Although biology students can choose from a wide selection of graduate schools, most biologists seek admission to the most prestigious programs. According to the 2010 U.S. News and World Report, the following universities have the best biology graduate programs: Stanford, Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-Berkley, California Institute of Technology, John Hopkins, Princeton, Scripps Research Institute, University of California-San Francisco and Yale.
Stanford is widely considered to have the best biology graduate program in the United States. According to the Stanford University Biology Department, biology students not only learn how to examine and study pertinent biological research, they also learn how to make presentations, write professional articles and become effective lecturers and teachers.
Biologists must meet rigorous education requirements before they are considered for admission to graduate school. Biology students must obtain a master's degree before they can apply for a doctorate degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most doctoral programs require students to complete class, field and lab work, as well as prepare a thesis or dissertation.
After obtaining a doctorate, many biologists accept post-doctoral positions at universities. Biologists accept these positions to receive additional training in specialized fields of biological research. Post-doctoral positions allow students to gain experience in their field of expertise and provide students with opportunities to be published in reputable biology publications. Biologists find this experience advantageous because most universities search for biologists who have published their research.
Doctoral students can choose to concentrate their studies in a variety of biological fields. According to "Branches of Biology" an article from biologyonline.com, biologists frequently specialize in the following areas: agriculture, anatomy, biochemistry, biophysics, botany, cell biology, genetics, marine biology, physiology, toxicology and zoology.
Biologists with specialized training often accept jobs outside of universities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an increasing number of biologists work for pharmaceutical companies or agricultural organizations and accept jobs working with industries and the government. Biologists are vital to the development of biotechnology and biofuels. A doctorate degree in biology not only provides students with an opportunity to work on significant research projects but also allows students to be directly involved in projects that could shape the future of the world.