IU Bloomington offers both and I am having trouble deciding which is better for getting into a master’s program for genetic counseling. I will not be premed. I love chemistry, like biology, and don’t care for physics. What are the differences and which would be better for me?
The BS degree is more science intense
The BA is less science intense but emphasizes more of a ‘well rounded’ liberal arts education.
One thing to do would be to look at the website of genetic counseling masters programs and look at their prereqs, then see whether they are all covered in the BA major.
I really don’t think it matters much, but considering Genetic counseling is a science-heavy career path, it might pay to get the BS.
Compare BS and BA programs here:
https://igps.iu.edu/sisaadm-prd/maps/view/0aff9b5b-b3cd-11e4-835b-9463e9cd9b35?guest=true
https://igps.iu.edu/sisaadm-prd/maps/view/094824d1-b3cd-11e4-83af-9463e9cd9b35?guest=true
Or here:
http://bulletins.iu.edu/iub/college/2017-2018/departments/chemistry/major-biochemistry-bs.shtml
http://bulletins.iu.edu/iub/college/2017-2018/departments/chemistry/major-biochemistry-ba.shtml
Compare with the admission requirements for genetic counseling master’s degree programs:
https://www.indstate.edu/cas/genetic-counseling/admissions-requirements
https://medicine.iu.edu/departments/genetics/education-programs/graduate-degrees/masters-counseling/admissions/