Latest News

Life Sciences and Health at UCLA Undergraduate Admission

If you like to explore the secrets of human organisms or think you might have a talent for healing, you may find your calling in the biological sciences and health field. Students in this field are fascinated by life, from single cells to the human body as a whole.

Academic Majors and Minors

Here are some of the majors and minors available in this field of study:

Trending Majors and Intriguing Minors

Trending majors include Computational and Systems Biology, Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, and Human Biology and Society. For those seeking specialized study, intriguing minors are available in Biomedical Research, Conservation Biology, Evolutionary Medicine, Food Studies, and Society and Genetics.

Clinical Experience and Campus Resources

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is ranked #1 in California and #5 nationally — and it’s right on campus. Through programs like UCLA Care Extenders, students in any major can train as volunteers to assist medical staff and gain firsthand experience.

Distinguished Faculty and Research Impact

Here are just a few of the many professors in this field of study who’ve had a remarkable impact in their area of expertise:

Barber, a marine biologist, strives to advance diversity in STEM fields and created UCLA’s Diversity Project to study marine biodiversity.
Bates-Jensen, a world-renowned researcher, author and inventor, was a co-developer of the SEM Scanner, a wireless wound assessment device that can detect pressure injuries up to 10 days before damage is visible.
Crosbie is passionate about understanding the molecules that drive muscle cell function; her pioneering research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy has helped young people suffering from the deadly disease.
Johnson, a recipient of the National Science Foundation Career Award and dean of the division of life sciences, uses innovative and active techniques to engage students investigating gene splicing and transcription.

Alumni Achievements

Bruins have achieved great heights in all walks of life. Notable alumni in this field of study include a research pioneer and advocate for breast cancer survivors, a winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and a tissue-typing revolutionary who devised the procedure for matching organ donors with organ recipients.

Growth Careers in the Field

Here are a few examples of growing areas in this field of study and their projected growth by 2028:

Physician Assistants: This field is projected to grow 31% due to an increase in the aging population and a greater need for those who provide preventative care and treat the sick.
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners: An increased emphasis on preventive care is predicted to lead to 31% growth in these career options.
Genetic Counselors: Ongoing technological innovations, including developments in genomics, are projected to spur 27% growth.

Related Career Opportunities

Here are a few examples of areas where this exciting field of study is growing and developing:

Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
Clinical Research Associate (CRA)
Cytotechnologist
Environmental Coordinator
Food Scientist
Industrial Hygienist
Laboratory Manager
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Occupational Therapist
Physical Therapist
Project Manager, Pharmaceuticals
Quality Assurance Director

mededcentral.org