<p>I am a bio major going to a community college right now and I'm applying to transfer to UCSD.
I'm interested in doing genetic engineering or recombinant DNA research in the future.</p>
<p>So I've heard that Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Molecular Biology are both recommended majors for genetic engineering, but how do I choose between those two. What exactly makes them different? </p>
<p>Also, although I would most likely want to get into genetics research, I'm also very interested in evolution and I have considered the ecology, behavior, and evolution major. What are the outlooks of getting into genetics research for that major, if any? Cuz I have been reading about it and it seems like many who come out of this major are doing applied careers like being ecologists and environmentalists and such, and I certainly am not too interested in going down that path.</p>
<p>My best advice to you is that IT DOESN'T MATTER.</p>
<p>Most of the bio majors are already clones of each other, and differ only by a few electives. If you can't settle on a major that suits you 100%, you can always pick some extra classes on top of your major requirements to round everything out. And as for jobs, few companies are willing to hire someone who has coursework experience alone -- you'll need to pick up a research position/internship/etc sometime to pick up necessary skills. Your choice of job can dramatically affect your chances of landing a similar type of job post-graduation.</p>
<p>Yeah what she said. I'm assuming you're going for graduate school? If that's the case it really doesn't matter much according to my research. I'm kind of in the same boat as you, and it turns out you have a certain degree of freedom regarding your B.S. degree in terms of graduate school requirements. </p>
<p>So there is no cookie cutter major for what you're getting into, just take a look at the curriculum description for each different bio major on the UCSD bio website, and see which one would interest you the most.</p>
<p>haha, probably wont do human bio tho, i feel that one might be most geared towards premeds.
Ok, so I know that most of them are the same, but i looked at the classes for EBE and that one seems considerably different from the others and not just by "a few electives" am i right?
Of course, I'm asking in terms of coursework now, I do realize that the various bio degrees hardly matters.
I hoping someone from ucsd who already has taken some of the upper division classes for a bio major could give me some insight about the specializations. like is EBE geared more towards the macro level of bio and everything else the microscopic, molecular level?</p>
<p>I thought they were until you told me (and i quote): "Most of the bio majors are already clones of each other, and differ only by a few electives."</p>
<p>Bioinformatics is part of the chem department, the bio department, the bioengineering department, and the cse department. All of them have slightly different course requirements I believe.</p>
<p>yeah..for bioInf you can apply for it from all different departments..generally students start out as some major in one of those departments and then find themselves wandered into bioInf later..its not too common to find one of those students around, however</p>
<p>Yeah bioinformatics is too awesome for most people. </p>
<p>Hey quick question BlueSkyPinkCloud, what kind of grades do the departments look for when you transfer to the major? I'm doing Math 20C right now and fulfilled the other screening courses through AP credits except for CSE 12. What grades should I shoot for in those classes?</p>
<p>are you applying through the bioE dept?? thats really great that you got to skip the other requirements...so thats means youre taking cse 12 next quarter, or spring quarter?? cse 12 is a pretty intense java/c++ course, i know a handful of people who had to retake it, and one guy who breezed through cse 11 and struggled for a B in 12...id say as long as youre above a 3.0 youre a shoe-in, just because applications are low..if its lower than that then im sure they put heavy weight on the application essay...but since you passed alot of the reqs, itll be based on an overall academic merit..make sure you dont have a heavy load when you take cse 12 because your life will be consumed in the labs lol</p>
<p>Yeah I've heard tons of horror stories about CSE 12. I was planning on taking it next quarter, but I also want to take Honors Warren Writing, Math 20F, and Chem 140A (or Physics 2C, but it conflicts with CSE 12...). I'm extremely worried about bombing OChem though, so I'll probably postpone that...aaaarrrggghhh decisions decisions...</p>
<p>id say just do cse 12 in spring quarter..and yeahh..cse 12 is alllways colliding with physics..the bioE dept told me and a friend of mine to skip a weekly physics lectures so i could go to cse class..i was like, are you kidding me? not only do you want me to take a huge class load, you want me to skip weekly lectures on freikin physics...goood job making sure you clear classes with the registrar, nott</p>
<p>but yeah, id say you should actually postpone the cse 12 class, take those other four, since they dont approve apps until the end of the year for non prebioInf students..then youll have ochem down by spring quarter and youll have the hang of things</p>
<p>Crap there are already waitlists for Chem 140A...><</p>
<p>Maybe I'll have to take Math 20D instead...</p>
<p>Ah whatever, I'll just schedule all the classes I can and get waitlisted for some and drop them later...waitlisted classes don't count towards your 19.5 credit maximum right?</p>
<p>Dang...nah I'll take Psych 60 instead of Chem 140A. That should be easier...now it's just a matter of Math 20F vs. Math 20D...Math 20F for sure. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your help btw, future bioinformatics colleague (hopefully).</p>