<p>I'm thinking about changing my major to bio so I can work in a lab/research, but I don't want to go for a PhD. I don't know too much about the Master programs, so I have a few questions.
1. Are MS programs super competitive? Do you have to get published or do research through a national program or is it okay to just work in a lab at your college?
2. Is it okay if I get a BA in bio as opposed to a BS? (If I got a BS, I'd have to add another semester or two and take o. chem and physics, which will be most likely be difficult for me)
3. Stupid question, but how difficult is getting a MS? Science has always been my weak point, but if I work hard enough and have a good teacher/prof who's willing to help, I do okay.
4. What is the pay for those w/ a Master's? I know those w/ Bachelors start out at about $32K and those w/ a PhD are much higher. </p>
<p>A lot of schools don't even offer a bio MS. And in the US, the people who are in such programs are frequently there trying to boost their credentials and have a better shot at PhD programs. They are generally not all that competitive.</p>
<p>Jessiehl is right: most programs don't even offer a terminal masters program in the biomedical sciences. The reason for that is twofold - a ms student doesn't provide much value to the institution as they don't do much research yet require the same amount of institutional resources/faculty attention that a phd student does. The second reason is that a ms degree is the booby prize of science; employers don't view a ms as any different from a bs. Salaries for individuals vary widely depending on field, position and location. If you're looking for salaries for ms graduates you can simply find the bs counterpart and add a thousand or two per year.</p>
<p>BA is no different from BS. However, if you fail to complete ochem and physics, you will not be accepted into any graduate program (or if you are, you will have these classes as deficiencies that need to be completed). Not having these two classes also means that you would be ineligible for a mph, bsn, pharmd, md, do and many other science degrees. If you are serious about a future in science you will need these two classes and probably genetics and biochem too.</p>
<p>You might be surprised by how low the salaries for phd's can be. The NIH minimum for post docs is 37,000 per year. Most people have several years of post doc experience and even then only about 20 percent of them enter the ranks of tenure track faculty. On the other hand, a newly minted PhD in industry in pharmaceutical/biotech therapeutics in California could be making in excess of 100,000 per year. </p>
<p>If you really want to have a career in science, it will take considerable dedication and hard work, particularly if you don't feel that you have an aptitude for it. Monetary payoffs can be low (in academia) but unlike much more highly paid professions such as physicians, surgeons, attorneys etc our job fulfillment is much higher and career changes are less frequent. If you can imagine yourself being fulfilled by a career in the sciences, then by all means, do your best and see where the chips land.</p>
<p>You can get an MS in biology at many smaller institutions where the graduate population is small. Most students (like the others mentioned) who go for a MS in biology only do so to boost their application for medical, dental, or doctoral program. If you have no interest in getting a phd but would like a career in biology research, it would be better for you to simply start working in a lab and gain laboratory and research skills. </p>
<p>There is a large difference between a BA and BS. Like you've mentioned a BA requires less rigorous courses. Students who go for a BA tend to have a second major that is not science or mathematics related (maybe biology and english or chemistry and education). If you want to do research you should go for the BS because, like you said, it will require you to take more difficult courses that are necessary for understanding fundamentals in biology (ie organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and calculus).</p>
<p>I guess I just assumed a MS would be a lot better than a BS/BA, but apparently not. </p>
<p>I'm actually a psych major (which is a BA) and if I added a BA in biology, I would still graduate as previously planned; if I went for the BS in bio, I would have to add another semester or two. So, if I wanted to do research right out of undergrad or do medical writing, would a BA be sufficient or should I go for a BS?</p>
<p>I guess it depends on the kind of research you would like to do. If you are thinking more along the lines of (non bench) psychology research, I can't imagine how coursework in ochem and physics would be relevant. However, stats probably would be greatly to your advantage to have. If you want to open your options up a bit and be eligible for neuroscience lab jobs after undergrad, the extra courses that you mentioned would be absolutely necessary. I can't say anything about medical writing as I don't know anybody who did that.</p>
<p>I asked around about the differences between BA and BS of people from different schools. I guess there is a slight difference the type of breadth requirements you have to take (at UW Madison) but nobody thought it would be perceived differently.</p>
<p>I didn't place any judgment on those who pursue a BA over a BS. Yes it is true that not all schools or programs offer both degrees, but those that do will differentiate between the two in terms of the course requirements. So there is a difference. Look at any universities' course manual/book and you can view the differences in course requirements for a BA in Biology over a BS in Biology.</p>
<p>There seem to be conflicting opinions here about whether a BS makes a large difference over a BA. Bottom line: it depends on the school. Here at IU, a BA requires the exact same courses as a BS (physics, organic, and upper level inorganic included) and is only short one elective lecture and one elective lab compared to the BS (and maybe a couple math courses; I didn't really pay attention since I tested out). If you receive a BA in a program like this or a liberal arts school that doesn't offer a BS, you're golden. But, as it appears, you had the opportunity to pursue a BS but didn't because you didn't want to take physics, that's sending up major red flags.</p>
<p>A lot of modern biology is strongly influenced by organic chemistry. It worries me a little that you don't want to take it because it would be "hard for you." You're afraid of basic undergraduate courses...did you think graduate school would be easier? You also say science is your weak point and you can do "okay" at most. Why are you thinking about a bio MS then? What's wrong with sticking with psych and working in a developmental or social or cognitive lab instead?</p>
<p>It sounds to me like you're thinking about the degree because it's the thing to do and you'd like the piece of paper to get a higher salary, not because it's what would make you happy. A) Salaries in biology are abysmally low compared to other sciences, and B) once you get your diploma, you're going to be entering a competitive industry full of people who do better than "okay" without hand-holding.</p>
<p>With decent grades and a little lab experience, you can probably find a masters program somewhere in the country that will be glad to take your tuition money. But science is not going to be magically easy once you finish your undergrad years. The need to know chemistry is not going to dissolve into thin air. I think you would be miserable during the program and after it, when you're stuck behind a microscope diagnosing cancerous cells for an uptight dragon of a doctor in a hospital somewhere because you were overqualified for the writing position.</p>
<p>I think a better bet would be for you to bump that Psych BA up to a BS if it's offered at your school, and get some lab experience within that department. Take some bio classes for electives if you want--anatomy, genetics etc.--but don't try to take on a degree that you know you're not suited for.</p>
<p>"It sounds to me like you're thinking about the degree because it's the thing to do and you'd like the piece of paper to get a higher salary, not because it's what would make you happy."</p>
<p>tkm526--Let me give you some background: I have a chronic illness and I would like to do research in it--even if it's some lab tech work since I know a PhD isn't for me; that's why I'm thinking of adding a major in bio. I don't want to be rich, but I need to make sure that I have a salary that will pay for medcial bills for the rest of my life. </p>
<p>If I wanted to do a BS, it would take more time and a lot more stress (which aggravates my symptoms), so that's why I'm wondering if a BA would be okay. I got a 99% in gen chem and calc I, but I had great professors; so that's why I'm questioning myself of whether or not I could handle some of the BS classes. </p>
<p>And no, my university does not offer a BS in psych.</p>