Related to Major
Biological Sciences
Faculty: Science
Department: Biological Science
If you want to explore how life works from a biochemical, cellular and molecular perspective, then you will be interested in this program. Study cells, genes, metabolism and nucleic acids.
Explore your Options
According to Workopolis, almost one third of Canadians have 5 to 10 different jobs in one career, and one in every four has more than 10 different jobs in one career (Workopolis, 2015).
Explore the list of job titles below for ideas about what you could do with your major. Remember your choice of major is not all there is to you, and organizations hire people, not majors.
Some of the occupational titles reflect jobs of SFU Alumni, and others are occupations commonly associated with each major. Jobs that typically require further education are also listed.
Make a list of options you are most curious about, then start exploring the possibilities.
Options commonly associated with the major
- Quality Control Laboratory Technician
- Biomedical Process Specialist
- Ecological Monitoring Assistant
- Environmental Educator\
- Biological Technician
- Science Facilitator
- Science Writer/Editor
- Wildlife & Fishery Officer
- Organic Farms Operations/Support Technician
- Wildfire Professional
- Biology Lab Facilitator
- Invasive Species Education & Outreach Assistant
- Research Technologist
- Junior Aquatic Biologist
Other Possibilities
Job titles beyond the typical options
- Program Coordinator (Research & Development)
- Science Communications Specialist
- Health Product Field Service Technician
- Youth Outreach Worker
- Forestry/Landscape Photographer
- Pesticide Management Officer
- Sea Asparagus Harvester
- Cumulative Effects Biologist
- Health Safety & Wellness Officer
- Project Analyst
- Ecological Restoration Coordinator
Further Education
Possibilities with additional education or training
- Biology and Science Teacher
- Environmental Scientist
- Biologist
- Toxicologist
- Marine Toxicology Consultant
- Instructor/Curriculum Developer
- Medical Science Liaison
- Scientific Evaluator
- Professor
Fields of Work
Advance your career in any field by building skills, gaining experience, and developing networks in a variety of settings.
Your experience working in any environment – from small and medium businesses to non-profit organizations, to big corporations and government departments – can help you get a clearer view of your future.
The North American Industry Classification System gives you an overview of all industries and their subsectors.
WorkBC lets you browse careers, the education expectation, salary ranges, descriptions, and specific information about each job.
Core Skills (Major-Specific)
In the course of your undergraduate degree you’ll develop a wide array of skills. While many of these skills encompass essential skills and 21st-Century skills, you’ll also develop job specific skills. These are the specialized knowledge and skills you’ll gain through your courses and are unique to your discipline.
Content knowledge and technical skills vary widely between occupations and are generally only used in one line of work. The type of skills that you’ll need depend on the scope of the work.
You want to understand what skills you developed and the one’s you want to use, so when someone asks you about your discipline content knowledge and skills you can speak clearly and confidently about them.
+ MAJOR Specific Skills
- Understand the flow of biological systems including the mechanisms of genetic inheritance and information flow, and the structure-function relationships from molecules to ecosystems
- Improve processes for a range of different industries including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, biofuels, agriculture, conservation, and food production by applying biological knowledge with the use of different scientific disciplines
- Isolate and analyze DNA, RNA and protein, and use live organisms to develop and improve treatments, identify inherited diseases, and even cure certain disorders.
- Use scientific knowledge to research, analyze, and develop understanding from various scientific literature sources
- Create, conduct and monitor experiments using bimolecular processes to solve problems
- Analyze data on your experiments and communicate new research findings to lay audiencesFoundational Skills
These are skills acquired not just by your post-secondary education but by your work and volunteer experiences, and extra-curricular activities. Applicable to a variety of different roles and careers, master and advance them and you are set up for career success no matter your major.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Project Management
- Research
Foundational Skills
You’ll need these skills to perform different tasks and at varying levels of complexity in education and work environments depending on the what further education you pursue and on the nature of the work. The Government of Canada and other organizations such as the World Economic Forum report that these skills are increasing in importance and are highly valued and sought after by employers.
Through each of the different events and experiences in your life (education, work, travel, hobbies and extra-curricular activities) you have developed a diverse range of these skills, probably more than you realize.
Useful Sites
Through extensive research, the Government of Canada along with other agencies have identified and validated key literacy, essential and employability skills. These skills are used in nearly every career and throughout daily life and are instrumental in helping you enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work.
Get involved
There are plenty of doors for you to walk through and the resources below will help you open them.
Engage with SFU and see what events, services, and community outreach opportunities are being offered.
Personal development, volunteer and paid positions, and peer educator programs and opportunities on campus. Become a Career Peer Educator, or participate in the Passport to Leadership workshop series and advance skills like communication, leadership, and public speaking.
Want to gain experience and earn money while studying? Consider applying to the co-op program
Apply and register here for all on-campus opportunities like workshops, volunteer and paid positions, and events.
Not-for-profit network by students for students. Find student unions, clubs and other resources and services.
Related Professional Associations
Professional associations are a valuable resource for occupational research, work search and building connections. They may offer career information, job boards, networking, mentorship, volunteer opportunities and additional resources.
Resources
Take your career exploration one step further by doing your own research. Here are some organizations and resources to get started.