Ask a Biologist
There are many exciting career opportunities for students graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology from SHU. The biology faculty will assist students in obtaining work and research experience while earning credits toward their Biology degree. If you are interested in graduate school, the National Academy of Science Press, (800-624-6242) has a publication available for free: Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Graduate School and Beyond. Also, visit our Pre-Health Advisement site.
Here at SHU we strive to give students the maximum flexibility in making choices by encouraging them to do scientific research and real-world internships under the supervision of biology faculty and providing a diverse selection of topics in our course offerings.
After graduation, choices available to individuals with a B.S. in biology range from continuing the education process in graduate school in a specific area of interest to starting work as a Laboratory Assistant or Field/Research Technician. We urge students to start thinking about careers early in their education and to make appointments with faculty advisors at least once a semester to discuss academic concerns and career opportunities. We also have Handshake, a Sacred Heart University Career Development Center website, which provides students with a number of additional career exploration and job search resources which can be helpful when choosing a career. A resource available in our office- Nontraditional Careers in Science, by Karen Kreeger -provides an excellent description of the less traditional career paths available to students trained in biology.
Join a Professional Society
A great way to learn more about careers in Biology is to become a member of a professional association. Most professional non-profit membership organizations have reduced membership fees for students and provide newsletters, bulletins and journals with specific information about your area of interest.
- The American Institute of Biological Sciences
- Sigma XI, The Scientific Research Society
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Medical Association
- Ecological Society of America
- American Society for Microbiologists
- American Physiological Society
- American Society for Human Genetics
- Genetics Society of America
- American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Society for Neuroscience
- Botanical Society of America
- American Society of Mammology
- American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
Read Related Publications
Undergraduates should check local college and city libraries for books on biological topics of interest. Publications such as BioScience, American Scientist, Scientific American, Science News, and Natural History have articles related to biology that may be of general interest. The professional societies listed above also produce more specific journals once a student has narrowed down an area of interest.
Searching for a Job
The links below provide further information on the incredibly varied career possibilities open to students with a degree in biology.
