Healthcare & Life Sciences

Behavioral Neuroscience, also known as biological psychology, biopsychology, or psychobiology is the application of the principles of biology to the study of physiological, genetic, and developmental mechanisms of behavior in humans and other animals. Combining diverse subjects such as psychology, biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and mathematics, neuroscience offers students with a broad interest in many disciplines of science a place to develop their understanding of many fields of study.

Behavioral neuroscience careers span research, clinical support, pharmaceutical development, and public health. Use Research Experiences for Undergraduates to gain lab and research experience, prepare for graduate program and employer interviews with Big Interview, and explore neuroscience and behavioral health professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for biomedical research and clinical context, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for biomedical and neuroscience research, PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) for the American Psychological Association’s database of behavioral science literature, and Web of Science for citation tracking and seminal neuroscience literature.

Resources: Research Experiences for Undergraduates | Big Interview | Library Guides

For more information on the Behavioral Neuroscience concentration, please visit the department website.

Biochemistry focuses on the chemical processes occurring in the wide variety of living systems and touches essentially all aspects of our own lives. Our Northeastern program engages you in two integrated paths to a career in biochemistry: rigorous coursework that prepares you to interpret the ever-expanding knowledge base and hands-on learning that positions you to leverage cutting-edge technology to solve fundamental problems in the chemistry of life.

Biochemistry careers span pharmaceutical development, clinical laboratory science, research, and quality control across biotech and life sciences industries. Use Forage to explore life sciences career environments virtually, prepare for technical interviews with our Interview Type: Technical guide, and explore ASBMB and ASM professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for biomedical research and laboratory methods, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for biomedical and biochemistry research, ScienceDirect Topics (Elsevier) for foundational dictionary, encyclopedia, and review article overviews, and JoVE: Journal of Visualized Experiments for peer-reviewed video protocols in biochemistry.

Resources: Forage | Interview Type: Technical | Library Guides

For more information on the Biochemistry concentration, please visit the department website.

Biology provides a basic understanding for the organization and processes of life in a wide variety of areas, including ecosystems and evolution, molecular research, cells, organ systems and species development. With roots in research, development and innovation, biology plays a major role in business development and advances in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and the social sciences. Biology can lead to a variety of diverse co-op and internship opportunities in research, healthcare, business and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, it can also serve as a solid base for entering into a more concentrated medical field, including medical or dental school or masters degree in nursing or physician assistant studies.

Biology careers span research, healthcare, biotechnology, environmental science, and graduate pathways in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. Use Research Experiences for Undergraduates to gain lab experience, use Big Interview to practice communicating your research and field experience, and explore ASCB and ASM professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for life sciences research and clinical context, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for biomedical and life sciences literature, JoVE: Journal of Visualized Experiments for peer-reviewed video protocols including cell biology and biochemistry techniques, and Web of Science for citation tracking and finding seminal biology literature.

Resources: Research Experiences for Undergraduates | Big Interview | Library Guides

For more information on the Biology concentration, please visit the department website.

At the interface of engineering and medicine, bioengineering is an inherently interdisciplinary field with societal impact.  Bioengineering is engineering in a biological context, such as the human body, an ecosystem, or a bioreactor. The interface of engineering and medicine, as embodied in bioengineering, will be one of the most exciting endeavors and greatest adventures of the 21st century. Job opportunities are expected to expand dramatically with a focus on the development of entirely new classes of products, instrumentation, and implants. The impact on human health will be extraordinary.

Bioengineering careers span medical device development, regulatory affairs, clinical research, and biomechanics across healthcare and life sciences industries. Use Forage to explore related career paths, prepare for technical interviews with our Interview Type: Technical guide, and explore BMES and AAMI professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Bioengineering guide for interdisciplinary biomedical and engineering research, and more tools like Engineering Village for biomedical engineering and medical device research, PubMed (NU customized) for clinical and translational research, and JoVE: Journal of Visualized Experiments for peer-reviewed video protocols spanning bioengineering and tissue engineering.

Resources: Forage | Interview Type: Technical | Big Interview | Library Guides

For more information on the Bioengineering concentration, please visit the department website.

Northeastern’s chemistry and chemical biology programs provide education in basic chemistry and modern chemistry-related disciplines. Students develop strong skills in quantitative problem solving, laboratory technique, and scientific communication across the subfields of analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry. Combined majors with data science, environmental sciences, and biochemistry allow students to connect chemistry expertise to a wide range of fields. Graduates pursue careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, environmental science, materials development, forensic science, medicine, and graduate research.

Chemistry and chemical biology careers span pharmaceutical science, analytical chemistry, quality control, environmental science, and research across academic and industry settings. Prepare for technical interviews with our Interview Type: Technical guide, use Jobscan to align your resume with chemistry and life sciences job descriptions, and explore ACS and ASBMB professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for chemistry and life sciences research, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for biomedical and chemical research, ScienceDirect Topics (Elsevier) for foundational overviews of chemistry research areas, and CAS SciFinder for the most comprehensive database of chemical literature and substance data.

Resources: Interview Type: Technical | Jobscan | Library Guides

For more information on the Chemistry and Chemical Biology concentration, please visit the department website.

The Health Science major is a pre-professional program designed to provide students with the appropriate background and preparation for entry into graduate and professional programs including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health, physician assistant, and social work. The major is also designed for students who are seeking a general preparation for positions in health promotion, health administration, and community-based public health.

Health sciences careers span clinical research coordination, health administration, community health, and graduate pathways in medicine, dentistry, physician assistant studies, and public health. Use our Interviewing for Medical, Dental, and Health Professional School Applicants guide to prepare for professional school interviews, use Big Interview for employer and program interviews, and search for roles through Handshake.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for core health research and clinical context, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for medical and life sciences literature linked to NU’s full-text holdings, CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) for nursing and allied health literature, and UpToDate for evidence-based, physician-authored clinical decision support.

Resources: Interviewing for Medical/Health School | Big Interview | Handshake | Library Guides

For more information on the Health Sciences concentration, please visit the department website.

A degree in nursing prepares you to become a professional nurse with a wide range of career options, from acute care hospitals to community-based settings. Nurses play a key role in patient safety and quality improvement and thus, today, there is an unprecedented demand for professional and advance practice nurses.

Nursing careers require clinical knowledge, patient assessment skills, and the ability to communicate clearly across care teams and with patients. Use our Interviewing for Medical, Dental, and Health Professional School Applicants guide to prepare for clinical and graduate program interviews, explore the American Academy of Nurses in our resources library, and use Handshake to find clinical and nursing roles.

You can also utilize the Library’s Nursing guide for evidence-based practice, clinical guidelines, and nursing standards, and more tools like CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) for nursing and allied health scholarship, UpToDate for point-of-care clinical decision support, and ClinicalKey (Elsevier) for clinical overviews, ebooks, drug information, and patient education materials.

Resources: Interviewing for Medical/Health School | Handshake | Library Guides

For more information on the Nursing concentration, please visit the department website.

Public Health careers have developed in response to the growing need for professionals versed in diverse public health problems facing society today. These issues can include: illnesses associated with the built environment; health threats connected to substance abuse, community violence, and racial and ethnic disparities; the challenges of effective health education and promotion for diverse populations; access to timely and appropriate health services; control of infectious diseases; prevention and treatment of chronic diseases; and global and national trends that affect public health such as migration, immigration and suburbanization.

Public health careers combine epidemiology, policy, and community health practice across local and global settings. Use GoinGlobal to explore public health roles internationally, research MPH programs and public health career paths through MPHonline in our resources library, and use Big Interview to prepare for program and policy-focused interview questions.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for public health research, health policy, and data sources, and more tools like PubMed (NU customized) for public health, epidemiology, and health systems literature, Cochrane Library for high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) for community health and health promotion research.

Resources: GoinGlobal | Big Interview | Library Guides

For more information on the Public Health concentration, please visit the department website.

Psychologists investigate and seek explanations for the behavior and mental life of individuals in addition to developing methods for promoting psychological well-being.

The Psychology curriculum explores such topics as how brain function determines behavior; how we see, hear, and learn; what constitutes abnormal personality; how people develop emotionally and cognitively; and how individuals work in groups. A background in psychology helps prepare students for careers in teaching and research as well as in business, public and social services, education, mental health, law, and medicine.

Psychology careers span clinical practice, behavioral research, human resources, UX research, and school counseling. Use our cover letter guide to craft application materials for clinical and community roles, explore the American Psychological Association in our resources library for career guidance and licensure information, and use Big Interview to practice behavioral and situational interview questions.

You can also utilize the Library’s Psychology guide for clinical, developmental, and research psychology resources, and more tools like PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) for the American Psychological Association’s flagship database, PubMed (NU customized) for neuroscience and clinical psychology research, and the Mental Measurements Yearbook for evaluations of psychological testing instruments.

Resources: Cover Letter Guide | Big Interview | Library Guides

For more information on the Psychology concentration, please visit the department website.

Northeastern offers two pathways for students interested in pharmacy and drug development. The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) is the entry-level professional degree for licensed pharmacists, preparing students for direct patient care roles in community, hospital, and specialty pharmacy settings. The Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences is designed for students interested in research related to drug design and delivery, pharmacology, and pharmaceutics, with pathways into the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Co-op placements integrate classroom learning with professional experience across both programs.

Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences careers span direct patient care, drug development, regulatory affairs, and clinical research in community, hospital, biotech, and pharmaceutical industry settings. Use Forage to explore life sciences career environments virtually, use our Interviewing for Medical, Dental, and Health Professional School Applicants guide to prepare for PharmD program interviews, and explore ISPE and ASBMB professional associations in our resources library.

You can also utilize the Library’s Nursing guide Clinical Resources page for drug and clinical references, and more tools like AccessPharmacy (McGraw Hill Medical) for comprehensive pharmaceutical education references, PubMed (NU customized) for pharmacology and clinical pharmacy research, and LexiDrug (Wolters Kluwer) for concise point-of-care drug information.

Resources: Forage | Interviewing for Medical/Health School | Library Guides

For more information, visit the department website.

Northeastern’s programs in communication sciences and disorders prepare students for graduate-level clinical practice in speech-language pathology and audiology, as well as for careers in healthcare administration, education, and public health. Speech-language pathologists evaluate and treat communication disorders across the lifespan, including language delays, voice disorders, stuttering, and swallowing difficulties. Audiologists specialize in the prevention and rehabilitation of hearing disorders. The undergraduate degree provides pre-professional training for students planning to pursue graduate clinical certification.

Speech-language pathology and audiology careers span clinical practice, early intervention, healthcare administration, and graduate pathways to licensed SLP or AuD credentials. Use Big Interview to prepare for graduate program and clinical employer interviews, use our cover letter guide for healthcare and clinical application materials, and search for roles and programs through Handshake.

You can also utilize the Library’s Health Sciences guide for clinical and rehabilitation sciences resources, and more tools like CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost) for speech, language, and hearing literature, PsycInfo (EBSCOhost) for research on communication disorders and developmental conditions, and PubMed (NU customized) for biomedical research on anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing.

Resources: Big Interview | Cover Letter Guide | Handshake | Library Guides

For more information, visit the department website.