Associate's
Bachelor's
Masters's
Degree Fields
Business
One of the most versatile degrees available, your business degree will open doors to nearly every industry.
Criminal Justice & Law
Join the movement to keep the streets of your community safe with a major in criminal justice.
Design
Creative minds will find practical and enriching outlets for their artistic passions in this field.
Education
Enrich and inspire others, from young children to adults, and share your passions in the classroom.
Engineering
Engineering is for those who enjoy solving problems and building the technology of tomorrow.
Health
One of the fastest growing industries today, health care is home to some of the most prosperous and in-demand jobs.
Liberal Arts
Expand your knowledge, become more culturally aware, and enrich your life with an education in liberal arts.
Math
Moving beyond simple equations, mathematics is for those who love to solve complex numerical puzzles.
Science
Fight disease and develop solutions to social, environmental, and medical issues in the science field.
Technology
Make science fiction come to life with a degree in technology, where you will be pushing computers into the future.
Online Degree Programs in Science
Popular Majors in Science
An interest in the field of science reflects a student with an analytical and curious mind who is fascinated with how the world works. A mind such as this will find the variety of majors available in science very appealing. Some of the most popular majors in science include:
- Biology/biological sciences
- Geology/ geophysics
- Fire science
- Forensic science
Biology/biological sciences have been ranked the fourth most popular major on the Princeton Review‘s list of the Top 10 College Majors. From microbiology to botany, this major provides a range of courses teaching students the inner workings of living things.
A geology/geophysics major is popular with students who have a passion for the environment and a love for the great outdoors. Students in these majors study the physical makeup and history of the earth. Classes in geophysics incorporate quantitative study methods and explore fascinating topics like seismology (the study of earthquakes) and volcanology (the study of volcanoes).
Majors in fire science offer students classes in disaster planning, fire protection services and fire protection service administration. These classes are popular with students who seek leadership positions in firefighting or disaster preparedness/relief organizations.
Forensic science majors remain popular due to the glamorization of forensic scientist careers seen on TV shows like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Bones." Forensic science majors learn how to apply the scientific method to help solve crimes.
How a Degree in Science Prepares You for the Real World
When earning a degree in science, you are not only adding to your education, but in many ways, you are also preparing yourself for your future career.
At both traditional and online schools, students earning their degree in science will need to take courses that involve physical lab work to accompany and supplement their classes, especially for classes like biology, anatomy & physiology and physics. These classes are hands-on, and instructors or lab directors give students real laboratory experience by directing them to do exercises like examining bacteria cultures under a microscope, dissecting various organisms to learn more about their internal structures or studying DNA.
Many careers will demand that candidates be familiar with and thoroughly experienced with lab work, with some examples being clinical and medical lab technicians, medical laboratory scientists and forensic scientists, as well as other general careers in research. With online science degree programs, these labs are done at a location near the student. The writing skills gained by learning to properly write lab reports in your college classes will also help prepare you for the real world. While effective writing skills are always in-demand for any job, it is especially important in a research laboratory, where accuracy is of the utmost importance.
Best Jobs for Science Degree Students
The American Institute of Biological Sciences identifies a number of career paths that graduates with science degrees in biology can pursue. Some of those areas include:
- Research, e.g., cancer research in laboratory settings or developing and testing drought resistant crops in desert areas around the world
- Health care, e.g., working to cure and prevent the spread of diseases
- Environmental conservation and management, e.g., as park rangers or zoo biologists
- Education, e.g., moving on to advanced degrees in order to become a college professor
- Science writing, e.g., students who have written their share of advanced research may take up full-time or freelance opportunities writing for scientific magazines and professional science publications, where they can write as experts because of their background in science.
A 2008 list of Top 10 Jobs in Science includes environmental scientists, hydrologists (people who study rainfall and bodies of water), geoscientists, medical scientists and biochemists/biophysicists in the top five. The list is based on projected job growth in the field and also on projected earnings.
