Careers in the Biological Sciences

A Master's degree in biology opens doors to a wide range of careers. Your thesis adviser and thesis committee members will usually be able to give you the best advice about career possibilities and tracks and how to prepare yourself for work after you leave Cal State Fullerton. Much information on possible careers in biology is also available online. In addition to a general internet search, one good place to start is the Careers page of the American Institute for Biological Sciences (http://www.aibs.org/careers/). This site contains excellent information about what biologists do, advice on how to prepare for a career in biology, and information on the job outlook for different fields.  There also are links to websites of professional societies and organizations for different fields, as well as jobs boards.

A second helpful website is the U.S. Government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/). This site provides current, detailed descriptions of career paths, necessary qualifications, job prospects and salary ranges for Biological Scientists.  It also has links to similar information for related fields, including agricultural and food scientists, conservation scientists and foresters, engineering and natural sciences managers, epidemiologists, medical scientists, postsecondary teachers, and health-related professions such as dentists, physicians and surgeons, and veterinarians.