Just curious about this.
Okay so Im basically all set on applying for a Biology degree, because I feel like its my strongest subject. The thing is I am good at other subjects too, but Biology was always the one I was effortlessly good at.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
Original post by freakedout
Okay so Im basically all set on applying for a Biology degree, because I feel like its my strongest subject. The thing is I am good at other subjects too, but Biology was always the one I was effortlessly good at.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
Is there a question here?
You seem to be crossing a lot of bridges before you come to them - a lot of people are fed up with academia after just a bachelors, including a lot of bright and ambitious ones... and of course there's no guarantee with any degree.
Original post by Joinedup
Is there a question here?
You seem to be crossing a lot of bridges before you come to them - a lot of people are fed up with academia after just a bachelors, including a lot of bright and ambitious ones... and of course there's no guarantee with any degree.
You seem to be crossing a lot of bridges before you come to them - a lot of people are fed up with academia after just a bachelors, including a lot of bright and ambitious ones... and of course there's no guarantee with any degree.
Haha I know, I just don't want to end up regretting my degree. Since everybody around me is dead sure that its completely useless with no future UNLESS I decide to do further study. But since that I can only be sure of after Im close to graduating, I dont know... what if I decide I dont want to do anything scientific. Would I get a job or would my degree be of a disadvantage. Especially because its not as mathematical as others
You could do an integrated undergraduate masters which would save you having to worry about getting funding for a separate MSc... or do a BSc with a placement year for employability.
You can still get onto accountancy gradschemes with a biology degree afaik - might as well do something you're interested in cos losing motivation is imo a serious problem.
You can still get onto accountancy gradschemes with a biology degree afaik - might as well do something you're interested in cos losing motivation is imo a serious problem.
Yeah I think Ill stick with Bio, but I want to do a more focused masters so I guess undergrad will do for now. Thankyou btw
I did a Biology undergraduate and quite frankly, regret it. I wish I'd done Biomedical Science or a specialist degree to be closer to a job after graduating.
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
Original post by freakedout
Okay so Im basically all set on applying for a Biology degree, because I feel like its my strongest subject. The thing is I am good at other subjects too, but Biology was always the one I was effortlessly good at.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
However these days my parents and practically everyone around me seem to think it is a useless science with absolutely no job prospects and I would be better of doing something like accountancy, economics,management ... yada yada yada.
The sole reason for it being that while I am sure that I will definitely pursue a Masters at some point. I am not sure about a PHd, and without it my future in the field wont be very bright. I mean I want to specialise in one area of biology, or maybe even do something in the environmental field, etc. I dont know yet which is why I just want to do a simple Biology degree before I pick an area of interest.
The main issue is job prospects and also the money. I know everyone will say money doesnt matter and everything...which is true. It doesnt. But I would still like to earn enough that I could make a life of my own without any help from my parents. Good apartment, car etc. And while I may not be able to get that straight out of my degree I'd like to think it would be achievable three, four years down the road. Oh and also I want to go into a career where the money keeps getting better, the rate may be slow, but I hate bieng at a stagnant point. I dont mean to sound greedy, I just mean in the sense that the pay increases with experience and my experience is valued and Im not replaced by some one new, without a thought.
If job prospects are the main thing motivating you then there isn't really an issue with taking Biology at all, you can go into pretty much any generic graduate job, or something in finance, and there is are an awful lot of jobs in lab/molecular based Biology. There are loads of jobs if you just want an apartment and a nice car and to work in the big city. However, if you want to go into environmental Biology the jobs are very competitive, you will probably need a masters if not a PhD, and the money is pretty crap. Out of 160 people in my year at Bristol Uni doing Biology I think approximately 1 has a job in this area, although a lot are on internships or postgrad courses.
I think you need to figure out what your main motivations are for doing your degree. Would you rather do a degree you enjoy, a degree you find easy or a degree that lands you a sure job at the end of it?
P.S I am currently studying a Masters in Research in Biodiversity and Conservation if you want to know any more about environmental postgrad options
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by freakedout
Haha I know, I just don't want to end up regretting my degree. Since everybody around me is dead sure that its completely useless with no future UNLESS I decide to do further study. But since that I can only be sure of after Im close to graduating, I dont know... what if I decide I dont want to do anything scientific. Would I get a job or would my degree be of a disadvantage. Especially because its not as mathematical as others
Unless you hate the course, which I doubt since you said you said you enjoy Biology, I don't think you would regret it. Biology closes very few doors to you in terms of career, the people I graduated with are working or interning in all different sectors from film companies to pharmaceutical companies to actuarial placements and Deloitte grad schemes.
Original post by redferry
Unless you hate the course, which I doubt since you said you said you enjoy Biology, I don't think you would regret it. Biology closes very few doors to you in terms of career, the people I graduated with are working or interning in all different sectors from film companies to pharmaceutical companies to actuarial placements and Deloitte grad schemes.
IF I get in Ill probably go to Imperial, and on their career centre page they have a job listing as a waitress... which scares me to death. I mean Ive always liked dealing with subjects which are more facts than... well subjects like History or Economics (didn't enjoy it at Alevel at all... I had planned to do it for the money before
). And so... I dont know I'm just scared to be out of a job if I dont want to do a Masters...:/And I would want some job which is like 30-40k... which I feel like I wont be able to get with Bio :/ help please... EVERYONE around me tells me to apply for Management. God I just dont know
Original post by freakedout
IF I get in Ill probably go to Imperial, and on their career centre page they have a job listing as a waitress... which scares me to death. I mean Ive always liked dealing with subjects which are more facts than... well subjects like History or Economics (didn't enjoy it at Alevel at all... I had planned to do it for the money before ). And so... I dont know I'm just scared to be out of a job if I dont want to do a Masters...:/
And I would want some job which is like 30-40k... which I feel like I wont be able to get with Bio :/ help please... EVERYONE around me tells me to apply for Management. God I just dont know
). And so... I dont know I'm just scared to be out of a job if I dont want to do a Masters...:/And I would want some job which is like 30-40k... which I feel like I wont be able to get with Bio :/ help please... EVERYONE around me tells me to apply for Management. God I just dont know
Nothing wrong with being a waitress until you find the right job though, it is the unemployment figures you should be worrying about.
At the end of the day those stats are often done 6-12 months after graduation, waitressing wont be their long term career path, they could be a successful molecular biologist by now or anything.
You wont be out of a job for long if you are happy to take a generic graduate job with a good degree from Imperial!
You will definitely be able to get that salary with bio, my friend just took an entry level job in finance at 25k! And there is so much scope to work your way up.
Don't apply for management -_- from the sound of things you wont enjoy it as much and it is easier to get management jobs with science degrees than with management degrees to be perfectly honest!
Original post by redferry
Nothing wrong with being a waitress until you find the right job though, it is the unemployment figures you should be worrying about.
At the end of the day those stats are often done 6-12 months after graduation, waitressing wont be their long term career path, they could be a successful molecular biologist by now or anything.
You wont be out of a job for long if you are happy to take a generic graduate job with a good degree from Imperial!
You will definitely be able to get that salary with bio, my friend just took an entry level job in finance at 25k! And there is so much scope to work your way up.
Don't apply for management -_- from the sound of things you wont enjoy it as much and it is easier to get management jobs with science degrees than with management degrees to be perfectly honest!
At the end of the day those stats are often done 6-12 months after graduation, waitressing wont be their long term career path, they could be a successful molecular biologist by now or anything.
You wont be out of a job for long if you are happy to take a generic graduate job with a good degree from Imperial!
You will definitely be able to get that salary with bio, my friend just took an entry level job in finance at 25k! And there is so much scope to work your way up.
Don't apply for management -_- from the sound of things you wont enjoy it as much and it is easier to get management jobs with science degrees than with management degrees to be perfectly honest!
Thank you for replying
to be honest the ONLY thing that worries me about Biology is the job thing, but since I might be able to enter any field with the degree, ( obv excluding law/med/engineering ) I'm not too worried now. It's just people around me which make fun of me for choosing the 'easiest science' and how my skills will be useless that makes me doubt myself. Like a family friend of mine just finished his computer science degree and got an excellent well paying job straight away and his university is no where near the top 20. Then their are the millions of lawyers and accountants in my family who kind of think I'm wasting my parents money and bieng ' impractical and childish' they keep telling me to try out law just like they told me to try out Economics. Facts and figures I can work with I hate working with abstract subjects. I even dropped English Lit even though I was good at it in Alevels. Also about the molecular bio thing... Is it more for the chemistry students, as in has more chem in it than bio? Aaand do you need a phd to become a molecular biologist or will masters do? Also are you enjoying what your studying 
Original post by Frankster
Don't chase success. Chase your passions and success will chase you...
And thats where the problem essentially lies see MY passion was always to be independent financially, I don't want to rely on anyone for anything and I need to make good money for that. Im sorry if that sounds... bad, but I grew up in a kinda poor family and the financial pressure made each and every relationship strain. (Have people in my family who are kind of physically abusive. Even though they are nice people in general, high pressure, bad economy, any little thing that goes wrong makes them see red)
I only added the part above so that you guys understand where I'm coming from I NEED independence, I'm not just some money obsessed crazy person.
And since Ive always been effortlessly good at Biology I thought it is my best bet to apply in since I might be able to graduate with a first more easily than in lets say Math. Soo yeah... Im really sorry for these long winded posts. I honestly cant go to anyone else with my problems so I come to tsr
Original post by chris300
I did a Biology undergraduate and quite frankly, regret it. I wish I'd done Biomedical Science or a specialist degree to be closer to a job after graduating.
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
But can you not get employed in any other sector? Finance etc? I mean are you seriously struggling to find ANY well paying job?
Original post by chris300
I did a Biology undergraduate and quite frankly, regret it. I wish I'd done Biomedical Science or a specialist degree to be closer to a job after graduating.
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
I wouldn't say there are no job prospects but with just an undergraduate, there are very few. With a masters, some more, but we're talking lab assistants, scientific officers where the max you'll get is 22K. With a PhD you'll be open to postdoc positions but you say you don;t want a PhD?
If you love Biology, study it. You can always find a career afterwards and university is about fun whilst educating yourself. Just be warned...
This is pretty late but Im doing a Biomedical science degree and the prospects dont look any brighter. To be fair my biomedical sciences course is unaccredited, at UCL they let you choose any module within the department, to be accredited means you can practice as a Biomedical scientist. However the top unis like UCL and KCL looks down on this because you are basically training to become a technician and your daily life will be very repetitive. In hindsight I really object to think now because Im studying random science modules that will not get me a job related to my degree. The only real progression is to do further study in research, doing my dissertation now and I am really not passionate about it. I mean I can do it, its not too hard, but I can't imagine spend anymore of my life reading reviews and journals and doing experiments that might hopefully add some value to medical research.
OP, if you enjoy labwork then this is the degree for you. After careful deliberating I have decided to apply for postgraduate nursing because I'm always interested in healthcare and love to apply my knowledge directly to assist people. Its definitely not an easy job, 12 hour shifts ungrateful patients cleaning up vomit, but there is definite career progression and I will be gaining skills that are directly employable. It gets worse before it gets better. I love life sciences and there are plenty of different fields to specialise, oncology, sexual health, A&E etc.
Personally I dont understand why people would want to get into a a generic graduate job that is not related to their career. Fine ,you develop many transferable skills from your degree, but if you are applying for finance from a biology degree you are just competing with graduates who have a background in finance. I guess this is just my opinion I have tried to apply for internships in the City and I just didn't get their jargon, its too corporate, its about networking and impressing potential clients, not to mention backstabbing. OK maybe Im a bit harsh, if you fit the mould there is no reason why you shouldn't be successful.
Wow graduate salary of 30-40K.....
Good luck whatever you decide xx
(edited 11 years ago)
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