Why Choose a Career in Biology?

How do you know if a career in biology is a good option for you? Answer these questions –

• Have you always been fascinated by the natural world?
• Do you have an instinctive curiosity about living beings be they plants or animals?
• Do you love reading information on what makes living beings tick?

If you just nodded your head in agreement to most of these statements, then studying biology and taking up a career in biology, may just be right for you.

Biology is the understanding of how living and breathing organisms function. It involves the study of the origin, evolution, classification, structure, growth and distribution of living organisms in this world.

What will you learn when you study biology?

Modern biology is a vast field, comprising of many disciplines and sub-disciplines. The study of all living beings falls under the broad heading of biological sciences.

Undergraduate biology courses will initially teach you the core subjects such as evolution, molecular biology, gene theory and physiology amongst others. After you have an understanding of the basics of biology, you can opt for your area of specialisation in your post-graduation.

Some of the specialisation options to consider are biophysics, cellular and molecular biology, anatomy, ecology, evolution, forensic biology, environmental biology, genetics, microbiology, natural science, molecular biosciences, physiology and zoology.

Studying biology in the UAE

UAE has some of the best universities in the Gulf and we have shortlisted the top three for you to consider:

American University of Sharjah (AUS): This university ranks in the band of 411-420 globally and seventh in the Arab region. AUS brings in the US model of higher education and has a lot of international students. Its Bachelor of Science in Biology program that includes study of ecosystems management, conservation of species, physiology, environmental biology and protection, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, immunology as well as teaching.

United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): It ranks in the 421-430 band globally, and ranks sixth in the Arab region. The university is based in Abu Dhabi and is the oldest university in the UAE. While they offer a Bachelor of Science in Biology, the UAEU specializes in Masters and Doctoral programs. The programs follow an American model, involving a year of course work, followed by research and writing of a dissertation over a two to three-year period. Their Graduate programs are Masters in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Masters in Environmental Sciences, PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Phd in Ecology and Environmental Sciences.

University of Sharjah (UOS): This university ranks in the 601-650 band globally and ranks 19th in the Arab region. The Bachelor of Sciences in Biotechnology offered by UOS is in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, UK. The graduate students of this program have the opportunity to join the Masters/PhD programs in Molecular Medicine and Translational Research at UOS/College of Medicine in cooperation with Paris Diderot University in France.

When you study Biology, not only do you get the opportunity to focus on individual projects, you will also in all probability work on group projects. This will help build your teamwork and interpersonal communication skills during your college years, which will hold you in good stead when you start your career.

Career options after studying biology

A degree in biology will give you a plethora of options when it comes to picking a career. Here are some of the career options:

• Research: If you have a scientific bent of mind, then you will enjoy a career in scientific research. The goal of a research biologist is to gain knowledge of living organisms in the world around us. Research can be carried out across all specializations in biology. For instance, your research focus could be in areas of disease, health, genomics, neurology, pharmacology and microbiology.
• Healthcare: You can pursue medical sciences to become a doctor, surgeon, veterinarian, nurse or any other medical professional. Alternatively, you may be involved in efforts to cure serious illnesses like cancer, malaria, AIDS, heart disease to name just a few. Biologists in this field are much sought after in hospitals and other medical facilities. You could work with international aid organizations like the Peace Corps and the United Nations to offer healthcare services and perform surgeries in less advanced countries.
• Environmental Conservation: A degree in biology can be your entry into the world of environmental conservation. You could be working towards solving environmental issues, or protecting diverse species of animals and plants as well as natural resources. You could become a marine biologist, a conservation biologist, a zoo biologist or an ecologist.
• Education: You can choose to work in the education sector if you get a teaching qualification to go along with your Biology degree. There is always a need for good and qualified biology teachers to inspire the next generation of biologists. If you chose to go down this route, you can be rest assured that there will always be demand for your skills.
• Biotechnology: Biotechnology involves the use of biology and technology to develop products that improve the quality of life. As a professional, you could also be involved in drug development, genetic engineering, and other advanced technologies like nanotechnology.

Biology as a career is evergreen and there is a huge demand for skilled biologists all over the world and in the UAE as well. Pursuing a career in Biology will also help you to build your problem solving, research, analytical and organizational skills.

The average salary of fresher with a Bachelor of Science or Biochemistry degree is AED 29,273 per annum, whereas an experienced biologist can command AED 610,000 per annum.