Careers
Depending on their individual degree programs, biology majors are prepared for one of three main pursuits after graduation: positions as biologists performing laboratory, field, or quality-control work; teaching biology and general science in grades 7–12; or graduate study. Students who choose graduate school may study a specialty within biology, pursue other studies, or attend medical school. Recent graduates have been hired as laboratory technicians, research assistants, teachers in junior or senior high school, and environmental scientists.
Graduates of the M.S. program are well prepared to pursue doctoral study. They teach at all levels and hold diverse positions in public and private settings as researchers, laboratory managers, and senior technicians in health care, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and environmental organizations.
Typical hiring firms include biotechnology firms, food and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and federal and state government agencies.
Who’s hiring?
Recent graduates have been hired by companies such as Science Kit, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and by many school districts.
Graduates from the M.A. in biology program have obtained positions with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They have also been hired by local medical and technology firms, as well as Roswell Park Cancer Institute. M.S. in biology education program graduates generally continue their employment in school districts throughout Western New York, having completed their master’s degrees to meet requirements for permanent/professional certification.
