Best Colleges for Becoming a Biologist
When you have decided that you want to become a biologist you will have to choose a college to attend. The best colleges for becoming a biologist are those that possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the US Department of Education.
You can often find top biology colleges based on the schools’ name and status, history, instructor credentials and alumni network. The amount of time it will take you to earn an accredited biology degree depends upon the level of biology degree you wish to earn. You can typically earn an associates degree in biology in two years, a bachelor’s degree in four years, a master’s degree in six years and a PhD in biology after spending a total of between eight and eleven years studying.
The best colleges for becoming a biologist will offer degree programs in many of the biology degree specialties which include biochemistry, ecology, botany, cellular biology, genetic engineering, medical science, microbiology, neurobiology and zoology. The best colleges for becoming a biologist will also offer programs which can lead to work in a wide range of positions, with the majority being laboratory or field jobs. Biologists make observations, draw theories from data and understand the applications and ramifications of their subject.
The best colleges for becoming a biologist will offer bachelor and master degree programs in biology. A few top U.S. colleges that offer biology master and doctorate degrees include Stanford University, Harvard University, the University of California in Berkeley, Yale University, MIT, Princeton and the California Institute of Technology. If you were to earn a master’s degree from one of the best colleges for becoming a biologist you could find work as a research associate, a molecular biologist, an assistant professor of biology or as an environmental project manager. If you were to go all the way and earn a PhD in biology you could work in independent research. You also could become a post-secondary professor or an assistant professor.
You should major in biology as an undergrad as a bachelor of science degree in biology is required as a foundation for your graduate studies. You will have to complete a number of laboratory hours while working on your BS in biology. You also will have to take general biology, human anatomy, microbiology, environmental biology and biochemistry courses. It is very important that you obtain top grades because it is not easy being accepted into grad school.