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Careers

The Department of Biological Sciences offers students the opportunity to begin the development of an exciting, rewarding career in any one of its numerous fields.  The faculty provides solid lower division undergraduate training in classroom and laboratory settings, on field trips, interaction with seminar guest lecturers and in club participation.  Students are also encouraged to participate in campus organizations and extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and to obtain summer jobs and internships.

Areas of study within the life sciences that may be initially explored an studied at Snow College include biology, botany, plant taxonomy, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, genetics, ecology, soil science and zoology.  These areas and courses prepare students to transfer to a university in their chosen field. 

Although biology is a very broad discipline, well prepared students pursuing a course of study in biology can often move from one field or career track to another during their undergraduate college work.  Students find the same flexibility in their graduate studies as well.  Students trained in biology are knowledgeable in plant biology, animal biology, microbiology, ecology, chemistry, math and physics as well as in more specific fields directly related to their career path.

When trying to choose a career or identify the best degree plan to meet your objectives, your first step should be to meet with one of the faculty members of the Biology Department

Finally we recommend that you make use of the Internet.  Using a search engine or starting with the links provided below you will be able to find useful general career information as well as sites devoted to specific fields.

Botany

Botany is the scientific study of plant life. As a branch of biology, it is also sometimes referred to as plant science(s) or plant biology. Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines that study the growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, diseases, and evolution of plants.

Entomology

Entomology is the scientific study of insects. Insects have many kinds of interactions with humans and other forms of life on earth, so it is an important specialty within biology; unlike many other fields however, entomologists include both persons studying insects for their own sake, and those employed by commercial concerns interested in the control of insects.

Ecology

The scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environment. It is concerned with the life histories, distribution, and behavior of individual species as well as the structure and function of natural systems at the level of populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Genetics

A branch of biology that deals with the hereditary and variation of organisms. Anything that is genetic is inherited and having to do with information that is passed from parents to offspring.

Microbiology

Microbiology (in Greek micron = small and biologia = studying life) is the study of microorganisms, including viruses, prokaryotes and simple eukaryotes. Today, most of the work in microbiology is done using methods from biochemistry and genetics. It is also related to pathology, immunology, and epidemiology as many microorganisms are pathogens.

Zoology

The branch of Biology that studies animals, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution.

Preprofessional

Human Anatomy

Human anatomy or anthropotomy is a special field within anatomy. It studies organs and organ systems of the human body, leaving the study of tissues to histology and cells to cytology. The human body, like the bodies of all animals, is made up of systems, that are made up of organs, that are made up of tissues, that are made up of cells.

Human Physiology

Human physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of humans or human tissues or organs.

Medical/Clinical Laboratory Science

Nursing

Nursing is an applied science which has a unique body of knowledge that utilizes principles from the physical, biological, and behavioral sciences. The central concern of nursing is the holistic person. The focus of nursing is health promotion, maintenance, curative, restorative, supportive and terminal care to individuals and groups of all ages, taking into consideration the factors that influence them in the total environment.

Physical Therapy

Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy) is a health profession concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and disability through physical means. It is based upon principles of medical science, and is generally held to be within the sphere of conventional (rather than alternative) medicine.

Radiology

The use of radiation (such as x-rays) or other imaging technologies (such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) to diagnose or treat disease.

Preprofessional

Dentistry

A branch of medicine that involves diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of any disease concern about teeth, oral cavity, and associated structures.

Chiropractic

The physical manipulation of the skeletal-muscular system of the body. The adjustment of the spinal column rehabilitates normal nervous system functioning and promotes the body's natural healing capability.

Medicine

Medicine is a branch of health science concerned with maintaining health and restoring it by treating disease. Medicine is both an area of knowledge (a science), and the application of that knowledge (by the medical profession and other health professionals such as nurses). The various specialized branches of the science of medicine correspond to equally specialized medical professions dealing with particular organs or diseases.

Optometry

A specialty focusing on the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of disorders of the eye and vision care.

Osteopathy

Osteopathy is the body of medicine that originally used strictly manipulative techniques for correcting somatic abnormalities thought to cause disease and inhibit recovery. However, over the past century, osteopathy has embraced the full spectrum of medicine (to different degrees across the world), including the use of prescription drugs and surgery, in addition to manipulative techniques.

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the profession of compounding and dispensing medication. More recently, the term has come to include other services related to patient care including clinical practice, medication review, drug information, etc.

Physical Therapy

Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy) is a health profession concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and disability through physical means. It is based upon principles of medical science, and is generally held to be within the sphere of conventional (rather than alternative) medicine.

Podiatry

The health care field that specializes in conditions and function of the human foot. It includes examination, diagnosis and treatment by medical and surgical methods.

Veterinary Medicine

The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals (especially domestic animals).

Environmental Studies

Environmental studies is the systematic study of human interaction with their natural environment. It is a broad field of study that includes, in addition to the natural environment, built environments, social environments, organizational environments, and the sets of relationships between them.

Fisheries and Wildlife Management

The application of scientific and technical principles to wildlife populations and habitats to maintain such populations (particularly mammals, birds and fish) essentially for recreational and/or scientific purposes.

Forestry

The science of the development and care of forests; the management of growing timber. Climatology plays an important part, including the study of the general livability of a forest to unfavorable weather conditions such as heavy snow, frost, glaze, strong winds, and drought (fire weather), and also the analysis of the microclimate of the forest itself and the effect of this on the reproduction, spread, and control of pests.

Rangeland Resources Management

 

Recreation Resource Management

 

Links

AIBS American Institute of Biological Science: Careers in Biology
CELS Coalition for Education in the Life Sciences
CELS link to educational societies
SICB The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Furman University: Biology Careers Page
Emporia State University: Careers in Biology