There are A LOT of places you can go with a plant biology degree. It really depends on what you’re interested in. Some programs allow you to concentrate on a particular area. My program, for example, gave the option of focusing on molecular or evolutionary plant science (or to keep it general, which is what I did).
From there, the research you work on or the internships you work also solidify your speciality. So if a person pursuing a degree in plant science knows what they’d like to study, it’s a good idea to try and find faculty research or an internship in that field, whether that’s fern ecology or plant immune responses.
That advice, of course, is geared more heavily towards people who want to go into research. But there are a lot of options for folks with a plant science degree (provided you can find a job. I’m not going to lie, the job market sucks right now.) Regardless, you can go into research (medical, for example), teaching, science writing, or horticulture (if your degree gave you a horticulture background. Personally, I have very little horticulture and actual growing experience). As long as your program gives you a strong base in chemistry, math, lab work and biology, you can apply for most jobs someone with a biology degree can.
Personally, I’m interested in education and museum studies, so I’m working on getting a graduate degree in that area. But in summary, a four-year degree, hypothetically, can put you on the path for a job anywhere from research to horticulture. It really depends on the classes you choose and the experience you accumulate.
