Career Information

Some of the specialties include:

• Biochemistry—the study of the effects of foods, hormones, drugs and toxins on plants, animals, and single cells
• Botany—the study of plants
• Ecology—the study of the interrelationship of organisms and their environments
• Ethology—the study of animal behavior
• Genetics—the study of heredity
• Immunology—the study of how the body defends itself against invasion by foreign substances
• Microbiology—the study of microorganisms, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa, and one-celled algae
• Pharmacology—the study of how drugs work
• Physiology—the study of how organisms work and how they respond to changes in their external and internal environments
• Zoology—the scientific study of animals

Marketable Skills of Biology Majors

• Ability to make critical observations and appropriate decisions
• Ability to operate scientific equipment
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time
• Proficiency for accurate details
• Ability to conduct and interpret scientific research
• Ability to organize and maintain accurate records
• Proficiency in reading, writing, thinking, analyzing, and problem solving

Related Careers and Hiring Institutions

About one-third of all life scientists work in research and development in business and industry, in government labs, or on college campuses. About one-fifth teach in college and universities. One-fourth are managers and administrators, running research programs. The rest are inspectors of foods and drugs, consultants to business and government, technical writers, and technical sales and service representatives.

A bachelor’s degree qualifies you for some technician positions, for sales and service jobs, and for support positions such as technical writer. A master’s qualifies you for some jobs in applied research such as research assistant of field technician. A doctorate is essential for most positions in college teaching, independent research, and management.

The following is a partial list of organizations / institutions that hire biology graduates:

• Aquariums
• Arboretums
• Botanical gardens
• Chemical industries
• Colleges and schools
• Consulting firms
• Cosmetic companies
• Food processors
• Government agencies
• Hospitals
• Lumber companies
• Medical clinics
• Medical laboratories
• Museums
• National and state parks
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Publishers
• Research and development firms
• Zoological parks
• Environment Protection Agency
• Food and Drug Administration
• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• Peace Corps
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

More Information

For more information concerning career options for biology majors, visit the Magner Career Center.