trajectories.
In this post, we’ll touch on the biology major at United States colleges and explore the different paths students can take once they graduate from a bachelor’s program.
What do biology majors study?
Biology encompasses diverse fields, including
- Botany
- Environmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Marine Biology
- Medical Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Mycology
- Zoology
Imagine going from one class in genetics, where you have just learned how some traits can be inherited, to a course in microbiology. In microbiology, you study how anti-retroviral drugs can be used to allow those afflicted with HIV to lead healthy, productive lives. The next day, you might take a course in biochemistry or computational biology—both of which lie at the emerging intersections between biology and chemistry, and biology and computer science, respectively.
This is the life of a biology undergrad. As you can see, the sheer breadth of your studies can open doors to multifarious avenues and intellectual pursuits. Who knows? Maybe one day you can work on a team that helps to solve issues related to malaria—a notoriously tricky disease to treat.
Universities offer a broad range of biological science programs that allow you to hone your research, quantitative and analytical skills. Oftentimes, biology students will pursue a pre-med track which sets them up for success on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and in medical school. Other biology students will opt to purse post-graduate work in their field of interest and remain in academia; others will enter the private sector to work in engineering medical devices or at banks, as the quantitative skills honed during an undergrad biology degree support work in highly mathematical settings.
Biology future career
- Bioengineer
- Biological Technician
- Biochemist
- Health Communications Specialist
- Pharmaceutical Sales
- Agricultural and Food Scientist
- Microbiologist
- Environmental Scientist
- Wildlife Biologist
- Conservation Scientist
- Medical Equipment Sales
Among these extensive career choices, Bioengineer is the most popular one. The return on investment is not to be underestimated. Let us take a deeper look into the career development of Bioengineer.
Working with doctors, clinicians, and researchers, bioengineers use traditional engineering principles and techniques to address biological processes, including ways to replace, augment, or predict chemical and mechanical processes. Bioengineers also combine engineering principles with sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software. Here are a few jobs that suit bioengineers
The following are examples of types of bioengineers
- Biomedical engineers
- Biochemical engineers
- Bioinstrumentation engineers
- Biomaterials engineers
- Biomechanics engineers
- Clinical engineers
- Genetic engineers
- Rehabilitation engineers
- Systems physiologists
Clearly, there’s a lot to understand about the field of biology for the purposes of determining whether a bachelor’s in biology, or any other bachelor’s degree in science, is right for you. But that’s only half the equation. It’s just as important to take a close look at your personality, interests, and natural characteristics as a way of determining if you’re a good fit for the field.
Only a third of students who earned bachelor’s degrees in biological and biomedical sciences were employed full time six months after graduation, while another third were continuing their education, according to research conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Top 10 Biology Colleges
參考出處 U.S. News
Are you interested in Biology? Here’s your best chance to explore this fascinating field.
PANO partners with one of the top U.S. university professors this summer to offer a Biology course, Experiment in Cell and Introduction to Optical Engineering for the Biological Sciences. This allows international students in Taiwan to experience U.S. college-level Biology courses and deeply explore this field. This course is being provided by Professor Ziah Dean, who obtained a PhD. from the University of Michigan in the area of Biophysics; he’s also studying in particular the fate of bacterial populations in the midst of drug combinations.
Read More