Biology/Zoology degree? Or something else?

[sluj]

I'm perhaps a bit premature with this but DS2 is in year 11 and struggling with A level choices. He has decided on Biology and Geography but stuck for a third option. He is interested in biology but not plant biology so was thinking long term about maybe a zoology degree. His current choice of A levels looks fine for that.
The degree looks great but I'm not so sure about the career options afterwards.
Can anyone point us to any other options for degree?
Just needing to consider the A level choices and not bar himself from something by making the wrong choices.
Any thoughts on zoology prospects or alternative degrees would be much appreciated.

Most biology type degrees insist on 2 science A levels. It varies whether they include geography and psychology as sciences. Geography would definitely be included for an environmental type degree but probably not for biomedical degrees. Courses somewhere between the two will vary.

Computing?

Sluj, does your son have any idea what sort of career he would be interested in?

The "very biologyish" ones that spring to mind (omitting plants and biochem type jobs) are:

• Academic / researcher
• Zookeeper
• Conservationist
• Wildlife film maker
• Government eg Defra

I'm sure there are many more.

Things worth considering are:

• where in the world he would like to work (UK, abroad, city or country)
• what sort of thing he wants to do day to day (fieldwork, hands on with animals, desk based research etc)
• what sort of salary he'd like to earn (many of these fields are competitive and salaries not especially high as a result).

I know it's early days and he doesn't have to know right now. One advantage of uni is you can explore your interests and decide to do further study if that's the best choice for you!

DD1 did biological sciences. Her A levels were Biology, Geography and French. There were a few courses that she couldn't apply to because she didn't have chemistry but still plenty of choice. She started off working as an editor on a parenting website (all those pregnancy articles) but has now moved more into data analysis.

Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences with me. I think you've helped me to realise that he has actually not yet formulated a plan or a goal and hasn't got any clear interests that can be diverted into a career path.
On that basis, I'll leave him to see if he can make a late decision on that 3rd A level once he gets his GCSE results, then see where that takes him for yr 12 university decisions.

Thanks

My husband did zoology but now works in IT. He did it because he was interested in it didn't really expect to make a career of it.
He thinks maths a level would help though and/or chemistry. He did biology chemistry and maths.

My husband did zoology but now works in IT.
I did a biology degree, and still work in the field.
DH is in IT.
There's a significant pay disparity (in DH's favour, obviously) even though I have much higher qualifications. So that's something else to bear in mind re a career with a biology degree.

I think general subject degrees like this are difficult prospect wise

I did a biology degree (sandwich course with a year in medical research), got a first and struggled to find work. My uni alone had 130 graduating on same course

Given my time again id advise choosing a course with a specific career - it's certainly what I'll be advising my kids. I loved my degree but almost everyone has degrees these days so you're still not special

Zoology is a fascinating subject, and it can open doors to further study or research in life sciences/medicine, as well as careers in conservation, marine biology, environmental health and that sort of thing. Any Ology looks good on your degree certificate - even if DS decides to do a mainstream job, he'll have the benefit of a scientific training. BUT zoology is not a refuge for students who don't like chemistry or maths, and most good departments will insist on one of these. He could look more widely at degrees with names like biology/biomedical/biological/pharmacology/biochemistry.. most of them will NOT include compulsory plants, but he will not get far in any of them without chemistry. He will need to be able to 'do' maths for any serious Psychology degree as well, even if he doesn't take A level maths. Best advice I can think of; if he wants to take any branch of biology at university, especially if he might want to do research afterwards, come to terms with chemistry. Some biology departments will want three sciences or two sci + maths, and geography or psychology might not count, except as a 4th subject.