Biology ? A Level / Degree help'

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AIBU to ask if you did / know anyone who did a Biology degree and to ask what you did afterwards.
DS stuck between Law or Biology and put off by being told only option with Biology is to work in a lab. However he likes Biology more. AIBU to think Biology is broader and you can also work in the city with it ( management consultancy ?) Just chosen A Level options too! Thanks

Biology for defo

Biology teacher. I worked in a lab for a year and hated it; it was so boring! My Year 13 students are currently looking at doing degrees in biology, biochemistry, veterinary science, genetics, geography and medicine.

Honestly everyone else I know in my class at uni is either working in a lab or in a totally unrelated field. I'm working in an entirely unrelated field, too, and my degree was only good for having the "BSc HONS" that led to where I am now. If he just wants a degree for the sake of having a degree, go with biology. Otherwise, law will definitely take him further.

My boss did Biology and then PhD in Economics (Oxbridge), now top level Director at a Management Consultancy. This was some years ago now.

I did Chemistry, plenty of my peers went into banking, consultancy and all sorts of weird and wonderful fields. Some are now Product Owners, Developers, entrepreneurs. One converted to Medicine!

I work in business strategy but really enjoyed my degree. If I had my time again I'd study the same thing.

My degree was in a subject similar to biology and friends from the course are working in all sorts of areas and did a wide range of grad schemes, the analytical and critical thinking skills you gain from the degree are desirable to a range of employers! Some are researchers but some are in the civil service, accounting, publishing, pharmaceutical sales and finance just to name a few :)

I took A level Biology and was all set to study Palaeobiology and Evolution at uni until life intervened. So many avenues available for biology depending on your DS's particular interests.

I did biology, I now own a music business, but would definitely choose biology over law as much broader and a law degree doesn’t even require law as an a level for entry

Also in my experience the University matters as much as the subject if you want to keep options open. I went to a top 5 uni. I have friends who did sciences in less prestigious Uni's who I think struggled more after to secure a good position. Obviously very anecdotal but I'm only 8 years post Uni and don't think things have changed that much.

I've got a biology degree and a related masters and I've never worked in a lab in my life. I work in environmental policy (which I love). Stick with what you love - your DS can always do a law conversion later if he decides he really wants to do law.

This website may be useful for him.

www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree

I did a biology-y degree and now work in semi-related research. I would say that a broad science degree will give a good broad skill set, and in fact, many of my peers went on to do law conversions and work in the city.

Biology. I wish I’d done sciences as I would love to get into medicine now but it’s too late to start all over again.

Biomedical Science has a lot of 'range' in terms of careers. Some of the lab work around developing safe vaping products is pretty cutting edge and very well paid, if university loans have to be paid back.

Accountancy
Civil servant
Management Consultant
Graduate trainee at a big company
Forces
pretty much anything

I do get tired of people assuming that a degree is always a career choice
it isn't and should not be regarded as such

Wow! Thank you so much for all the replies. Like the idea of doing a law conversion post biology degree - gives extra time to decide. Currently thinking about 1 essay based and 2 science a levels which would still leave open law as no technically required subjects. It is so difficult, obviously money isn't everything but he is dead set against teaching or medicine and lab work but wants to do science on a decent wage! Thank you for all your input - additionally AIBU to ask for any other degree paths that combine science and humanities? I think a big issue for DS is the perceived prestige of law although his heart isn't in it - would love for him to be able to follow his passion for biology but ultimately end up in a comfortable career- issue is he likes humanities and science but not overtly committed to either yet though I feel a lean to science! Thanks everyone - any more comments are valued!

I also did a Biology degree and haven't used it as such. If your son is keen on the degree perhaps he could combine it with business or a language?

@Crashtestdummie What do you think about the integrated masters or year in industry?

@WeGoHigher Biomed also an option
However He previously looked into it but didn't seem to be well paid or room for career progression however I'm not sure how in depth this research was

I'd personally go for a year in industry over an integrated Masters - I chose to do a particular type of Masters degree once I was almost finished with undergraduate so wouldn't have wanted to commit so early on IYKWIM. Fellow biologists from me degree went on to do: teaching, grad medicine, grad law conversion (environmental law), civil service, research, environmental consultancy. Lots of avenues!

Some Universities allow you to take courses in other subjects. Whilst my subject was Chemistry I took modules in the Management school. Others did languages. The list you could take was very long (although obviously you need the credentials to do so - a humanities student can't just pick up Physics with no Maths/Science background).

Worth seeing if any of your sons preferred choices offer this.

Many good graduate employers want people with analytical skills
the actual subject is irrelevant

do what will get you a good degree and an enjoyable three years

and then go and find a job after graduating

Yes, I did a biology-related degree. I haven't worked in a lab since. To an extent a degree is a degree, and graduate employers generally don't care what your degree is in. Unless things have changed in the last twenty years, the largest destination profession for biology gradates is accountancy. The city consulting firms do value biology degrees for the analytical and statistical skills taught - but he'll need to be aiming for a First if that's his goal.

But to throw a spanner in the works, unless there's free university tuition where you are I would seriously consider getting some work experience in after A-levels and approaching university a little later in life. Your son will get more out of university if he goes into it with a few years of life experience behind him - this didn't matter so much twenty years ago, but given the debt involved nowadays you need to be sure you're getting the most from it.

I did a Biomedical science degree and now work in a tech company which is using AI to better deliver health services.

Other non-lab careers from people I know who did Biomed/biochemistry/similar degrees:

• editing scientific journals (where scientific research is published)
• marketing for pharmaceutical companies
• lots of people working in clinical trials - designing them, running them, regulatory work, doing statistics - tonnes of different roles here
• science journalist
• lots of people doing scientific research - more and more is computer-based these days, analysing data e.g. from medial records, or modelling the structure of proteins, modelling the spread of diseases
• marine research scientist
• public health scientists in civil service, analysing data and contributing to health policy (e.g. healthy eating, STIs, all sorts)

If he is interested in law, patent law and other areas of law are often keen on people with scientific knowledge

I did a law degree from French Maths and Physics A-levels. Had interview at Oxford and ended up in a Russell Group Uni then Magic Circle training contract... Essays at uni were a bit of a shock but not as much as studying history in my 4th year (Part of French bit of degree) as I'd dropped that pre GCSE

Actually wish I'd done a physics degree before law conversion - science/engineering knowledge and skills very desirable in Intellectual Property and also projects type work.

Patent Attorney could be an option from higher science degrees too - would imagine there is a tonne of work in biomedical science fields.

Law A-level generally not desirable.