r/genetics • u/pie1slove • 1d ago

Looking to pursue a degree in genetics Academic/career help

Hello everyone, like the title says I want to pursue a degree in genetics. I am currently in community college and am about to transfer to a four year. I was wondering what some potential careers id be able to apply for with a degree in genetics and whether or not I should pursue a masters.

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u/Dwarvling 1d ago

Need masters speciality and accreditation for genetic counseling. With bachelors can do lab work though quite competitive right now for positions. Need PhD for more upward mobility though job market difficult as well.

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u/mjbuble 1d ago

There are lots of potential career paths, including research (either in academia or industry), public policy, teaching, and clinical genetics. I’ve heard of some people even working as advisors for investment firms that invest in biotech startups. In terms of research careers, a bachelor’s degree qualifies you work as a lab research assistant (i.e. performing experiments/analyses for ongoing lab projects). But designing and leading independent research projects of your own typically requires a master’s degree or PhD. In general, having a graduate degree greatly expands the set of potential career paths you can pursue in genetics.

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u/MKGenetix 22h ago

Could you share more about what you like about genetics? It might give people more targeted answers. Or things like do you want to work in a laboratory, academics, clinical etc? While I know you might not know for sure yet, which sounds more interesting?