Hi, all.
I am a social work major (BSW). My situation is that I am in college on a full ride scholarship, so my BSW will be free for me.
While studying social work, I discovered a very deep passion of mine through taking one of the prerequisites for my BSW - biology. I would like to take a survey course next semester, and if I still like it, I would like to do another major. I’ll have to pay for the biology degree with student loans, but I don’t mind.
My university offers a masters program in biochemistry, and in all likelihood, that’s what I’d do if I got the bio degree.
Is a masters in biochemistry very useful? Are there jobs?
I’m not interested in the medical field (at least I don’t think so, at this point.) I’m actually very interested in research.
It depends on what you want to do. I don’t know that it would help you at all in your social work career, but if you want to do research there are jobs out there. Remember that science classes for non-science majors are typically watered down and much easier than courses for someone with the intent to major in science. For example, my school offered three introductory bio course sequences. 1.) for non-science majors 2.) for science majors 3.) for future med students. All three were very different in their focus.
Biochem programs typically require students to take bio classes (at least 2 semesters + lab), gen chem (2 semesters + lab), o-chem (2 semesters + lab), p-chem (1 semester), calc (1 or 2 semesters), genetics (1 semester), micro (1 or 2 semesters), and physics (2 semesters + lab). You will probably have to take most of these before you can even take an introductory biochem class. It all builds on basic bio and ochem (which requires gen chem first). I highly doubt a masters program would consider you without a science bachelors or at least the required classes.
Congratulations on your full ride scholarship, by the way!
Do you (still) have any interest in a social work career? I actually don’t think you should take the full ride scholarship in it if you aren’t going to pursue that kind of career. If it were me, I would pass it up so it could go to someone who will.
I would do what I really want to do, but, before committing to a biochemistry career and certainly before giving up the scholarship, I would see how I feel about it after taking AT LEAST a calculus course and a chemistry course for majors. If the university needs any explanation for why you want to explore science, I would simply tell them the truth.
For what it’s worth, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_102.htm) predicts about 19% job growth (well above average for occupations in general) and 13,700 openings (fairly modest because the field is small) 2012-2022 for “biochemists and biophysicists” (who are expected to have a graduate degree).
No. In most job postings an MS is treated by companies as either worthless (a slight plus for hiring perhaps) or a BS with 2 years experience. Otherwise an MS in Chem/BioS/Biochem or related all have the same lousy employment prospects [permatemp $15-20 dead-end lab jobs]
Biochemistry is not the same as biology. Take up to diff eq, o chem, biology, genetics, cell biology, physics, biochemistry, biophysics, microbiology, analytical chemistry, quantum mechanics, and chemical thermodynamics, and then you’ve got what a biochem undergrad does at the VERY least to prepare for a master’s in biochem. Biology degrees are very very different in that a lot of the chem/math/physics isn’t required.
I am also concerned that you don’t mention research. A master’s in a science is a thesis master’s. You are a researcher. Before you commit to this PLEASE go do a semester of research in a lab. The reason I say this is because people either love it or they can’t stand it… it has a lot of failure involved and can be extremely frustrating. DON’T JUST MAKE THIS DECISION ON COURSES