Careers

What can you do with a major in biology? The answer is pretty much anything you want to do. Many of our graduates go to medical school, dental school, or optometry school. But there are many more options.

For example, a biology degree prepares you to become a veterinarian; a physician's assistant; a medical technologist; a physical, occupational, or speech therapist; a genetics counselor; or an audiologist.

It also prepares you to be a biology teacher, a textbook editor, or technical writer. You might like scientific/medical illustration; be a broadcast science journalist; do patent, environmental, or medical law; or get involved in bioinformatics, scientific consultation, or medical product development and testing.

There are also the opportunities to be an environmental regulator, park ranger, water quality control specialist, or waste management technician. Or maybe you could manage a wildlife reserve, a pharmacy, or a biotech firm.

Perhaps you could go into nursing, crop science, fish farming, soil science, biofuel research, dietetics, nutrition, meat production, food safety, or drug testing. Or perhaps you want to be a zookeeper, game keeper, marine mammal trainer, or forensic analyst. And there are even more possibilities.

The point is that biology is the foundation of more fields and professions than we can list here. But rest assured that in the UAB Department of Biology, we will help you match your education to your passion and send you out well-prepared for whatever you decide to do.

Planning a Career in a Health-Related Profession?

For 30 years, UAB's Department of Biology has been highly successful in sending its graduates on to medical, dental and optometry schools. Here's why:

Laboratory Experience

Health professional schools like to see that applicants have plenty of experience in the laboratory. The Biology Department's key health professional preparatory classes such as microbiology, anatomy, and physiology all have associated teaching laboratories.

Research Opportunities

In recent years, 25% of our undergraduate students enrolled in independent research courses with faculty in the Biology Department and across campus.

Curriculum Requirements

Almost all of the courses needed for medical, dental, optometry, and veterinary school are included in the requirements for any track in the Biology major. This means that students will not be required to add courses to a program of study in order to be prepared for medical school.

Award-winning Faculty

The relationship between faculty and students is vital to those who hope to attend medical, dental, optometry, or veterinary schools. As a Biology major, will have the opportunity to hear lectures from and conduct research under scientists who are known throughout the world.

Experienced Academic Advising

Approximately 60% of students who apply to health professional schools each year are Biology majors. For this reason, your Biology advisor and instructors will know how to guide you and how to prevent common mistakes.