<p>Here is my situation summarized in a paragraph: I'm currently a sophomore at a large state university majoring in biology. Within the department are several specialization programs, including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, teaching, etc. I am enrolled in the biochemistry program. However, I am trying to obtain the honors degree, which requires a much broader scope of classes than that of the general bio degree. I am also in an honors program which requires its participants to take 24 credit hours of designated classes (usually unrelated to any major or minor offered at the university). I currently have 3 honors credit hours to my name. Furthermore, I am interested in obtaining a minor in Spanish, for which I need another 15 credit hours.</p>
<p>The problem and decision I have to make is as follows: I have heard from various sources that a biology degree is considered to be much easier to obtain than that in one of the hard sciences, such as chemistry or physics. However, the honors degree in biochemistry lacks only four or five courses from the ACS accredited chemistry major. I am thinking about going for the chemistry double major, but to do so, I would almost certainly have to give up on either the colleges honors program (which apparently adds a footnote of some sort to the diploma) or the Spanish minor. The extra chemistry courses would doubtlessly be more difficult than the Spanish, which I seem to have a knack for even at the college level, and they would also be more difficult than the honors courses, which from what I hear from my friends who have taken them tend to be liberal arts-oriented and non-computational.</p>
<p>Whenever I log into my school account and check for information pertaining to my major, it is always listed as Biology-BS, mentioning neither the honors nor the biochemistry specialization. I feel a bit guilty for thinking this way and I mean no disrespect to those who choose the alternate degree paths, but I am afraid that if I were to apply for a job or for graduate school, my application would be lumped with those from other specializations which, although just as in depth with respect to biology, are not nearly so broad in the scope of their requirements. I would like to pose this question to someone within the school hierarchy but Im not sure who I could ask, as my advisor is within the biology department and would probably, if perhaps unintentionally, be biased towards biology and protective of its reputation. If anyone has experience applying for the positions I have mentioned or has reviewed such applications, please advise me. Would going for the chemistry double major be worth the effort with respect to my chances for getting into grad school or getting a job? If so, which of my other objectives should I push to the side?</p>
<p>I am not in bio or chem but my guess is that for grad school those other things are useless. I doubt that a grad school would care at all about your spanish speaking ability or the fact that you have some honors degree. They will care about you bio grades and your research experience. </p>
<p>I have never applied for any job or internship in industry. I have just done research and applied to grad schools so I have no idea what industry would be looking for.</p>
<p>“I have heard from various sources that a biology degree is considered to be much easier to obtain than that in one of the hard sciences, such as chemistry or physics.”</p>
<p>Whoever told you this was not a serious committed biology student.</p>
<p>Take the classes you want to take. Pursue the biochem program. Do well in all of your courses. Take advantage of any research opportunities that come your way. When you apply for a job, or to graduate school, they will actually read your transcripts.</p>
<p>As to whether your diploma/transcript will say “Honors Program”, that is a question to take up with the people in your university’s Registrar’s Office.</p>
<p>I would suggest doing whatever degree you want that allows you to take the courses you want and that are relevant to what you want to do post-grad, the official ‘name’ of the degree is generally irrelevant, I think. It is the courses you took and your research experience. Do a degree that gives you the background and allows you to have time for research.</p>
<p>Just how relevant, credible, etc. are these “various sources” telling you that a biology degree is much easier to obtain than a degree in chemistry or physics? Sounds like a lot of what my grandfather would call hooey!</p>
<p>Both employers and grad schools are not really going to care what it says on your actual diploma, because they know that each school will have its own requirements for different degrees and programs. But what employers and grad schools will be very interested in is what is shown on your transcript and your resume – what specific courses you have taken, what research experience you have, etc. And yes, an “honors” program designation – whether from the overall university or from your individual academic department – does get you extra attention, because it means that you were willing to take on extra work and performed it at a very high level.</p>
<p>So I agree with the other posters who have advised you to take the program/major that is the most relevant to your interests and career goals. (And if Spanish is an interest of yours, don’t be afraid of adding that minor, if you want it and you can fit it in. Being fluent in a foreign language can open up all sorts of unexpected opportunities – like doing field studies in the Amazon rainforest!) Do well in all of your classes and get to know your professors so that they will write you excellent letters of recommendation. Then when you are a senior, you will be in great shape for getting a job or getting into graduate school.</p>
<p>Spanish has to be at least as relevant as chemistry. Grad schools won’t notice the degree on your transcript. If they even look at the transcript in the first place, it will be to examine which courses you took and get a general feel for how you performed in them.</p>