How an Online or On-Campus Science Degree Program Paves a Smooth Path to Your Future Career

What will you study in a Science degree program?

"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science."
-Edwin Powell Hubble, The Nature of Science, 1954

Before enrolling in any science degree program, you need to understand the difference between a general science degree and a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree. A bachelor of science degree, as opposed to a bachelor of arts (B.A.), focuses more narrowly on one specific subject instead of on a broad, liberal arts education. This can get confusing when it comes to studying the sciences, since you could quite easily earn either a B.A. or a B.S. degree in biology, for example, which is obviously a science subject. The primary difference is that students who earn a bachelor of science degree concentrate more within the major, while the students who earn a B.A. take a broader range of classes across both their major and other related fields.

Coursework for a science degree depends on the discipline you choose, but most degree programs require solid grounding in chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. Science majors have a tough course load. Time management skills are essential for managing the work.

You can earn any of these degrees online as well as on-campus, which is particularly useful for non-traditional students who may wish to work full-time while studying or who have family obligations.

Which characteristics to science majors typically possess?

Scientists tend to be hardworking, intelligent, and diligent individuals eager to explore and understand the world around them. They tend to be left-brain types, meaning they're analytical, logical, and like to take a sequential approach. They gather pieces together and figure out how to combine them into a cohesive whole instead of starting with the big picture and then splitting it up into its unique parts.

Left-brain people also often believe strongly that there is a proper order in which to do everything, and they of course follow that proper order. This talent serves them well when designing and following scientific experiments. They can also figure out what's wrong or why something isn't working fairly easily since they do think in such a linear manner.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some brilliant scientists do make intuitive leaps, which is more of a right-brain function. That's why it's crucial to become a "whole-brain" person instead of letting the left-brain rule completely.

Which specific careers can Science majors pursue?

Most people only think of the standard disciplines when they hear the word science: biology, chemistry, and physics. Yet science majors can pursue a vast range of science careers along with those three, including:

• Agriculture and Food Science: Study crops and livestock, developing ways to improve both their quality and quantity. Also investigate ways to control pests and weeds safely, and to conserve soil and water.
• Astronomy: Use both physics and math to understand the universe, including the sun, planets, stars, and galaxies. Then, use this information to figure out solutions to navigation problems, space flight, and satellite communications.
• Biological Science: This covers a range of specialties ranging from microbiology to zoology, but all of them involve studying living organisms and how they relate to their environments.
• Chemists and Materials Scientists: Research chemicals and find new uses for them, or develop processes involving chemicals such as improving oil refining to help reduce pollution.
• Computer Science: Create new technology or find new applications for existing technology. Work could involve complex theory, hardware design, programming-language design, virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or even robots.
• Engineering: Use science and math to solve technical problems or develop new products.
• Environmental Science: Identify and reduce the hazards that affect people, wildlife, and the environment. May analyze the air, food, water, or soil, explore environmental issues such as conservation or recycling, or help to design waste disposal sites.
• Forensic Science: Collect and analyze crime scene evidence such as DNA or fingerprints, perform tests on evidence like weapons or glass, and testify in court about findings.
• Medical Science: Research diseases in order to find ways to improve human health, conduct research on life processes and living organisms like viruses and bacteria, and possibly work to develop new vaccines, medication, and treatment procedures.
• Physics: Investigate the laws of motion, energy, structure, and the interactions of matter. Do either theoretical work on the origin of universe or the nature of time, or explore more practical areas such as developing optical devices or medical equipment.

A science degree can also help you find work in seemingly unrelated fields, such as art restoration, film production, marketing, law, banking, or photography.

Which well-known people in the industry have completed Science degree programs before becoming successful?

The number of famous people who have earned a science degree may surprise you. Rowan Atkinson, the famous British comedian, has an electrical engineering degree, while Frank Capra, the lauded film director best known for It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, has a degree in chemical engineering.

Jimmy Carter, the 39^th President of the United States, earned a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, and Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, got his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering.

And, of course, there's one of the most famous scientists on Earth, Albert Einstein, who graduated with a degree in physics.

Other famous people who completed a science degree program include:

• Art Garfunkel, musician: Mathematics degree
• Janet Reno, former U.S. Attorney General: Chemistry degree
• Lisa Kudrow, actress on Friends: Biology degree
• Teri Hatcher, actress on Desperate Housewives: Mathematics and engineering degree

How much do Science majors typically earn in the various fields they can pursue?

Graduates of a science degree program have the potential to bring in extremely high salaries, which is why schools with strong science programs attract so many students. Here are some of the average annual salaries science professionals earn:

• Astronomers: $99,730
• Chemists: $71,070
• Computer and Information Scientists: $100,900
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists (Including Health): $65,280
• Food Scientists and Technologists: $64,610
• Forensic Science Technicians: $52,960
• Materials Scientists: $81,600
• Medical Scientists: $81,870
• Microbiologists: $70,150
• Physicists: $106,440
• Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: $58,820

In which part of the country or world do prominent Science communities flourish?

Germany has an impressive history of famous scientists, most notably (again) Albert Einstein. Germany also produced Max Planck (who changed physics with his research into energy and radiation), Werner Heisenberg (creator of the uncertainty principle of quantum theory), Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit (inventor of the thermometer), and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (airplane builder).

In truth, science communities exist throughout the world. How many have praised Japanese technology, particularly when it comes to buying cars or electronics? That knowledge and innovation comes from a science degree.

Here in the U.S., several schools have earned distinction for their science departments, particularly in both Massachusetts and California. These schools include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology, Harvard, and the University of California at Berkeley.

What type of "real world" experience could you combine with your Science degree program to supplement what the program teaches you?

Most schools offer internships to help you gain "real world" experience as you pursue your degree. An internship can also help you decide if a certain career is the right one for you. After all, if you begin an internship and find you hate the work involved, then you know you need to consider a different profession. Sometimes you can even use an internship as a test-run before choosing a major.

Today's job market is also extremely competitive, meaning students with practical experience on their resume often have an edge over other applicants. Furthermore, some companies hire their interns once they've finished their degree program.

You can also participate in an externship, which is somewhat similar to an internship although less widely known. It's typically a shorter program than an internship, less focused on job training, and it may not give you academic credit (although that depends largely on your school). During an externship, you often shadow an experienced professional in your field to learn about his or her other typical daily tasks and duties.

If you want to enroll in an online degree program, then you should ask about internships and externships up front. Make sure any online school you're considering not only offers these programs but can help you find them. For example, some schools have established relationships with employers in the community to help ensure their students have excellent access to internship and externship opportunities.

What can a Science degree give you that on-the-job experience may not be able to?

Science doesn't just prepare you for a job wearing a white lab coat conducting experiments all day. This degree gives you a solid foundation for almost any career path by helping you develop a talent for working with numbers and calculations, analytical abilities, problem solving skills, and a knack for logical thinking. To present your scientific findings and research you must develop strong verbal and written communication skills, which are primary talents nearly all employers seek out.

Many of the most in-demand professions today involve science. With this degree, you might research new vaccines, gene therapy, oil depletion, genetically modified foods, or global warming, giving you the chance to help save both humanity and the planet. On a more individual level, your science degree proves to employers that you have a certain level of proficiency and knowledge that can help you find a lucrative and secure career.