Careers in Neuroscience
What Can I Do with My Major?
There are career opportunities in a variety of sectors, including but not limited to: business (consulting, advertising/marketing, sales), education (K-12 and higher education), engineering and other tech fields (data science, artificial intelligence, technical writing, computer science), global and public health, government and policy (lobbyist, public policy), healthcare (physical & mental health), journalism/science writing, law (neuroethics), non-profits (advocacy & outreach), and more. These fields can also intersect with each other.
To strengthen their academic backgrounds and learn more about other fields of their interest, students pursuing the neuroscience major may want to consider pursuing a minor or an additional/double major. However, this is not required.
Students can learn more about career options as a neuroscience major through the MSU Career Services Network resource, What Can I Do with This Major.
Regardless of career interests, it is vital to gain experience and get involved during your undergraduate career. These experiences can be paid, such as as on/off-campus jobs or internships or unpaid, such as leadership positions in student organizations or various other volunteer/service opportunities.
Students at MSU can learn more about how to get more involved on-campus through the following resources
- Center for Community Engaged Learning for Volunteering, Service Learning, Work-Study Opportunities
- Handshake for on and off-campus employment (full-time, part-time) & internshiop opportunities
- Involve@State for a database of all MSU registered student organizations
- Speaking to academic advisors, career advisors, professors, and other university staff
- Undergraduate Research Office to learn about & find undergraduate research opportunities
Most students pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience have plans to pursue advanced education (e.g., master's or doctorate-level degrees) to be able to achieve their career goals. However, there are also bachelor;s level jobs available for neuroscience students.
| Audiologist | Chiropractor | Clinical Psychologist | Dentist |
| Lawyer | Occupational Therapist | Optometrist | Pharmacist |
| Physician | Physical Therapist | Professor/College Instructor | Researcher/Neuroscientist |
| Veterinarian |
| Anesthesiologist Assistant | Applied Behavior Analyst | Biostatician |
| Cardiovascular Perfunctionist | Clinical Counselor/Therapist | Genetic Counselor |
| Healthcare Administrator | Higher Education/StudentAffairs Professional | K-12 Educator |
| Neural/BiomedicalEngineer | Nutritionist/Dietician | Occupational Therapist |
| Orthotist & Prothesists | Pathologist Assistant | Physician's Assistant/Associate |
| Psychometrist | Public Health Professional | Researcher/Research Coordinator |
| Social Worker | Speech-Language Pathologist |
| Behavioral Aide/Technician | Business Analyst | Clinical Research Coordinator | Data Scientist (and other scientific computing professions) |
| Certified Nursing Assistant* | Consultant | Forensic Science Technician | K-12 Educator* |
| Laboratory Technician or Laboratory Manager | Law Enforcement Officer (city, county, state, federal) | Medical Assistant* | Neurophysiologist or Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Technician* |
| Registered Nurse* | Orthotic & Prosthetist Technician* | Pharmacy Technician* | Phlebotomist |
| Project Manager | Research Assistant or Technologist (entry-level) | Science Writer | Software Engineer (will need coding experience during undergraduate career) |
| Technical Writer |
* = Denotes additional certification or credentials required
Additional Resources
- Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Internship Opportunities: https://www.funfaculty.org/undergrad_internships
- Pathways to Science: https://www.pathwaystoscience.org
General Career Resources
- MSU Career Services Network: https://careernetwork.msu.edu
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Graduate School Resources
- Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Neuroscience Graduating Programs Directory: https://my.sfn.org/Directories/Neuroscience-Training-Programs
- McLoon & Redish (2018): Demystifying Graduate School: Navigating a PhD in Neuroscience and Beyond
- Mennerick (2011): Input-output: The Role of Undergraduate Curriculum in Successful Graduate Training in the Neurosciences
Pre-Health Resources
- MSU Pre-Health Advising and Resources: https://prehealth.natsci.msu.edu
- Explore Health Careers: https://explorehealthcareers.org
Contact the Undergraduate Program
Department of Physiology Undergraduate Advising
neupslugrad@msu.edu