Chemistry or Environmental Science

I’m currently taking an Access to Science (Health) course. I was originally intending to do Environmental Science, but I’ve gotten cold feet about it. On UCAS, I applied to Chemistry Foundation and MSci Environmental Science at the UEA; UEA was chosen as it’s local to me. I could have chosen Maths and Physics, and whilst I could still get a Foundation Year at the UEA with my Access Course, I should have really done the engineering course instead.

I don’t have specific career goals, so I want to ensure that my path is as broad as possible. However, an academic job could be interesting, so I was contemplating doing a Doctorate in the future, but that’s far off now. My fear with Env. Sci. Is that I will be locked into Env. Sci and won’t be able to transfer to other fields. Chemistry BScs can be used to go onto MSc Env. Sci at the UEA, so I know that I could still get whatever paths offered by Env. Sci. I saw Southhampton MSc Chemistry could accept an Env. Sci degree if it has 50% chemistry content, but at an applicant day the person at the UEA said it’s more like 40%

I have come up with a few different plans; feel free to comment on them, including things I may not have considered, as well as suggest different pathways:

BSc Chemistry -> MSc Env. Sci. This means I can still study any Master’s, but the UEA does not offer a BSc with a year abroad and the UEA doesn’t offer MSc Chemistry either.

MSci Env. Sci.

MChem Chemistry -> MSc Env. Sci. This was my original plan until I found that I wouldn’t get Master’s funding for the second masters

Aside from costs and time, am I right in thinking doing Chemistry could offer me a broader path? What MSc degrees could I do with both BSc Chemistry and BSc Env. Sci.? What careers could they lead me to?

Push comes to shove, I can apply to attend uni next year, but more pressingly I will need to do a dissertation as part of my access course. I have been told that completing it results in the 9 credits it takes up being considered as credits in the subject that the dissertation was on. Therefore, I need to decide soon what the topic and subject will be as it will impact what I could do and where I could go after the Access Course. Am I right in thinking if I did it on a Chemistry topic that it *wouldn't* disadvantage me in applying for Env. Sci at most universities? I was thinking of doing a Chemistry topic as some universities ask for 12 or 15 credits in Chemistry modules, so adding the 6 credits of Chemistry I have done with the 9 of the dissertation would meet that.

I may comment more details that I remember, but if you need more information, don’t hesitate to ask.