Discover Options

Discover Options: Science + Health

For complete information on assessing yourself, choosing majors, and exploring careers, review our starter tips to Discover Options in all careers as well as the specialized tips on this page.

Gathering Information on Your Options

Oftentimes, careers in Science + Health are initially conceptualized as a choice between two occupations: Physician and Professor. However, there are hundreds of career paths within Science + Health; the challenge is discovering and navigating the opportunities available to you at different points in your education and experience.

To begin navigating your options, it is important to consider what you enjoy about Science + Health. 

• Do you like experimenting in a laboratory? 
• Are you interested in working in a field position? 
• Can you see yourself in a hospital setting? If so, is it a big hospital, or a local one? 
• Are you drawn to the idea of small, remote clinics or international work?
• Are you interested in working with complex, potentially breakthrough ideas?
• Do you aspire to help individuals directly?
• Do you want to travel for your work?
• What problems or issues are you looking to solve?
• Are there any particular skills or processes that you are drawn to?

No answers are right or wrong, as there are excellent career opportunities in the Science + Health field for all types of individuals; some are less obvious than others and may benefit from further exploration. For example, a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences can invite you to the worlds of Biotechnology and Drug Development, Scientific Writing, as well as Technical / Scientific Product Support.

In addition, obtaining a degree in the Environmental Science field can prepare you to lead others in making a positive impact on our environment. Knowledge of Physical Sciences can equip you with skills to engineer, manage architecture, and pursue astronomy. 

Whatever you choose to pursue, trust that it will provide you with a strong foundation in your scientific career.

Informational Interviews

As you embark on your educational career, it is important to educate yourself on the potential career paths in which you can implement your degree. Oftentimes, our general knowledge of an occupation differs greatly from the perspectives of those within that profession. Because careers in Science + Health are demanding in many aspects, we highly recommend you seek insights from professionals in your areas of interest to best understand and prepare yourself for the career.

If you have a connection with someone in your profession of interest, reach out to them. Write a short email or message expressing your interest in their career. Then, if they are willing to meet with you, schedule a time to connect and ask questions. Make sure to prepare a list of questions and follow-up questions that show you have genuine interest in the profession, and that you implemented deep preparation for the meeting. This will exhibit skills of yours that the connection will notice. If all goes well, they can enlighten you on events, other professionals, and resources that may enhance your career.

Learn More

For full information, read our page to Do Informational Interviews.

Academic Preparation

The first step in pursuing a career in Science + Health is determining a degree. Depending on the field you pursue, different degrees will equip you with different specializations in skills to implement afterwards. Most degrees related to Science + Health at UCSB focus on academic research, thus preparing you for graduate school and beyond. We recommend thoroughly reviewing your options and taking prerequisite coursework before committing to a degree; this will help to ensure that you are on the best path for yourself and your career. 

Click below to see lists of UCSB degrees related to specific fields in Science + Health:

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of majors and career paths available at UCSB; you can apply these degrees to various fields in various fashions. To learn about the areas of study at UCSB, we recommend that you explore the full lists of Undergraduate Majors and Undergraduate Minors, and speak to academic advisors in departments of interest.