University of Warwick
Coventry
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biochemistry degree at warwick
Hi, I am considering whether to do biochemistry as my degree at warwick starting in October, and I was wondering if any current students could answer a few questions for me to help me finalise my decision.
firstly, is the degree interesting/hard/challenging?
would you recommend studying it? and why did you choose to study biochemistry?
how many people are offered the industrial placement in the second year, where people have got placements and how hard is it to find a placement and how hard it is to be offered a chance of a placement after your second year?
what sort of jobs are you applying for if you are coming up to finish your third year, and how easy/hard is it to find a job after completing a biochemistry degree? do employers expect further studying after completion of this degree?
firstly, is the degree interesting/hard/challenging?
would you recommend studying it? and why did you choose to study biochemistry?
how many people are offered the industrial placement in the second year, where people have got placements and how hard is it to find a placement and how hard it is to be offered a chance of a placement after your second year?
what sort of jobs are you applying for if you are coming up to finish your third year, and how easy/hard is it to find a job after completing a biochemistry degree? do employers expect further studying after completion of this degree?
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University of Warwick
Coventry
so what's it a choice between, biochemistry ar warwick or...
Dnator
How are you in the position to decide whether to do it or not, if you don't mind me asking?
I just got all my offers from all my unis yesterday, and Im currently in the middle of making a pro con list for them all. I was wondering how current students at all institutes I am considering rated the course, so that I can make my decision from what they say, and what the lecterers I spoke to on open days have said, so I can get a fuller picture. Im sorry I just realised that I didnt make it clear in my original post that I've applied and got an offer to start in october.
pharmacology at bristol.
I don't do either of the degrees but it seems pharmacology covers drugs, while biochemistry is broader, and covers long chemical pathways that occur in anything living, probably including plants.
I guess pharmacology is useful if you want to enter the pharmaceutical industry, or research drugs. You have that option with biochem of course, but you can go down other routes too.
I'm no expert on warwick, but I know the degree is challenging (probably not moreso than pharmacology though), but everyone I've heard of doing it says they find it extremely interesting.
Lots of people go into further study, for research it is recommended, for law, teaching etc. it is necessary. But I know a lot of people go into finance/accountancy with biochem in particular (rather than biology or genetics etc.) because of it's numerical nature.
Sorry I can't be more help! I've heard Bristol's particular strength is ecology, if that makes a difference. But they're still both great unis. (I'd go for bristol for the 'city', warwicks in the middle of nowhere, but that's just personal
)
I guess pharmacology is useful if you want to enter the pharmaceutical industry, or research drugs. You have that option with biochem of course, but you can go down other routes too.
I'm no expert on warwick, but I know the degree is challenging (probably not moreso than pharmacology though), but everyone I've heard of doing it says they find it extremely interesting.
Lots of people go into further study, for research it is recommended, for law, teaching etc. it is necessary. But I know a lot of people go into finance/accountancy with biochem in particular (rather than biology or genetics etc.) because of it's numerical nature.
Sorry I can't be more help! I've heard Bristol's particular strength is ecology, if that makes a difference. But they're still both great unis. (I'd go for bristol for the 'city', warwicks in the middle of nowhere, but that's just personal
)^^Sorry I didn't mean to offend, I said it was personal preference 
Dnator
How did you get offers for those two , must have been a difficult PS
Also, go to warwick, it's not in the middle of nowhere, the campus is awesome and I'll be there, which is a big bonus for anybody
Also, go to warwick, it's not in the middle of nowhere, the campus is awesome and I'll be there, which is a big bonus for anybody
Where is the evidence to back this statement?
Dnator
Well, the middle of nowhere implies that somewhere is not within a very short journey of a major city. Tosser
Well, that was particularly uncalled for. It was a simple question. Considering that most major universities are usually situated within large cities/towns which are rather vibrant, comparatively warwick is in the middle of nowhere, and that's what the phrase implies. No one is using 'middle of nowhere' to literally mean the absolute central point of an unknown and by definition isolated place. I was thinking about going to warwick, hopefully I'll never meet you if I do.
Dnator
How did you get offers for those two , must have been a difficult PS
not really. I just emphasized how much I enjoy doing biology and chemistry A Levels, and how I would like to do a degree which combines them both. I also talked about chemical processes in the body, illnesses and drugs.
Clarity Incognito
I was thinking about going to warwick,
what have you applied for?
Clarity Incognito
Well, that was particularly uncalled for. It was a simple question. Considering that most major universities are usually situated within large cities/towns which are rather vibrant, comparatively warwick is in the middle of nowhere, and that's what the phrase implies. No one is using 'middle of nowhere' to literally mean the absolute central point of an unknown and by definition isolated place. I was thinking about going to warwick, hopefully I'll never meet you if I do.
Well, if you had bothered to actually check the location of Warwick uni, it is very close to the 9th largest city in England (according to wikipedia). Yes, it is not in a central city location but I don't think it warrants the crap it gets about being 'nowhere'.
I do hope this isn't going to become a slagging match between universities :P
Where have you applied for Biochemistry ? - I'm a second year Biochemistry student at the university of East Anglia.
It should be noted that Biochemistry is very different at different universites. Are you interested in the biology end of chemsitry or the chemistry end of biology? Do you want to look at biological systems from a chemists perspective or chemistry from the view of a biologists. This may sound odd but different places out more 'energy' into one over the other. I would say it is best to look at which course is best for you then the university as a whole. Is it a nice place to live? Is the course good for you? I personally think that is better than is X university higher on some league table than Y uni.
Hopefully not too confusing a slightly helpful?
Where have you applied for Biochemistry ? - I'm a second year Biochemistry student at the university of East Anglia.
It should be noted that Biochemistry is very different at different universites. Are you interested in the biology end of chemsitry or the chemistry end of biology? Do you want to look at biological systems from a chemists perspective or chemistry from the view of a biologists. This may sound odd but different places out more 'energy' into one over the other. I would say it is best to look at which course is best for you then the university as a whole. Is it a nice place to live? Is the course good for you? I personally think that is better than is X university higher on some league table than Y uni.
Hopefully not too confusing a slightly helpful?
LastTrainHome
what have you applied for?
Maths! I would have written something more constructive in my last post as I have a friend who is currently first year biochem there but I haven't actually been told anything particularly esoteric about the course. All I know is that he's having a great time, you do have to do a maths test and get 80% to pass first year though. It will comprise of essentially A level material maths and don't worry if you don't pass it on your first because not everyone has done the A level, someone is on their fourth but I think you have to do change to biomed in second year if you don't pass by the end of the year. Biochem is basically like biomed but with lot's more chemistry orientated modules.
Dnator
Well, if you had bothered to actually check the location of Warwick uni, it is very close to the 9th largest city in England (according to wikipedia). Yes, it is not in a central city location but I don't think it warrants the crap it gets about being 'nowhere'.
How can you assume that I haven't checked? You exude an aura of defensiveness, get over it, that is the general opinion that people have of warwick and it is generally warranted as it is a campus uni and it is randomly situated in the countryside. I've actually cycled there and around those parts, Coventry is particularly dull in my opinion but that's because it not really a city to me.
Bio Chem at Warwick is highly lab based - you have labs once a week for an afternoon and you then have about a week to then submit a lab report. This happens for the first 2 terms (20 weeks). You also get small tests during the year quite frequently (perhaps about 8 per term). Campus is situated in Gibbet Hill, a short walk south from Central Campus where most accommodation is, if you put Warwick as Insurance and miss your firm you will most likely be placed in Westwood, which is a 10 minute walk north of Central Campus (not good).
First year you have a large number of exams at the beginning of term 3, meaning you have your last exam quite early as well: week 7 compared to week 8 for a first year Maths student so essentially you get 3 weeks at uni with no work.
And personally, I don't think Warwick is any further away from Coventry than Southampton Uni is from Southampton or Brighton/Sussex Uni is from Brighton.
First year you have a large number of exams at the beginning of term 3, meaning you have your last exam quite early as well: week 7 compared to week 8 for a first year Maths student so essentially you get 3 weeks at uni with no work.
And personally, I don't think Warwick is any further away from Coventry than Southampton Uni is from Southampton or Brighton/Sussex Uni is from Brighton.
joshed
It should be noted that Biochemistry is very different at different universites. Are you interested in the biology end of chemsitry or the chemistry end of biology? Do you want to look at biological systems from a chemists perspective or chemistry from the view of a biologists.
It should be noted that Biochemistry is very different at different universites. Are you interested in the biology end of chemsitry or the chemistry end of biology? Do you want to look at biological systems from a chemists perspective or chemistry from the view of a biologists.
Im interested in how and why chemical processes occur in biology. Could you give an example of how each is different from the other?
LastTrainHome
Im interested in how and why chemical processes occur in biology. Could you give an example of how each is different from the other?
It is quite hard to do that, as in Biochemistry students tend to change the degree to suit their own understanding and interests.
Biochemistry can be more biology driven, in which a biochemistry student studies mainly biological modules but adds their own chemical understanding to these modules. This can sometimes be the extra organic chemistry understanding of metabolic pathways and how they can go wrong in a chemical sence.
Some biochemists like myself are interested in pure chemical applications to biological systems. i.e. I am quite interested in inorganic cofactor chemistry in which an inorganic group, generally a transition element confers function in a protein like myoglobin or proteins found in the electron transport chain. I am also interested in redox chemistry in biological systems in which electrons are 'ushered' along a membrane or passed along proteins.
Biochemistry is ultimately what you make of it, but some universities have doctors who specilise in certain areas, this will of course be apparent in the third year modules they offer.
The most important thing I would say to take away from this is to look over the modules in the second and third year and see if they match what you are interested in. If they do then that would be the university for you (assuming you like the place and the people), if not look at other courses elsewhere and compare the modules. Also look which school/department teaches the course, if it is mainly taught by biologists it will be aimed more towards the biological understanding and the same is true if it is taught in chemistry.
Hopefully that hasn't confused you too much, and feel free to ask anymore question you would like about biochemistry. You are welcome to private message me and I will try to reply as soon as possible.
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