<p>FWIW...</p>
<p>psych-majors-not-happy-with-options:</a> Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance</p>
<p>Thank you. There is now solid proof that biology is inferior to chemical engineering, not only in terms of pay and prestige but in terms of personal accomplishment.</p>
<p>In fact, I believe that schools should consider relocating biology to a program or a concentration within the Department of Chemistry or Department of Chemical Engineering. It is not worthy of study as an independent subject. Maybe even move it to graduate level only.</p>
<p>Lastthreeyears, you’d annihilate a whole field on the basis of a few percentage points in a single study? Biology is not a subset of chemical engineering. Also, note that biology is up there with computer science and civil engineering in terms of career/major satisfaction.</p>
<p>Many undergraduate majors do not suffice, all by themselves, to prepare students for the job market. That’s OK. The problem comes when students, either because they don’t check or because they are badly advised, fail to understand that fact.</p>
<p>Before the typical technical vs non-technical degree debate (which would likely devolve into engineering vs. everything else) occurs, I would like to make a couple observations. </p>
<p>The top major has a little over 50% satisfaction. Does not that mean that even in a field like engineering , only half are satisfied with their jobs?</p>
<p>Most majors are between the 40 and 50% range. Why is psychology so low compared to something like history? They, in theory, lead to same time type of work (typical liberal arts jobs, place your stereotype here). So I don’t understand why psychology is significantly lower than all the other majors listed. The best explanation I can think of is that those attracted to psychology already have some issues and the few jobs a BA in psych can do that are actually related to psych tend to be high stress and low pay.</p>
<p>Everything in biology can be explained with the principles of chemistry and physics. Therefore biology is simply a specialized form of chemistry at the microscopic level, and chemical engineering when dealing with bulk properties. The same equations that model flow through a chemical plant can be applied to a circulatory system. Diffusion equation doesn’t change whether molecules diffuse across a cell membrane or inside a plastic. The synthesis reactions in cells can be carried out in a beaker. Chemistry deals with the study of all reactions and the properties of all matter. Biology deals with a narrow range of reactions (homogenously catalyzed organic reactions in aqueous solution) and a narrow range of matter (4 types of macromolecules).</p>
<p>I suspect biology students are dissatisfied because of the highly theoretical and memorization heavy nature of their classes, the low pay after graduation, and the realization that a chemist or engineer can do anything they can, better than they can.</p>
<p>Well, I would like to contribute to this thread a little. As I’ve posted on my threads, I’m currently undergoing a LLB degree. And while in the law field, I’ve come across a wide variety of information “suggesting” law graduates/lawyers are not very happy with their careers (I know the thread is about majors).</p>
<p>I really enjoyed these articles:
[Options</a> for Unhappy Lawyers](<a href=“http://www.martynemko.com/articles/options-for-unhappy-lawyers_id1270]Options”>Options for Unhappy Lawyers)
[Should</a> You Be a Lawyer?](<a href=“http://www.martynemko.com/articles/should-you-be-lawyer_id1303]Should”>Should You Be a Lawyer?)</p>
<p>But then again, I think it depends on the person. And how much the person loves what they’re doing…and their reasons for doing what they do. Usually when you only do something for money, you end up not being that happy (unless you become the next steve jobs or bill gates, I guess). As for myself, I want to change careers. Not that I’m unhappy with law (which I like and respect deeply), but because I think there must be something else that’s more of a fit for me (what I’m passionate about, my interests, work environment, stress level, etc).</p>