A BIOL bachelor's degree prepares you for a job as a scientific research technician. The BIOL B.S. degree does so better than the BIOL B.A. degree because it includes an extra Junior-level elective laboratory course and because it provides greater depth of training in biological sciences.

Students who are considering a career as a research technician are strongly encouraged to become do undergraduate research in a faculty laboratory. You can earn course credit for research in faculty laboratories by enrolling in BIOL 499 Undergraduate Laboratory & Field Research. Potential employers will look for evidence of some expertise in scientific research including some familiarity with modern research techniques. BIOL 499 research can be an excellent way to gain that experience. In the BIOl B.S. degree, BIOL 499 can count toward one of the Junior-level laboratory electives; to count toward that requirement students would need to complete two semesters of BIOL 499 and BIOL 499S Undergraduate Research Seminar.