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| Biology education graduate |
In this article, we shall be looking at career opportunities for Biology education graduates in Nigeria. If you're interested in studying biology education in university and curious to know various career paths for graduates with a biology education degree, then relax and read this post till the end.
What is biology education?
According to Clara Ifeoma Okenyi, Biology education is the act of teaching and learning in order to inculcate or transfer the knowledge of biology to the students.
In order to become a qualified Biology educationist, you're required to have a strong foundation in biological sciences and as well in educational pedagogy.
Biology education is different from Biology. Biology education graduates are taught and given the required knowledge to be able to inculcate the knowledge of biological concepts and principles to secondary school students.
What can I do with a biology education degree?
Beside becoming a biology teacher in a secondary school, there are ample career opportunities for Biology education graduates. Graduates with B.Sc. Ed in Biology education has so many career paths.
Below is a list of ten Biology education careers.
1. Teacher
A Biology education graduate can work as a school teacher. You're trained to teach primary, junior and secondary school pupils in biology and basic science. Due to your solid foundation in science, you can handle other related subjects such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, etc.
There is no doubt that this is one of the most demanding careers in recents times. Science teachers are always in demand. Securing a job in a private school or government-owned school isn't strenuous unlike other careers. There are ample vacancies for biology education graduates in Nigeria.
2. Research agent
Biology education graduates can work as a research scientist for public or private firms. Research scientists are responsible for designing, undertaking, analysing information from controlled laboratory-based investigations, and experiments. You could also work for government laboratories, environmental organisations, specialist research organisations or universities.
3. Science Writer
Another career opportunity for a Biology education graduate is to work as a science writer. This job involves making research and reporting news and trends in science related fields. Your duties are to write for various outlets, scientific journals, magazines, brochures among others, and get paid.
You can work as a freelance writer, writing articles for websites. You can also create and monetize a blog for yourself where you can earn while publishing science related articles.
4. Laboratory Technician
Another place you can work is a laboratory. Some of the duties of a laboratory technician include performing analytical procedures, assisting laboratory scientists and as well maintaining laboratory equipment. They are also responsible for executing laboratory testing in line with standard procedures etc.
5. Genetic Counselor
Genetic counseling is another career path where a biology education graduate can venture into. With your experience, you can give information about how genetic conditions can affect health. You can provide information and give support to other healthcare providers, or families and individuals concerned with the risk of inherited conditions among others.
6. Health Educator
Graduates with a bachelor's degree in Biology education can work as a Health Educator. Health educators are responsible for providing health advice to patients. They're responsible for teaching individuals as well as communities how to eat properly and live healthy lifestyles. They coach individuals to avoid certain foods and maintain a balanced diet.
7. Physician Assistant
Physician assistant assists physicians and health workers. According to US News and World Report, it's one of the most demanding careers. It's ranked as one of the top jobs in the healthcare sector.
Some of the responsibilities for biology education graduates in this career path includes educating patients on topics like prevention of diseases, management, assisting physicians during surgery and making hospital rounds among others.
8. Biotechnology Lab Assistant
They are employed to assist Biotechnologists who are involved in manipulating organisms or components of a biological system to create new products or processes. Biotechnologist lab assistants work in various fields which includes waste treatment, agriculture, medicine and food production.
9. Public Health Worker
Biology education graduates can work as a public health worker. They carry out duties of protecting and improving the health of people and creating awareness in communities. They encourage individuals to have positive health lifestyles. They're responsible for researching harmful disease and injury prevention.
10. Ministry of Agriculture
Education and biology graduates are employed into the Ministry of Agriculture. There are ample opportunities for Biology education graduates in this ministry. Other Ministries who need the services of Biology education graduates are the ministry of Health and Education.
How many years course is biology education?
The duration for the study of Biology education is four years. During these four years undergraduate program, students are taught courses with credits units ranging from 1– 4 units. Biology, Education, English and SEB courses are compulsory at all levels.
Is biology education hard?
Studying Biology education is not difficult. Scaling through all your undergraduate courses with good grades requires deep understanding of how biological concepts connect with each other and memorization of complex processes, biological diagrams among others. Students who study well hardly get carryovers for any biology education undergraduate courses.
Biology education requirements
To gain admission to study biology education in a university, you're expected to have not less than 5 credit passes in your O’level result. And your five subjects should include Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
Use Of English, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics or Physics are the approved and correct UTME subjects combination required to study education and biology.
Moreso, you're expected to score above 180 in UTME and partake in writing your institution's post UTME exams.
They're many Nigerian universities offering Biology education as a course. To have a higher chance of getting admission to study Education and Biology, you're expected to choose an institution that falls in your catchment area.
Biology education salary in Nigeria
Biology education graduate salaries are impressive depending on where you're employed.
A typical salary of a Biology education graduate in Nigeria is from N50,000 to N250,000 naira per month.
These figures above are the average salary (monthly) a Biology educationist earns. You should know that monthly salaries of Biology education graduates differ depending on their experience, ministry, qualification, gender, location etc
By Israel Uchenna
Copyright: STUDENTS MIRROR
