I am often asked “what can I do with a biology degree?". Students commonly seem to think that a degree defines your future career path very narrowly and hence struggle to choose a university course unless they can see clear progression into a particular job. This might be true in some cases, for example medical students are likely to go on to become doctors. However, career journeys rarely follow defined linear paths and many degrees provide a much wider breadth of opportunities than students initially realise.
It is incredibly difficult to know what you want to do with your career at the age of 18. Therefore, in my opinion, it is more important to study a course that provides you with a wide range of possible career choices rather than risk getting stuck in a specialist course and realise down the line that it is actually something that you don’t want to pursue.
An example of such a degree is Biology, which teaches you so many invaluable skills, including problem solving, essay writing, analytical thinking and time management. In this article, I discuss six top careers that your biology degree can lead to.
1. Scientific Research
The most obvious choice is to become a scientist and focus on conducting your own scientific research. After your undergraduate biology degree, you can do Master’s (1 year), PhD (3-4 years), followed by a post-doctoral role (3-5 years). This can lead you to having your own laboratory within a university or an institute and manage a team of scientist working on scientific research of your interest. Alternatively, you could decide to work for a biotech company and conduct their scientific research instead of your own.
2. Law
If you didn’t like the practical side of biology and scientific research is not for you, you have so many other options starting with a career in Law. After your undergraduate degree you can do a two-year law conversation course and qualify as a lawyer in any sphere you want. Law firms like the idea of hiring scientists due to their analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. In particular, you could pursue a career in patent law, where intellectual properly firms only hire scientists and you do qualification on the job.
3. Finance
If you are interested in the mathematical side of the biology degree and have a passion for economics, you could consider a career in finance. The possible finance job routes include investment banking, management consultancy or accountancy. These are quite popular job choices for many biology graduate students due to high income and quick career progression.
4. Graduate medicine
You might decide you want to become a doctor. I actually think that for many people graduate medicine is a better option than pursuing medicine straight after school, as there is a lower drop-out rate. A biology degree also provides you with a competitive advantage and great foundation knowledge. Just keep in mind that graduate medicine is more competitive compared to undergraduate medicine as there are fewer spaces available.
5. Education
If you are passionate about education and passing your knowledge to younger generations, then education is another possible route for your career. There are not enough teachers in STEM subjects and therefore there is always high demand for excellent teachers. After your biology degree, you can do a PGCE qualification at university which is supported by a governmental tax-free bursary (£20,000 for 2023/24). Alternatively, you can go straight into classroom teaching by applying to work at an independent school, as they don’t normally require a PGCE qualification unlike state schools.
6. Business
If you are independent and possess strong leadership skills, you might consider founding your own business. This can provide you with an independent lifestyle and autonomy over the work you do. However, I would highly recommend getting experience at one of the above industries first, understanding your niche and then applying your expertise in setting up your own business. Developing your business and brand will take time, but when it takes off, it will provide you with independence and the work you love doing.
These are just a few examples of possible career options to consider doing after your biology degree. There are so many more, so I would encourage you to do a subject you love first at one of the top universities and then apply it to any career you want to specialise in and carve your own path! :)
Comments