Is upper-division Biology more analytical/conceptual than lower-division?

College Majors Science Majors
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<p>From what I understand, lower-division can be aced by brute-force route memorization, but there doesn't seem to be a consensus on upper-division. Some say it's more of the same, some say it's taking all those memorized concepts and finally applying them to situations that require analysis, and others say it depends on the upper-division class. I really want to get a degree in Biology, and I don't mind at all if a lot of it is memorization, but I would be sorely disappointed if I didn't get to use that huge store of information in analytical situations at least some of the time. For anyone who's majoring/majored, what's your opinion? </p>

<p>Also, for anyone who's gone on to grad. school, same question, but instead between undergrad. and grad.?</p>

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<p>Oops, meant rote btw. :D</p>

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<p>Entirely depends on what you study. You may like something like systems biology or network biology. Heavily mathematical concepts need to be used to study systems which is really how biology SHOULD be studied anyway. Reductionism in biology is why our science fails IMO when it comes time to actually applying many concepts in biology for say a medical purpose. Many of the things biologists study at individually at the cellular level are just simply cogs of a much larger machine, that when manipulated individually may have no effect at all at the systems level. It’s why many strategies for cancer therapy fail.</p>