BOTANY …

                                           BOTANY
                              What can I do with this degree?
                    AREAS                    EMPLOYERS                                              STRATEGIES

PLANT BIOLOGY
Anatomy                       Research organizations                                Obtain a Ph.D. for teaching and advanced research
Biochemistry                  Colleges and universities                                positions.
Biophysics                    Museums                                               Conduct undergraduate research with professors to
Cytology                      Botanical gardens and arboretums                         gain experience.
Ecology                       U.S. Department of Agriculture branches               Apply for undergraduate research fellowships or other
Genetics                         including Medical Plant Resources Laboratory,         student research programs.
Molecular Biology                Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Animal and         Maintain a high grade point average and develop good
Morphology                       Plant Health Inspection Service, National             references in preparation for graduate school.
Paleobotany                      Arboretum, U.S. Forest Service                     Develop excellent computer skills.
Physiology                    Federal agencies including Departments of             Join related professional associations.
Systematics                      Interior and State, U.S. Public Health Service,    Read scientific journals or articles to stay abreast of
Systems Ecology                  National Aeronautics and Space                        current research.
Taxonomy                         Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and   Learn federal and state government job application
                                 Environmental Protection Agency                       process.
                              State agencies
                              Environmental and biotechnical regulatory
                                 agencies
                              Ecological consulting companies
                              Industries including petrochemical, chemical,
                                 and lumber and paper
                              Companies including pharmaceutical, food, seed
                                 and nursery, fruit growers, biological supply
                                 houses, and biotechnology firms

APPLIED PLANT SCIENCE
Agronomy                      Colleges and universities                             Take courses or double major in your area of interest.
Biotechnology                 Research organizations                                Gain relevant experience through volunteer positions,
Breeding                      Agriculture industry including lumber and paper,         part-time work, or internships.
Economic Botany                  seed and nursery, fruit and vegetable growers,     Obtain a Ph.D. for teaching, advanced research
Food Science and Technology      fermentation, food industry, and biological           positions, and administration.
Forestry                         supply houses                                      Learn a foreign language for international work such as
Horticulture                  Biotechnology firms                                      plant studies in the tropics.
Natural Resource Management
Plant Pathology
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                    AREAS                         EMPLOYERS                                             STRATEGIES

Applied Plant Science, Continued   Applied Plant Science, Continued                      Applied Plant Science, Continued
                                   Industries including petrochemical, pharmaceutical,
                                      and chemical
                                   Ecological consulting companies
                                   Federal, state, and local government agencies         Learn federal, state and local government job
                                   Environmental and biotechnical regulatory agencies       application process.


ORGANISMIC SPECIALTIES
Bryology                           Colleges and universities                             Gain experience working with technology.
Lichenology                        Research organizations                                Become familiar with laboratory procedures and
Microbiology                       Federal and state government laboratories including     equipment.
Pteridology                           Agriculture, Health, etc.                          Assist a professor with research or find a part-time
Mycology                           Pharmaceutical companies                                job in a laboratory.
Phycology/Marine Botanists         Food and beverage industries including brewing and    Obtain a graduate degree in area of interest.
                                      fermentation
                                   Hospitals
                                   Related industries
EDUCATION
Teaching                           Public and private high schools                       Gain certification or licensure for high school science
Research                           Colleges and universities                                teaching.
Administration                     Museums, botanical gardens and herbaria               Obtain a Ph.D. for positions in college teaching and
                                                                                            research.
                                                                                         Gain experience through tutoring.
                                                                                         Learn to work well with different types of people.

COMMUNICATION
Writing                            Publishing companies including newspapers,            Take courses in technical writing, journalism, or
Editing                               magazines, books, and textbooks                       illustration.
Botanical Illustration             Professional associations                             Develop word processing and desktop publishing
                                   Scientific and educational software companies            skills or computer-aided design.
                                   Non-profit organizations                              Find an internship with a magazine, newspaper, or
                                                                                            publisher.
                                                                                         Obtain a master's degree in scientific journalism.
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                   AREAS                                                        EMPLOYERS                                                         STRATEGIES

LAW
Agricultural                                                 Law firms with environmental focus                                 Obtain law degree after completion of bachelor's
Environmental                                                Government agencies and regulatory agencies                         degree.
Biotechnological                                             Biotechnical regulatory firms or agencies                          Gain relevant experience by working at a law firm.


BUSINESS
Sales/Marketing                                              Pharmaceutical companies                                           Earn a minor in business.
Administration/Management                                    Seed companies                                                     Hold leadership positions in campus organizations.
                                                             Biotechnology firms                                                Join related professional associations.
                                                             Scientific publishers                                              Develop good communication skills; take a course
                                                             Biological supply houses                                              in public speaking.
                                                                                                                                Learn various software packages including spread
                                                                                                                                   sheets, databases, and word processing.


COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
                                                             Scientific and educational software companies                      Double major or minor in computer programming.
                                                                                                                                Gain related work experience through internships or
                                                                                                                                  part-time and summer jobs.




GENERAL INFORMATION
· Bachelor's degree qualifies one for work as a laboratory technician or technical assistant in education, industry, government, museums, parks, and gardens.
· Master's degree opens some opportunities in research and administration.
· Ph.D. is required for advanced research and administrative positions or college teaching. Most plant scientists work in higher education.
· Build good relationships with science professors and secure strong recommendations. Maintain a high g.p.a. for graduate school admission.
· Obtain part-time, summer, co-op, volunteer, or internship experience with government agencies, college/university labs, agricultural experiment stations, freshwater
        and marine biological stations, or private companies.
·   Complete an undergraduate research project to decide on a specific area of interest in botany.
·   Enjoy outdoor activities if planning to conduct research in an outdoor environment.
·   Join organizations concerned with the world food supply and other related areas. Read scientific journals related to botany.
·   Develop an excellent background in mathematics and strong verbal and written communication skills.
·   Select a broad range of courses in English, social sciences, arts, and humanities.
·   Become proficient with computers.

                              Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.   (1995, Revised 2000, 2005)
                                                            UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA Employer.