Explore Grad School

Dieticians and nutritionists create nutritional and diet-specific plans for clients in order to improve their overall health. They work in numerous settings, which include:

• Hospitals
• Private practices
• Clinics
• Assisted living facilities

Most positions require a Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as: Nutrition, Food Services Management, or Dietetics in addition to a specialized certification. For entry-level positions, it may be beneficial to pursue a certificate program for additional knowledge. If you are interested in pursuing graduate studies in this area of expertise, know that it is not necessary, but it may enable you to acquire managerial positions in the future.

Emergency Management Specialists (EMS) are responsible for ensuring that municipalities are prepared for emergency responses if an abrupt or catastrophic event occurs. These professionals manage and coordinate emergency response teams, such as firefighters, police officers, and paramedics. In addition, these professionals must ensure that all local, state, and federal regulations concerning emergency preparedness are complied with. They often take on tasks of applying for and managing grants intended to fund the region’s emergency preparedness and responses. In a state of emergency, their expertise is relied upon by their region, as these professionals assess the issues and coordinate orders such as announcing a state of emergency, calling for evacuations, and requesting resources from other regions.

Typically, these professionals are employed through state and local government agencies, and have 2-5 years of prior experience in disaster relief. Such experience may include time in related federal positions, volunteer work through national service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps), or other related career paths. 

EMS’s hold bachelor’s degrees in Emergency Management, Public Policy, or a closely-related field. UCSB’s History of Public Policy and Law major may be beneficial to pursue if you plan to become an EMS. You can also acquire a certificate from the International Association of Emergency Managers, or through other programs to enhance your preparedness. 

Learn More 

To learn more about what an EMS does and how to pursue this career path, read “What is a Disaster Management Specialist?”

Epidemiologists research and investigate the causes and patterns of diseases, especially contagious and infectious ones, with the goal of either reducing or eliminating the negative impacts. They also plan and conduct studies on specific public health issues (such as COVID-19) and then collect and analyze the data in order to pin-point the disease causes and other health-related issues. An important skill to have for this career is the ability to translate the complex disease metrics into real-world implications for individuals without the technical knowledge to understand. Resultantly, epidemiologists may be seen as a form of public health educators as well. 

Typically, these professionals work in research or applied epidemiology, and are employed by research institutions, such as universities, or federal agencies, like the Center for Disease Control. Because of this, advanced degrees in related subjects are usually (but not always) required.

What is most important, however, is your background in related research, as this is a research-intensive career. Because of this, a MS or PhD in a related field may be beneficial. We also recommend pursuing research-related internships (such as RAships at other institutions) and epidemiological volunteer opportunities during your time at UCSB. However, know that you can pursue epidemiology without a graduate degree, thus gap years may be of value to you.

Microbiologists study the diverse formations of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, algae) that can be infectious to humans. In relation to Public Health, they execute research on microorganisms in effort to develop drugs to fight infectious diseases. They may also be employed to create or develop genetically-engineered crops and higher quality biofuels. In other words, microbiologists apply their knowledge to the microbiology of many different organisms in order to enhance their livelihood, re-engineer their genes, and augment their effect on the environment. 

Because of the vastness in applicable careers, microbiologists can be found in:

• Hospitals 
• Universities 
• Medical schools 
• Government laboratories 

They can also be found within most industries. UCSB’s Microbiology degree is a great foundation for these career paths. We recommend implementing additional research outside of your classes to explore the various areas of focus. Depending on the area you wish to pursue, and the environment you hope to work in, an advanced degree may or may not be required.