Natural Sciences Managers

Education & Training

Preparation

To work as a natural sciences manager, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or GED;
have at least a bachelor's degree in science; and
have more than five years experience as a scientist.

Education after high school

You must have at least a bachelor's degree in science for management positions in applied science. You need a master's or doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in science to be a manager in research.

Many natural sciences managers have a master's degree. Science managers need administrative skills as well as technical skills. A master's in business administration (MBA) is good preparation for non-technical (applied science) management jobs. For technical management jobs, a master's degree or Ph.D. in science plus an MBA is the best preparation.

You should major in the natural science you are most interested in. Computer and management courses are also helpful.

Work experience

You must prove yourself as a scientist before you can move into this occupation. Natural science managers work for several years as chemists, biologists, geologists, or scientists in other fields before becoming managers.

On-the-job training

You should consider participating in an internship while in college. An internship is usually part of a four-year degree program. It offers you a chance to apply what you have learned in the classroom to a work situation. It also allows you to build skills and make contacts with people in the field.

Employers often provide training or pay for college course work. It is important that you update your technical skills and expand your administrative skills.

Related Programs (Current training programs available)

Fields of Study (What to study to prepare for this career)

Click on any of the Fields of Study listed below to find out more about preparing for this career.

Level of Education

The table below lists the level of education attained by a subset of workers in this occupation. The workers surveyed were between age 25 and 44.

Education level attained	Percentage of workers in this occupation*
Less than high school diploma	1
High school diploma or equivalent	1
Some college, no degree	4
Associate degree	2
Bachelor's degree	31
Master's degree	28
Doctoral (Ph.D.) or professional degree	33

* National data for natural sciences managers (SOC 11-9121).

Helpful High School Courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements. Take as many classes as you can in the areas of science that interest you.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this occupation include:

Accounting
Computer Applications
Introduction to Business
Keyboarding
Probability and Statistics

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education.