What to do after you graduate?
1) Get a job
2) Do an Internship
Visit the JMU Biology Student Research Opportunities Blog for employment, summer internships, and general research opportunities. Listings are posted as they become available, and can be searched by keyword.
3) Go to graduate school
Start Early!
Get involved in Undergraduate Research
Find a faculty member who does
For more information and a list of faculty research interests, see the Undergraduate Research page .
Volunteer
There are many places to volunteer in Harrisonburg or in your
Write Your Resume
It’s never too early to start your resume, even if you are not yet actively looking for a job or internship. Visit JMU's Career Center website to get ideas on how to put together your resume first draft, and then make an appointment to have it reviewed. Or, if you don’t have a draft ready, you can attend a Resume Workshop to get started.
When the time is right for you to send in applications, a cover letter is a crucial step in the application process. In addition to reviewing your resume, Career and Academic Planning can also give you some good tips for your cover letter as well.
Meet with your advisor
Your academic advisor is a great resource for post-graduation plans. Meeting with your advisor is especially important if you are in one of the pre-professional health programs (pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, pre-vet, pre-physician assistant, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy or pre-forensic science). And if you are interested in going to graduate school, be sure to tell your advisor. Your advisor will be able to recommend courses that you should take to give you the best chance when applying to graduate schools.
Go to Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fairs
Even if you are not applying for jobs, JMU's Career, Internship, and Graduate School fairs are a great step forward. Fairs are places to network and see what potential employers are out there or what graduate schools you might be interested in learning about.
If you choose to attend a fair at any point, make sure to dress professionally. This doesn’t mean you have to wear a suit, but look presentable. Remember, you never know who you’re going to meet—the person you chat with today might be interviewing you for a job or graduate position tomorrow.
Not sure which path is right for you?
The good news is that you have lots of options with a biology degree… but that’s often the trouble too! If you’re not sure which direction you’d like to go in after graduation, talk to your academic advisor or visit an advisor in Career and Academic Planning.
Resources
Ecology and Conservation Jobs/Internships
- Texas A&M Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences - Nation-wide Job Board
- Society for Conservation Biology - Job Board
- The Student Conservation Association
- American Public Gardens - Job Board
Lab and Pre-Health Jobs/Internships
- College Atlas - Nursing Schools
- ExploreHealthCareers.org
- American Society for Microbiology - Microbiology Careers
- National Institutes of Health - Careers
- Aerotek - Science Recruitment Company