<p>So I know I want to major in genetics or something related, but some of the schools I've applied to have both microbiology and molecular biology majors. These seem pretty similar from the basic descriptions in the catalogs so what's the difference?</p>
<p>microbiology is the study of micro organisms - those organisms that exist on the scale up to hundreds of micrometers. this study does not necessarily have to be at the molecular or genetic level though! in fact, microbiology can get quite macroscopic in biochemical engineering, which uses gigantic vats of bacteria to produce tons of antibiotics. it can also get microscopic or even molecular when you run PCR or do microscopy. if you have an interest in all aspects of microbiology, from the molecular level all the way to 10 ton vats for antibiotic production, I’d recommend a biochemical engineering/chemical engineering degree over a straight microbiology one.</p>
<p>molecular biology is the study of the molecular processes of life, especially as applied to genetics. it doesn’t study the chemical properties of life overall, as that’s for chemists and biochemists; it instead narrowly focuses on genetic mechanisms.</p>
<p>there is significant overlap of course, as both disciplines are offshoots of biology which is just very specialized chemistry/chemical engineering.</p>