What Do Biology Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Biology Professors teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. They also evaluate and grade students’ class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.

Other tasks include:

• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
• Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Supervise students’ laboratory work.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.

We asked Biology Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Biology Professors maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. They maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Biological Science Teacher will also include:

• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
• Supervise students’ laboratory work.

We asked some Biology Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	33% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	34% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	84% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	6% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	30% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Biology Professors also compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. They may also act as advisers to student organizations.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Biology Professors Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany. They might also Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.

In addition, they Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Supervise students’ laboratory work.

To some Biology Professors, it is also their responsibility to Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Biological Science Teacher, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/