<p>Hey guys,
I got the good news today. UCLA admitted me as a Biology major, but when I went to check the curriculum for upper division courses, I noticed a pretty large focus on Ecology (which is a pretty large no-no for me). At the time I applied, I chose Bio hoping that it would be a little more well-rounded, and since then have found an interest in topics more related to Physiology.
I know that they don't allow non-Life Science majors to switch, but I was wondering if it would be possible for me to switch considering I'm already accepted for Biology and because Physiology was less demanding in terms of transfer statistics from 2012 (3.62 GPA admitted vs. 3.74 for Bio). Maybe I'm entirely wrong though, and the Biology major at UCLA is more rounded. If anybody could enlighten me, it'd be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Hey,
It’s entirely possible for you to switch between the life sciences. I have a friend who was admitted last year as a biology major and then switched to MIMG, another life science major as you may already know. Like you said, the problem is only when switching from a non-life science major to a life science.
Also, congratulations!</p>
<p>You do realize that ecology encompasses a large range of possible topics, right? It doesn’t have a rigid definition that will severely limit your freedom to study a particular subject. In fact, ecological concepts might even help you to bridge different areas together (e.g., how do organisms respond physiologically to changes in their abiotic chemical environment?).</p>
<p>The study of biology, because it was invented by humans, has a tendency to arbitrarily project “classification” onto things. (Ask yourself if, for example, if grouping organisms into taxa has any real meaning.)</p>
<p>My point is that you shouldn’t let names limit your ability to interpret them in a way that interests you.</p>
<p>You can easily switch out of Bio. I would suggest switching into Physiological Science at orientation. Just know that within the Biology major requirements, there’s a rather large degree of freedom which allows you to comlete the major with classes in other majors (including MIMG, MCDB, Physiological Science, ect). You can even complete the major without ever taking an Ecology course if you only take the classes about Evolution as your foundational courses. The same thing may not be true for the more specialized majors, which is one reason why I switched out of MCDB –> Biology. These majors are super focused, which can be an amazing experience if it’s your passion. I wouldn’t call them more rounded though. IMO, Biology is the “more rounded” major. You can check out the details here:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.eeb.ucla.edu/images/11F_BIOLOGY_MAJOR.pdf[/url]”>https://www.eeb.ucla.edu/images/11F_BIOLOGY_MAJOR.pdf</a></p>