What does a biology major do?
Your interest in biology and the life sciences can come from several directions.
- Perhaps your primary interest is in one or more of the many human health career areas like medicine, medical technology, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, or any of the new "assistant" health careers in dentistry or medicine or therapy.
- On the other hand, you may be an outdoor person, interested in jobs involving animals or plants, ecology, fish or wildlife management, natural history, pollution, or environmental science.
- You might also be fascinated by a teaching career or biological research in any area: health, genetics, or ecology.
- Maybe you're not sure, but just know that biology is an area you are very interested in.
This page has many links to web sites with career information. Many sites change addresses - if you run across a bad link, please contact the webmaster (bottom of page) with the information. Each link opens in a new browser window.
Don't forget to check PSU's Career Services for related information. Stop by their office in Horace Mann for all kinds of help.
General places to start learning about careers in biology
- Careers in science and engineering (Nat'l Acad. of Sci./Nat'l Acad. Engin.) -
http://books.nap.edu/readingroom/books/careers/ - Careers for biology majors from Furman University's Department of Biology -
http://facweb.furman.edu/~jsnyder/careers/careerlist.html - AIBS Biology Careers in the Biological Sciences
http://www.aibs.org/careers/ - Career explorations for biology majors - follow link to careers and bio/med/environ. -
http://uhs.berkeley.edu/students/careerlibrary/index.shtml
Health and Laboratory Sciences - on-line career information
Many students are interested in "health" careers. From being a doctor to a physical therapist to a medical laboratory worker, the career opportunities are many and varied.
The links provided serve as a good introduction to the range of health career opportunities possible and the types of training needed. Also try the major search engines for more information.
To help your search, think of the health career opportunities in terms of primary care by the "medical" doctor with support from the "allied health" professions, including professional health providers such as physical therapists and medical and laboratory support professional staff such as dental hygienists, phlebotomists, and respiratory therapists. The distinctions are based on educational and professional requirements as much as anything else.
Many of these allied health careers do not need four year of college and training is available at 2-year institutions or 4-year colleges with 2-year programs.
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You'll find descriptions of 18 allied health professions from the commission that accredits many allied health programs. A comprehensive site.
http://www.caahep.org/ -
Try "Explore Health Careers" sponsored a wide variety of professional health organizations.
http://www.explorehealthcareers.org/en/index.aspx - information on many lab-related careers can be found at this site, sponsored by the American Society of Microbiology.
http://www.asm.org/ -
Information on the allied health occupations and educational programs from the Career Library of the University Health Services at UC-Berkeley.
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/Students/CareerLibrary/links/ -
This links you to the PSU Biology Health Professions Handbook. It contains much information for the student who has already decided on a program that we can help them with, but it also provides links to many of the professional and college associations.
http://www.pittstate.edu/biol/hh_index.html -
On Assignment (OA) - laboratory jobs
http://www.oalabsupport.com/oalab/home.faces
Field Biology, Environment, and Conservation
General Information on types of environmental jobs
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Environmental Career Links
http://mail.pittstate.edu/~jarruda/env_career.htm
General environmental job links
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Environmental Careers Organization
http://www.eco.org/ -
Environmental Careers (Green Careers Journal)
http://www.environmentalcareer.com/ -
Good Works
http://goodworksfirst.org/ -
Outdoor/Environmental Career Guide (Princeton University)
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/index.shtml -
Biology, Conservation, and Oceanography
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/careers.htm -
Environmental Careers Bulletin
http://www.eceajobs.com/ -
Cyber-Sierra Natural Resource Jobs
http://cyber-sierra.com/nrjobs/organize.html
Summer jobs/volunteering/internships
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Environmental Careers Organization
http://www.eco.org/ -
Student Conservation Association
http://www.thesca.org/ -
Summer Jobs
http://www.summerjobs.com/
Marine and Animal Sciences
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Marine Biology, Science, and Oceanography
http://www-marine.stanford.edu/HMSweb/careers.html
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/careers.htm -
Zoo and Aquarium Career Opportunities -
http://www.aza.org/ForEveryone/Careers/
http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources/index.htm
General On-line Job Information
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Biology Jobs
http://www.biologyjobs.com/ - Job bank
http://www.jobbankinfo.org/ - JobStar (California)
http://jobstar.org/index.php - Kelly Scientific Resources
http://www.kellyscientific.com/
- CareerBuilder.com
http://www.careerbuilder.com/ - Career Path Home Page
http://www.careerpath.com/ - jobs.net
http://www.jobs.net/ - NationJob Online Jobs Database
http://www.nationjob.com/