Career Opportunities for Students Pursuing Kinesiology, Biology, and Health Science Majors

Graduating from high school is an exciting milestone, and with it typically comes the barrage of questions:

“What are you going to do next? Where are you going to college? What are you going to major in? What do you want to do for your career/vocation/job?”

These questions may be exciting to answer. You may already have answers to all or most of these questions, but for many students the seemingly infinite possibilities or the unknown vocational opportunities to choose from can be overwhelming to say the least. If you have found yourself struggling to answer these questions, specifically the “major” and “career/vocation” questions, let me say that undergraduates with a degree in biology, kinesiology, or health science have a variety of open doors to many different career opportunities. Also, many of these career opportunities overlap between biology, kinesiology, and health science majors, so you do not have to know “what you want to do for your career” at the start of your undergraduate degree selection. Kinesiology and health science are focused on human movement and health, respectively, and fit nicely under the “umbrella” of biology. A biology major studies living things: from cells and genetics to organisms and ecosystems. Chemistry is also a key component of the major. As a biology major at UNW, you get to see how everything works together (chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, ecosystem), and when something is out of place, the whole system suffers. The research-driven learning obtained throughout the biology degree increases problem solving and critical thinking skills, scientific and research method, and analysis. Students also foster teamwork and community throughout the program. The depth and breadth of knowledge and experience gained with a biology major prepares you for a few graduate school options: medical doctorate (MD), physician’s assistant (PA), physical therapy (PT), or master’s (MS or MA) and doctoral (PhD) programs in science. UNW Biology graduates have high acceptance rates into these graduate school options. However, if you were thinking graduate school is too much, there are also a number opportunities in biology with a bachelor’s degree: laboratory technicians, research assistant, or quality control analyst for industries like food or pharmaceuticals to name a few. The outcomes of the biology degree offer a median earning five years after graduation of $68,797 (edsmart.org).

Under the umbrella of biology, kinesiology focuses on human anatomy and physiology related to physical activity, sport, and exercise. Throughout the undergraduate coursework, you learn how the human body works together and how to assess each of the different systems involved in human movement. There is not as great of an emphasis on chemistry or research, but the knowledge gained with a kinesiology undergraduate degree can also lead to graduate school opportunities, mainly PT, athletic training (AT), occupational therapy (OT), MS and PhD in kinesiology. Other graduate opportunities are available if the prerequisite courses and experience for admission to the graduate school are met. However, if graduate school is not something of interest for an undergraduate with a kinesiology degree, then personal training, coaching strength and conditioning, or an entry-level exercise physiologist would be great career opportunities. The outcomes of the kinesiology degree offer a median earning five years after graduation of $63,536 (edsmart.org).

A health science major at UNW is like the biology major, with similar core coursework in biology and chemistry. The main difference is the great emphasis on human health and less research required. Many of the courses overlap with the biology and kinesiology degrees, like principles of biology, human anatomy, and human physiology, while courses like medical terminology are required instead of elective. This is because a health science major prepares students for working directly with patients or organizations in healthcare. Some examples of careers with a health science degree include a medical assistant, health educator, patient coordinator, and entry-level healthcare administration. Depending on the elective courses taken and research experience, students with a health science degree could also pursue graduate school: MD, PA, PT, MS, or Ph.D. Students with a biology, kinesiology or health science degree could pursue a certification or licensure, like a physical therapist assistant or occupational therapist assistant. Medical sales, corporate wellness, and health data and informatics are also emerging careers with a degree in health science, kinesiology or biology. The outcome of the health science degree offers a median earning five years after graduation of $68,797 (edsmart.org).

There are several transferrable skills that students with a biology, kinesiology, or health science degree from UNW will cultivate: critical thinking, communication, teamwork, laboratory techniques, and scientific literacy. Through internship experiences and by adding a minor, students gain exposure to careers and fields they may be interested in pursuing before they graduate, which can help clarify the career they are choosing. Gaining internship or shadowing experiences earlier on in your undergraduate degree pursuit can be very beneficial, but ultimately trusting that God will lead you to the career(s) that He has called you to is the ultimate comfort – Psalm 62:1-2 “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken.”

Personally, I was unsure what my career would be as an 18-year-old high school graduate. This was partly due to lack of experience and knowledge combined with the overwhelming number of vocational options since I enjoyed most subjects in school. If I had to choose one subject as my favorite, though, I loved learning about science, how God’s creation works together, and I wanted to help others. The only career I knew of at the time that checked the boxes was “medical doctor”. So, I selected an undergraduate degree in biology with an emphasis in pre-medicine. The next four years were filled with amazing courses, instructors, and community, but I had not solidified that medical school was the right path for me. As a sign of that, I had waited until my spring semester of my senior year to complete my internship and shadowing hours for admission to medical school. During that semester, I found that God had not equipped me to handle the clinical setting emotionally at that time. Shadowing the doctors, I saw that part of the job was meeting people in hard places and having difficult conversations. While I wanted to help people, the weight of helping people at their lowest was life changing for me. So, I investigated options that incorporated science and helping people before they get to their lowest point in life – specifically using exercise. God revealed that a graduate program in kinesiology would be a great avenue to pursue and clearly opened the door for that pursuit which led to teaching in higher education. Looking back 21 years and reflecting on what God has done to bring me to UNW, I can truly say “only God” and that “many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21).   

So how can you decide which career opportunity is right for you? You should certainly answer questions like “Do I want to go to graduate school?”, “Do I want to work in a clinic?”, and “Do I want to perform research?” after building useful skills and gaining experience through courses, shadowing, internships, and networking. Look into the key variables like educational requirements, job outlook, work-life balance, and salaries. However, remember that God has made you unique and there is never going to be another “you” on this planet, so allow him to direct your vocation and lead you to the career that uses the skills and talents he has given you.