2 answers
Taylor
Student
Columbia, Missouri
3
Questions
Asked
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Is graduate school recommended for a biologist
I am about to attend college for biology #biology
2 answers
Rupam Das
Senior Associate at Tata Consultancy Services
16
Answers
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Updated
Rupam’s Answer
In many biology fields obtaining a graduate degree will increase your range of employment options or improve
your earnings; graduate school can also help prepare you to enter a health-related professional program.
However, graduate school is a big commitment and is not right for everyone. Reading this document will help
you decide whether graduate school is the right thing for you. If you have more questions, the best thing to do is
to talk to your professors or contact the biology graduate program director at the university to which you are
applying.
Erin Riley
Quality control microbiology
8
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Erin’s Answer
I agree with Rupam. However, be aware the professors at universities can typically only speak to their own experience. Their experience is that in Academic fields, it is a necessity to go to graduate school to get a well-paying job. However, as an industrial microbiologist, I can tell you that in most companies these days, graduate school is not necessary to advance your career in science. There are managers and even directors of departments at my company who have only a bachelor's degree, and many years of experience. They are all fantastic at their jobs.
Whether you choose to go to graduate school will be a highly personal choice, and will probably depend on what kind of work you want to do immediately after college. In addition to talking with your professors, I would encourage you to browse local employer's websites and see what kind of jobs they're offering, and at what experience levels. If you are ok with moving to another area of the country or the world to find a job you really want, there are many options at all kinds of education and experience levels. Joining a site like LinkedIn can also help you connect with professionals, if you have found a specific type of job you want.
While in college, it might be a good idea to look for an internship if you've found a specific company or field you're interested in. Even if you don't need the money, working in a job related to the field you're interested in can help greatly. Even if that job is a student hourly in an academic lab and you're interested in working for an industrial company, the experience will give you a head start in the job interview process right out of college. I cannot stress enough how transferrable skills are within the biology field. These skills can be developed at graduate school, or they can be developed in a paid position. To an industrial employer, it ultimately doesn't matter where the skills were developed as long as you have them. If you decide that you don't like your current job at an industrial company and want to reskill, some companies will fund some amount of additional education. It will be more difficult to balance further education if you're working full time, but there are many programs which make it possible to attain a graduate degree while working. From there, you can get a different job, and will be in a better position to make a career transition.
One caution about this advice is that it very much reflects today's tight labor market. Employers are fighting for qualified candidates, and in some cases have lowered qualifications for the posted positions. I have no idea what the job market will look like when you graduate. If the labor market is tight, having a graduate degree will help to qualify you for some jobs, but will also over qualify you for other positions.
Whether you choose to go to graduate school will be a highly personal choice, and will probably depend on what kind of work you want to do immediately after college. In addition to talking with your professors, I would encourage you to browse local employer's websites and see what kind of jobs they're offering, and at what experience levels. If you are ok with moving to another area of the country or the world to find a job you really want, there are many options at all kinds of education and experience levels. Joining a site like LinkedIn can also help you connect with professionals, if you have found a specific type of job you want.
While in college, it might be a good idea to look for an internship if you've found a specific company or field you're interested in. Even if you don't need the money, working in a job related to the field you're interested in can help greatly. Even if that job is a student hourly in an academic lab and you're interested in working for an industrial company, the experience will give you a head start in the job interview process right out of college. I cannot stress enough how transferrable skills are within the biology field. These skills can be developed at graduate school, or they can be developed in a paid position. To an industrial employer, it ultimately doesn't matter where the skills were developed as long as you have them. If you decide that you don't like your current job at an industrial company and want to reskill, some companies will fund some amount of additional education. It will be more difficult to balance further education if you're working full time, but there are many programs which make it possible to attain a graduate degree while working. From there, you can get a different job, and will be in a better position to make a career transition.
One caution about this advice is that it very much reflects today's tight labor market. Employers are fighting for qualified candidates, and in some cases have lowered qualifications for the posted positions. I have no idea what the job market will look like when you graduate. If the labor market is tight, having a graduate degree will help to qualify you for some jobs, but will also over qualify you for other positions.
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