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Graduate programs in biological and life sciences
Everyone who has studied biology, or any biological science subject, will be aware of the enormous diversity of the subject and similarly the impressive range of approaches to it. These factors are reflected in the courses offered at the advanced (MSc / MS) level.
Everyone who has studied biology, or any biological science subject, will be aware of the enormous diversity of the subject and similarly the impressive range of approaches to it. These factors are reflected in the courses offered at the advanced (MSc / MS) level. One of the great benefits of a biology degree is that students receive a very broad scientific training that involves subjects ranging from chemistry and biochemistry to whole organism biology and population dynamics. As a result most biology graduates have before them an enormous range of choices at the postgraduate level. You will find courses that encompass molecular biology or palaeobiology on the one hand, and environmental management or sports medicine on the other. Therefore when you consider postgraduate study in the life sciences, you need to think carefully about the possibilities that are open to you, unless you are sure of branch of the subject into which you wish to move.
"Therefore when you consider postgraduate study in the life sciences, you need to think carefully about the possibilities that are open to you, unless you are sure of branch of the subject into which you wish to move."
When you begin to look at the courses on offer, one thing will be immediately apparent: there is a large number of masters courses that are designed for those who intend to enter a research career, be it in universities, government organisations, or industrial laboratories. Increasingly, students are required to take a masters course before they can start full-time research. In a few cases these courses are obvious because universities give them the title of MRes; although mostly there is no differentiation and they are listed as MSc or MS (at least one is simply called MSc in Biological Sciences). Another important factor is that “pre-research” courses are becoming increasingly specialised towards training in the methods needed for a specific research field. Thus you need to look at the details of each course to ensure that it is appropriate for your intended future. You will find masters course titles such Conservation Biology and Genetics, Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Organisation and Assembly in Cells, Plant Science, and Physical Analysis of Biological Interactions at Surfaces. All of these are intended to lead to a career in research.
"There is no doubt that concern about the environment will continue to be a major concern in the future. This area of study can be used to highlight the range of choices available in the biological sciences."
The majority of students do not aim for a research career. There is still a very big choice, and this means that you need to think carefully about the most suitable course and what the training it will give to you. There is no doubt that concern about the environment will continue to be a major concern in the future. This area of study can be used to highlight the range of choices available in the biological sciences. You will be able to find courses such as: Agriculture, Aquaculture, Biodiversity, Conservation of Biological Resources, Environmental Management, Environmental Diagnosis, Global Diversity Management, Sustainable Agriculture, Wildlife Management and Conservation. These titles give some idea of the variety of study opportunities in just this one area of biology. Also within a single course students can have access to a range of subjects, for example the course in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology offers the possibility of studying ornithology, fish biology, aquatic ecosystems, and several ecology subjects including evolutionary, physiological, theoretical, and molecular.
"Increasingly, medical problems are solved by teams of scientists equipped with a range of training, including zoologists, biochemists and microbiologists."
