Life After...Biological Sciences: A Practical Guide to Life After Your Degree

Guide to studying Biological Sciences

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Overall, we'll use a mix of coursework and examinations. See our full glossary of assessment terms.

Biological Sciences (with Foundation Year)

Students who go on work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you a sought after graduate. If you choose the six year sandwich course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work or study placement after Year two. You'll have the opportunity to work with major employers in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry, with opportunities for placements, internships and volunteering.

We have links with lots of employers, including GlaxoSmithKline, ICI and Novartis, government laboratories, hospital pathology and university research centres. The sandwich course option involves up to 40 weeks of work-based training in a specialised area of biological sciences.

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You'll get help to find a placement and support throughout from department staff and our award-winning careers service. Fieldwork is an essential part of studying and understanding the natural world. This includes short local trips in and around Bristol and optional UK and international residential visits to destinations ranging from Cornwall to Cuba. Watch Richard, Emiko and Chris in our short film about their field trip to study the ecosystems of a tropical island near Cuba.

Benefit from our well-equipped, modern science laboratories , with specialist apparatus for molecular biology and cell culture suites to support immunology, virology and microbiology. Carry out microscopy work in our electron microscopy suite, with the latest biosensing and biotechnology for molecular biology. Carry out plant science experiments in our large greenhouse, used for teaching and research, and our controlled environment cabinets. Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources. You'll graduate with the insight, tools and practical experience to make a valuable contribution to the health of the community and the wellbeing of the environment.

Most graduates follow careers in biological sciences, particularly research and development work in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, education and agrochemical sectors. As well as preparing you for a laboratory-based job, the course will give you the transferable skills employers value in a wide variety of roles, from sales and marketing to consultancy and conservation. Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities. We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.

Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.

What You Can Do With a PhD in Biology

The Guardian - what to do with a degree in biosciences. Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on.

Life AfterBiological Sciences: A Practical Guide to Life After Your Degree - CRC Press Book

Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year. You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the six year course and then transfer to the five year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change.

Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance. Additional costs are for items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing. Learn more about costs. We recognise the individual nature of each application and our typical offer should be viewed as a guide.

UWE Bristol welcomes interest from applicants who may not have the standard entry requirements. We will consider evidence of your relevant personal, professional or educational experience where it demonstrates an ability and potential to succeed on the course. Please include details of any relevant experience in your application.

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If you expect to achieve a higher tariff score, you may also be interested in our MSci Biological Science course. You will be required to achieve an average grade of 2: Read more about entry requirements. If you are an international student your recommended route of study for this degree is through UWE Bristol's International College which, upon successful completion to the required level and with good attendance, guarantees entry to Year 1 of the degree. If you have already satisfied the academic entry requirements of your chosen course, you are likely to be made an unconditional offer.

Please note that UWE Bristol will only make unconditional offers if you have already achieved your qualifications. To make sure our applicants are academically prepared for when they start their studies at UWE Bristol, we do not make unconditional offers to those that are still studying their Level 3 qualifications such as A-levels, BTEC, Access or equivalent. We hope that this will encourage our applicants to value their academic achievements as much as we do.

If you receive an offer for this course, you may be invited to attend an Offer Holder Day in February or March. These are a great opportunity to find out what it's really like to study here. You'll experience taster lectures or workshops, meet your course tutors, current students and other offer holders.

Read more about undergraduate applications. This course is open for applications. Page last updated 14 December Introduction Why study biological sciences? MSci Biological Sciences is about the application of biological science to the real world. Where can it take me? After qualifying, you can go into graduate-level jobs in a diverse range of organisations.

The learning and teaching experience. Content The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change. Year zero foundation year You will study: You'll usually need to pass your foundation year before going into Year one. Year one You will study: But when you pursue a doctorate degree in biology, you generally choose a special area of focus. That's because the field of biology is so broad that it's practically impossible to develop deep expertise in all aspects of it.

At this level of education, people choose to study specialties such as microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, zoology, wildlife biology, biophysics, ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, neuroscience, botany, or aquatic biology. Your career opportunities will likely depend on the specialty or sub-specialty you've chosen.

For example, with a degree in microbiology, you can pursue jobs related to studying viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, microscopic parasites, or other microorganisms. You may even decide to specialize in the study of one particular type of microorganism. Your career could involve pure research, or you could apply your research to the development of solutions in areas like public health, agriculture, or environmental restoration. You can also combine your biology education with other major subjects of study. For instance, with a degree in computer science, you can pursue a PhD in computational biology.

As a computational biologist, your career could involve developing computerized simulations that make it possible to study research questions without using a traditional laboratory. Here are some example salaries based on nationwide averages from May Biology is often thought to be one of the most popular areas of study.

But according to one well-respected report, only about 3. That ranks this field closer to the bottom for popularity than to the top. In comparison, the most popular major was business , representing over 26 percent of college graduates. Of course, popularity is not necessarily a measure of value. After all, the world continues to need biology experts, and plenty of good occupations require a foundational knowledge of the science. The problem is that a lot of smart, motivated people go into the field believing that an undergraduate degree in biology may be all they need to access the types of employment opportunities they want.

They may not realize that those opportunities are often reserved for people who go on to earn more advanced graduate-level degrees. For example, with at least a master's degree in biology , you can qualify for better teaching or research positions. And earning your graduate degree doesn't have to be as difficult as what you may think. Some schools offer graduate programs that are more accessible and streamlined than what you'll find at many traditional universities. The truth is that the unemployment rate in the U.

For instance, during one reference period in , about 7. Plus, an undergraduate biology education is often more knowledge-based than skills-based. And the practical skills that you do get to learn are typically very specific to actions such as performing research in a laboratory or writing technical papers. As a result, many employers may feel that biology graduates don't offer enough in the way of practical abilities that are relevant to their particular work settings.

That's probably why, in alone, about 58 percent of people who majored in biology or the life sciences went on to earn graduate degrees. In fact, of all college graduates, they were the most likely to do so. And biology graduates who attained more advanced degrees or professional credentials ended up earning over 60 percent more, on average, than those who only attained bachelor's degrees.

But the process of getting into a traditional graduate-level program for a master's degree or PhD can be very competitive and time-consuming.

And medical school, which is one of the most popular options for biology grads, often has the most discriminating entrance requirements of all. So if you aren't fully committed to becoming a research scientist, college professor, genetic counselor, physician, dentist, veterinarian, or other type of specialized health practitioner, then pursuing that level of education might become more of a challenge than you're prepared to face. Here is maybe the most important point to remember: You don't have to pursue a biology degree in order to attain an enjoyable or good-paying career that capitalizes on your enthusiasm for the subject.

Plus, even if you already have a bachelor's degree in biology or are currently in pursuit of one, you may have a lot more options than you think.

Should I do a biology degree?

For example, some biology majors have found success as biomedical technologists, conservation or environmental technicians, middle or high school science teachers, or even as forensic investigators , medical illustrators, or pharmaceutical sales representatives.

And the possibilities may expand even more if you're prepared to get just a little bit of additional training at a vocational school. Colleges and trade schools that focus on preparing students for in-demand vocations tend to have relatively easy admission requirements, short programs, and convenient class schedules. So if you're at the beginning of your journey into post-secondary education, then you could be employment-ready in a lot less time than it would take to earn a traditional biology degree.

And if you've earned such a degree already, then continuing your education at a vocational school may offer you a smoother and easier chance at getting truly employable skills for a career you'll be happy with. Many occupational fields have roots in biology. So your options are not limited to scientific research, teaching, professional medicine, or other professions that require the most advanced educational credentials. On the contrary, you might just discover that some of the most fulfilling and reliable occupations have the power to satisfy your interest in biology without requiring you to get a degree in the subject.

And a lot of these vocational fields can be entered with only two years or less of specialized training. For some of them, all it takes is a few months. Plus, students who've already completed college-level courses related to biology are sometimes able to receive credit for those courses, which can shorten their training even further.

But that process is often relatively fast, especially if you attend a school that focuses on helping you prepare for such an exam. The following list also includes many career possibilities that have significantly better job outlooks than what you might qualify for with a biology degree alone. So take a serious look at these options, and remember that they've enabled a lot of biology enthusiasts like you to have meaningful and prosperous careers.

Explore the real-world aspects of human biology while working alongside doctors and caring for people in your community who are at their most vulnerable. Help patients in medical and health care settings in the most direct way while using your knowledge of human illnesses, disabilities, and a lot more.

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Help pharmacists organize, measure, package, label, and dispense prescription medications in a retail or hospital pharmacy setting. Carry out laboratory tests on samples of bodily fluids, tissues, or other biological substances in order to help medical practitioners diagnose and treat patients. Provide preventive care and guidance to dental patients as a professional who understands the biological causes of gingivitis and other oral diseases. Be one of the first responders to situations in which people's lives might be saved as a result of your quick actions and knowledge of first-aid treatment for the sick or injured.

Use sophisticated X-ray or MRI equipment to capture diagnostic images of internal patient anatomy that can help radiologists and doctors detect signs of injury or illness. Build on your interest in human anatomy, body movement, and nutrition by leading and motivating people in physical activities that improve their strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular performance. Become a specialist in biology-related areas like muscular anatomy, body mechanics, and human pathology while using the healing power of touch to help people relieve stress, ease physical tension, recover from injury, minimize pain, and more.

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