After completion of a subset of this key preparatory coursework, students may petition to declare the full major. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences requires 36 upper division units in biology and allows students greater flexibility in taking courses both within and outside their major. Students are encouraged to work closely with faculty members who share their interests, and to seek assistance in program planning from the well-informed and helpful undergraduate advisors. Careers in Biological Sciences Modern biology is too comprehensive and complex a field for one person to master all sub-disciplines at the advanced level. Thus, most professional biologists specialize in a particular area.
Some students elect employment immediately upon graduation.
These students secure positions with state or federal agencies, or begin careers in research or supervision within private industries such as pharmaceutical companies and environmental consulting firms. The department's outstanding health science advisory system, headed by a faculty member, advises and supports students from the beginning of their studies in biology to their entrance into health science graduate programs and professional schools. Students interested in teaching biological sciences or conducting research at a college or university should plan to complete the PhD degree. Students considering this last option should discuss their plans with the credential advisor in UCSB's Graduate School of Education early in their academic careers. To make normal progress in the major, complete the following courses in your first two years.