Studies & Degrees in Sciences
Sciences Study Programs
"Sciences" is not one degree but a family of them. It covers the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, earth and environmental sciences) and mathematics and statistics, together with the fields that sit between them, such as biochemistry, biotechnology and marine science. What the degrees share is a method: students learn to observe, measure, test a hypothesis and report the result.
A science student spends a large part of the week in laboratories, in the field or at a computer. Most programmes begin with a common base and let students specialise later. The Bachelor of Science of the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in Australia, for example, starts with cell biology, chemistry, biodiversity and ecology, and research methods, after which students choose one major from biology, biotechnology, chemistry, ecology and mathematics.
Qualifications and levels
The length and name of a science qualification depend on the country.
- Associate degrees. Community colleges in the United States offer two-year programmes that combine science and mathematics with general education. Kirtland Community College in Michigan describes its Associate in Science and Arts as a transfer programme that prepares students to move on to a four-year college or university.
- Bachelor's degrees. The UniSC Bachelor of Science lasts three years of full-time study. In Spain, an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, at 60 credits per academic year. Spanish degrees are registered under fields of knowledge that include biology and genetics, physics and astronomy, mathematics and statistics, and earth sciences, so a student enrols in a specific science rather than in "sciences".
- Master's degrees. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. A master's is where most students narrow down to a research field.
- Doctorate. A PhD is the usual route into independent research and university teaching.
Large universities organise the sciences in a dedicated college or faculty. The Eberly College of Science at The Pennsylvania State University has seven departments: astronomy and astrophysics, biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and statistics. The School of Science of Kathmandu University in Nepal lists departments of biotechnology, environmental science and engineering, mathematics, pharmacy, physics and agriculture.
Where to study sciences
SpainExchange lists 151 active schools under sciences. The United States has by far the most, with 82, followed by Spain (7), Australia (6), the United Kingdom (5), Canada (4) and Ireland (4). China, Zimbabwe and Greece have three each.
The list is varied. It includes large public research universities such as The Ohio State University, the University of Kentucky and Florida Atlantic University, whose Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has eight academic departments and works in fields from biotechnology and bioinformatics to cryptology. It also includes community colleges such as Hartnell College in California and Kirtland Community College, as well as Africa University in Zimbabwe and the University of the Philippines Manila. In Spain, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) teaches entirely online; its bachelor's degrees have between 240 and 378 ECTS credits.
The language of instruction is normally the language of the country, and English is common at master's level in much of Europe. Science degrees depend on laboratory access, so check how much practical work a programme includes and, for online degrees, how it is organised. Students who need a visa should also check the study mode: UniSC, for instance, states that only full-time study is open to international students on a student visa.
Careers
Science graduates work in research laboratories, industry, environmental and health agencies, quality control, data analysis and teaching. The level of the degree matters. In its Occupational Outlook Handbook, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics gives an associate degree as the typical entry-level education for chemical technicians, a bachelor's degree for microbiologists, a master's degree for epidemiologists and a doctoral or professional degree for biochemists and biophysicists.
The same source projects that overall employment in life, physical and social science occupations in the United States will grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035, with about 141,900 openings a year on average. These figures describe the US labour market; prospects elsewhere depend on the country and the field.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a science degree take?
It depends on the country. The Bachelor of Science at UniSC in Australia takes three years of full-time study, a Spanish grado has 240 ECTS credits at 60 credits per year, and an official Spanish master's degree adds 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
Do I have to choose one science from the start?
Not everywhere. Programmes such as the UniSC Bachelor of Science begin with a common foundation and a major is chosen within the degree. In Spain students enrol directly in a specific degree, such as biology, physics or mathematics.
Can I start at a community college and finish at a university?
In the United States, yes. Associate programmes such as the Associate in Science and Arts at Kirtland Community College are designed for transfer to a four-year college or university. Ask the receiving university which credits it accepts.
Do I need a master's degree or a PhD to work in science?
For technician and many laboratory roles an associate or bachelor's degree is the usual entry level. Research posts often require more: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education for biochemists and biophysicists.