Biology vs Chemistry?

Which is better in terms of job prospects? I’m torn between the two.

I’m torn between the two.

Haha I can understand, I loved both and initially wanted to do one of them in the future but parents made me choose physics instead of bio at A-levels. Now I'm set on doing chem at uni :smile:

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

ife08

Biology

Reply 3

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Gabriel-01

Which is better in terms of job prospects? I’m torn between the two.

Hi there!

I have just graduated from Lancaster University with a Natural Sciences BSc so thought I could give my experience with the degree as it sounds like it could be a good fit.

Natural Sciences degrees tend to vary by university, so it's definitely worth having a look around to see what course is right for you. At Lancaster, the degree is very flexible, you can choose 3 pathways out of a possible 21. The subjects range from chemistry, biology, physics, maths, computer science, engineering, earth sciences, and more, so there are many different possible combinations! The complete list of different pathways is in the brochure which can be found here - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/natural-sciences/ .

I have loved the degree, and have started studying a Mechanical Engineering Masters since that ended up being my favourite subject of my Natural Sciences undergraduate. In terms of job prospects, it depends on the subjects that you choose as to what you go into, but 97% of Natural Sciences students from Lancaster are either in work or further study within 6 months of graduating. It is probably also best to centre your decision for your degree around what you are passionate about since both could lead to a variety of interesting careers. If you are passionate about both chemistry and biology, then studying both could allow you to find an interesting crossover area between the two to specialise in. Or it could give you more time to realise which area would be preferable for you to study - you can drop/add more biology/chemistry as you go along the degree.

I absolutely loved the degree and if you have any questions, just let me know!

-Bethan (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)