If you are interested in learning about living organisms, both plants and animals, their behaviors, origin, and physiology, then obtaining your biology degree may be the right educational path for you. Getting a bachelor’s degree in biology online is a great starting point for students who want to become doctors, veterinarians, laboratory technicians, teachers, and more. You can get your entire associates, bachelors, masters and even certifications online, and you can do it all at your own pace while you work full-time.
As you begin your coursework in biology you will gain laboratory and field experience, learn about biological statistics, history and research, adaptation, interaction between species, and how to use biological technology. You will also gain a basic understanding of genetics, physiology, micro and macrobiology, ecology, oceanography, and parasitology. Graduates will be skilled in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and research. There are many valuable skills that are translatable to other career paths besides biology as well, including running and analyzing the results of experiments, critical thinking and problem solving, deductive reasoning, computer software like PowerPoint presentations and MS Office, as well as communications in both oral and written form.
Students who graduate with a degree in biology have so many different career paths it is important to choose a specialty that you are passionate about. Depending on the biology program and college where you begin your coursework, it will prepare you for employment as a health professional, including science journalist, arborist, microbial biologist, forensic scientist, and botanist. Bachelor degree graduates can typically find work in a field that is directly related to their degree, however, other career paths include sales, education, marketing, and management.
Since a biology degree acts as a starting point, going on to graduate school to obtain a masters or doctorate degree in one of the many biological science specialties will open up your employment opportunities tenfold. There are many different degrees you can obtain in graduate school that will depend on your area of interest. You can go to medical school to become a physician or physician’s assistant, occupational and physical therapist, optometrist, veterinarian, or epidemiologist. You can also go to graduate school to get a masters or doctorate in a specialty that will allow you to work with the government in the CDC or FDA, go to nursing school or law school, or become a biology professor in a primary or secondary school.
Obtaining your degree online in biology is a great way to start down a career path in the medical industry, which is always growing and in need of highly-skilled and motivated individuals. Be sure to do plenty of research on the types of opportunities that are available to you after graduation as there are multiple specialties you can pursue.