Why Pursue an Online Degree in Biology?

Biology - also referred to as life science - is the study of living things. From the way the whales of the ocean evolved to the structure of the tiniest living microbes, biologists concern themselves with the complexities of life and attempt to unravel the mysteries present in the function of all of Earth's creatures. Under the broad umbrella of biology and life science, students could go on to fill careers in neuroscience, dentistry, zoology, pharmaceuticals and much more. Biology extends into virtually all career realms and fields of work. From health care to government to business, biologists may pursue joining the ranks of nearly any field with a more science intensive background. An online degree in biology may launch that career. 

Online Degree in Biology

Pursuing a career in biology requires a particularly skilled background, including a possible online degree in biology. To work in a lab, prospective biologists need to undergo an extensive level of training and gain experience in a lab as well. More intensive independent research or work in the health care industry takes additional training, education and certifications as well. If you'd like to begin your journey into the world of biology and life science, a degree online in biology may be a good place to start to learn about the industry and perhaps even get in touch with labs and professionals that may take your schooling to the next level.

A glimpse into the realm of biology life science | Professionals in biology life science can end up pursuing a flurry of different things depending on what career path they want to pursue and where they would like to work. While zoologists may spend their days outside studying the behavior of animals, gathering data about ecosystems and learning about the physical attributes of particular species, other biologists may do something completely different. Microbiologists may spend their time exclusively in a lab, studying the complexities of relevant fungi, parasites, microbes, viruses and other living organisms. Biology life science is largely what you make of it. It's a versatile education that could fit into a broad amount environments.

Possible salaries for a career in biology life science | As diverse as biology is, your potential salary as a biologist may be equally varied depending on education, experience and career field. Consider the following careers, with statistics compiled by the BLS in 2012.

  • Biological Technicians 2012 Median annual salary of $39,750 (10 percent projected growth through 2022)[i]
  • Zoologists 2012 Median annual salary of $57,710 (5 percent projected growth through 2022)[ii]
  • Microbiologists 2012 Median annual salary of $66,260 (7 percent projected growth through 2022)[iii]

Additional skills required for a career in biology life science | Data is hugely important in biology. Thus, clean and efficient recordkeeping, note taking and accurate recording of details is critical. If you're not particularly well organized or your notes sometimes appear vague and confusing, consider brushing up on these skills while pursuing education in biology. In the working world, a biologist's research can be hugely skewed by the one simple typo. Additionally, because many findings can be quantitative, it's important to feel comfortable with numbers and the use of mathematical concepts.


[i] http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/biological-technicians.htm | [ii] http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/zoologists-and-wildlife-biologists.htm | [iii] http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/microbiologists.htm