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Studying Biology and/or Environmental Science?
- Thread starter Luis
- Start date
A
Auntie Alex
Guest
Biology there are definitely more jobs you can do with Biology.
Good luck you'll make it!!!
Good luck you'll make it!!!
Biology is a broader, less specialized degree than environmental science and would prepare you for a wider variety of graduate programs and careers. I would imagine that a significant number of environmental science graduate students have their bachelor's degrees in biology. At most schools there will probably be a lot of overlap between the two degrees, especially in the first two years of study. For example I would expect to take one year each of general biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, plus courses in statistics and ecology, and possibly calculus and physics for both degrees. For a biology degree you would continue to take classes in cell biology, evolution, genetics and possibly biochemistry, and these courses may or may not be directly applicable to work in environmental science. Even though the biology coursework is not focused on preparing you to work in environmental science, it would probably provide you with a good foundation if you did decide to switch tracks in graduate school or when you hit the job market. Basic laboratory skills will be useful in many jobs, and you will develop these in either major, especially in your chemistry courses.
Of course, you should study what interests you, so if you find that you like your environmental science classes better, it's still an excellent major with what seems to be a promising outlook.
One thing to consider is that environmental science is an interdisciplinary science with numerous subfields, some of which are more closely linked to biology than others. For example at my school there is an environmental chemistry emphasis within the environmental science program. For a graduate program in environmental chemistry, you would probably need more undergraduate chemistry than the typical biology major requires. I imagine that courses in analytical and inorganic chemistry would be useful, for example. Other subdisciplines are more closely related to geology and other physical sciences.
I still think that a biology degree is slightly better unless you know that you want to do environmental science. I think it would be easier to go from biology to enviro. than to go the other direction. You could pick up a minor in chemistry or geology, or even a double major with biology, if you wanted to have a stronger background in other areas that relate to environmental science. Biochemistry might even be a good degree. While environmental scientists probably don't do much formal biochemistry, the degree program would (probably) consist of courses in general biology and chemistry with additional coursework in genetics, cellular & molecular biology; and organic, inorganic and physical chemistry (and, of course, biochem). This would give a pretty broad background for studying a number of problems from a biological or chemical perspective, and would definitely develop your lab skills.
Take courses, do some reading and try to think about what questions/problems interest you. If you are interested in alternative fuels, for example, coursework in botany, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and physics would be useful. You would find more of this in a biology department than in an environmental science department.
I suggest looking at the websites of schools that you are interested in and comparing the curriculum for each major. Often department websites will have list of required courses and even a sample schedule. Some schools even have course catalogues online so you can read the descriptions and get a sense of the electives that they have to offer. Looking at different professors' web pages will also give you an idea of the type of research and teaching interests at each school, in each department. It might be interesting to see what degrees the environmental science professors hold. I bet that some of them have undergraduate and even graduate degrees in biology or chemistry.
One quick comment about the job market and the stimulus money: Science in general is receiving increased funding, so careers and research in biology should benefit at least as much as those environmental science.
Of course, you should study what interests you, so if you find that you like your environmental science classes better, it's still an excellent major with what seems to be a promising outlook.
One thing to consider is that environmental science is an interdisciplinary science with numerous subfields, some of which are more closely linked to biology than others. For example at my school there is an environmental chemistry emphasis within the environmental science program. For a graduate program in environmental chemistry, you would probably need more undergraduate chemistry than the typical biology major requires. I imagine that courses in analytical and inorganic chemistry would be useful, for example. Other subdisciplines are more closely related to geology and other physical sciences.
I still think that a biology degree is slightly better unless you know that you want to do environmental science. I think it would be easier to go from biology to enviro. than to go the other direction. You could pick up a minor in chemistry or geology, or even a double major with biology, if you wanted to have a stronger background in other areas that relate to environmental science. Biochemistry might even be a good degree. While environmental scientists probably don't do much formal biochemistry, the degree program would (probably) consist of courses in general biology and chemistry with additional coursework in genetics, cellular & molecular biology; and organic, inorganic and physical chemistry (and, of course, biochem). This would give a pretty broad background for studying a number of problems from a biological or chemical perspective, and would definitely develop your lab skills.
Take courses, do some reading and try to think about what questions/problems interest you. If you are interested in alternative fuels, for example, coursework in botany, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and physics would be useful. You would find more of this in a biology department than in an environmental science department.
I suggest looking at the websites of schools that you are interested in and comparing the curriculum for each major. Often department websites will have list of required courses and even a sample schedule. Some schools even have course catalogues online so you can read the descriptions and get a sense of the electives that they have to offer. Looking at different professors' web pages will also give you an idea of the type of research and teaching interests at each school, in each department. It might be interesting to see what degrees the environmental science professors hold. I bet that some of them have undergraduate and even graduate degrees in biology or chemistry.
One quick comment about the job market and the stimulus money: Science in general is receiving increased funding, so careers and research in biology should benefit at least as much as those environmental science.