I’m an undergrad at UCSD and not sure which major to choose. I have the understanding that they share their similarities but bioinformatics focuses more on biology whereas data science focuses more on statistics. I like the idea of studying genetics with bioinformatics but also don’t mind the math involved with data science. Which one seems to be better suited for future employment/opportunities? Thanks!
I see four different majors at UC-San Diego relating to Bioinformatics, and none that have “data science” in the name of the major. I was going to look at the actual courses required for the different majors to compare the coursework, but you will need to do that to see just how different or similar they are.
If you are undecided, you could get a major in one area and a minor in another area, or just take electives in that other area to broaden your skills.
Both areas are growth areas as far as jobs are concerned. If you like the idea of studying genetics with bioinformatics, you should choose that path to best prepare you for a career that you will also like. Data science might be more focused on crunching numbers that help a business function well, while bioinformatics could be focused on crunching data that will help with scientific discoveries. The context of your work and the end goal of it can actually make a difference in how much you like the work, so I recommend going with the path that feels most rewarding to you.
The bioinformatics major I would pursue is offered by the chemistry department. Data science is being offered for the first time this fall at UCSD. Both majors are non impacted. I personally am leaning more towards bioinformatics but I hear all this hype about data science being the ‘future’. Your response greatly helps, thank you!
You do not need to worry if “data science” is in your major/program title. As long as you know:
Predictive Analytics
Statistics
Machine Learning
R
Python
Mahout (if using a Hadoop cluster)
You will be OK.
Omics is a growing field. Not as big as data science, but plenty of demand.