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Computer science vs Biology degree
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username4398974
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#1
I’m lost between the two
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
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stillcrying
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#2
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#2
What career do you want to go into? What can you see yourself enjoying studying more for 3 years?
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username4398974
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#3
(Original post by stillcrying)
What career do you want to go into? What can you see yourself enjoying studying more for 3 years?
What career do you want to go into? What can you see yourself enjoying studying more for 3 years?
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scottadamson
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#4
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#4
I wouldn't base your choice solely off career prospects, in my opinion its computer science(I'm a first year computer science student), but you should choose a degree that you would enjoy doing and continue to enjoy doing when you go into work, that's the most important thing. Both are quite different degrees. Compsci is a more of an abstract way of thinking, with lots of problem solving, logic and a lot of maths. The undergraduate degree alone you get from computing science is more valuable imo, whereas in Biology you would likely need to take this further, doing medicine, something along those lines, unless you wan't to teach, which is a totally good career prospect. I would place above all things what you enjoy the most, coupled with what you can excel at.
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artful_lounger
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#5
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#5
(Original post by randomquestion)
What has better career prospects 🥺
What has better career prospects 🥺
In terms of bioscience lab roles the issue is mainly that there isn't an enormous amount of them and most of what there is doesn't necessarily require a degree to do, so you will be competing with apprentices and school leavers potentially. The roles that do require a bioscience degree specifically usually are either clinical roles in the NHS and require HCPC registration (which essentially limits you to specific degrees that are part of the practitioner training programme, or PTP ), or are research roles which require a PhD. There is some scope for other options, such as the scientist training programme (STP) in the NHS, or some ecological survey based roles for e.g. mining and extractive companies and such, but the former is quite competitive and the latter may not be that widespread.
I'd probably suggest focusing more on the courses themselves, how they're taught and assessed and what content they cover (and how interested you are in it) in the first instance. For example, do you want to do labwork in your degree? How do you feel about exams vs coursework? What particular things draw you to each of those subejcts, and why - following from this, are there any other subjects which might relate to those reasons you haven't considered (e.g. human sciences/biological anthropology, or maths/engineering)?
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username4398974
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#6
(Original post by artful_lounger)
Neither, really. Both have quite poor prospects, at least for continuing into related industries, to the point the government commissioned an inquiry into the matter (the Shadbolt report). However both are as good as any other degree for continuing into generalist grad schemes in e.g. business, finance, media, going into law or the civil service etc. For those, as well as related industries in the computing sector work experience is critical and is what marks the difference between successful and unsuccessful grads.
In terms of bioscience lab roles the issue is mainly that there isn't an enormous amount of them and most of what there is doesn't necessarily require a degree to do, so you will be competing with apprentices and school leavers potentially. The roles that do require a bioscience degree specifically usually are either clinical roles in the NHS and require HCPC registration (which essentially limits you to specific degrees that are part of the practitioner training programme, or PTP ), or are research roles which require a PhD. There is some scope for other options, such as the scientist training programme (STP) in the NHS, or some ecological survey based roles for e.g. mining and extractive companies and such, but the former is quite competitive and the latter may not be that widespread.
I'd probably suggest focusing more on the courses themselves, how they're taught and assessed and what content they cover (and how interested you are in it) in the first instance. For example, do you want to do labwork in your degree? How do you feel about exams vs coursework? What particular things draw you to each of those subejcts, and why - following from this, are there any other subjects which might relate to those reasons you haven't considered (e.g. human sciences/biological anthropology, or maths/engineering)?
Neither, really. Both have quite poor prospects, at least for continuing into related industries, to the point the government commissioned an inquiry into the matter (the Shadbolt report). However both are as good as any other degree for continuing into generalist grad schemes in e.g. business, finance, media, going into law or the civil service etc. For those, as well as related industries in the computing sector work experience is critical and is what marks the difference between successful and unsuccessful grads.
In terms of bioscience lab roles the issue is mainly that there isn't an enormous amount of them and most of what there is doesn't necessarily require a degree to do, so you will be competing with apprentices and school leavers potentially. The roles that do require a bioscience degree specifically usually are either clinical roles in the NHS and require HCPC registration (which essentially limits you to specific degrees that are part of the practitioner training programme, or PTP ), or are research roles which require a PhD. There is some scope for other options, such as the scientist training programme (STP) in the NHS, or some ecological survey based roles for e.g. mining and extractive companies and such, but the former is quite competitive and the latter may not be that widespread.
I'd probably suggest focusing more on the courses themselves, how they're taught and assessed and what content they cover (and how interested you are in it) in the first instance. For example, do you want to do labwork in your degree? How do you feel about exams vs coursework? What particular things draw you to each of those subejcts, and why - following from this, are there any other subjects which might relate to those reasons you haven't considered (e.g. human sciences/biological anthropology, or maths/engineering)?
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mgi
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#7
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#7
(Original post by randomquestion)
I’m lost between the two
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
I’m lost between the two
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
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username4398974
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#8
Yes
I cannot lie my goal in life is to teach! If I do Biology, is this a good career choice?
(Original post by scottadamson)
I wouldn't base your choice solely off career prospects, in my opinion its computer science(I'm a first year computer science student), but you should choose a degree that you would enjoy doing and continue to enjoy doing when you go into work, that's the most important thing. Both are quite different degrees. Compsci is a more of an abstract way of thinking, with lots of problem solving, logic and a lot of maths. The undergraduate degree alone you get from computing science is more valuable imo, whereas in Biology you would likely need to take this further, doing medicine, something along those lines, unless you wan't to teach, which is a totally good career prospect. I would place above all things what you enjoy the most, coupled with what you can excel at.
I wouldn't base your choice solely off career prospects, in my opinion its computer science(I'm a first year computer science student), but you should choose a degree that you would enjoy doing and continue to enjoy doing when you go into work, that's the most important thing. Both are quite different degrees. Compsci is a more of an abstract way of thinking, with lots of problem solving, logic and a lot of maths. The undergraduate degree alone you get from computing science is more valuable imo, whereas in Biology you would likely need to take this further, doing medicine, something along those lines, unless you wan't to teach, which is a totally good career prospect. I would place above all things what you enjoy the most, coupled with what you can excel at.
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Chaddam
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#9
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#9
(Original post by randomquestion)
I’m lost between the two
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
I’m lost between the two
Right now I do Maths, Biology and Psychology a level
it is the 2nd most sort after degree after medicine by employers
comp sci is only getting more and more important and you can work from home too
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scottadamson
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#10
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#10
(Original post by randomquestion)
Yes
I cannot lie my goal in life is to teach! If I do Biology, is this a good career choice?
Yes
I cannot lie my goal in life is to teach! If I do Biology, is this a good career choice?
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username4398974
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#11
(Original post by Chaddam)
comp sci is much better
it is the 2nd most sort after degree after medicine by employers
comp sci is only getting more and more important and you can work from home too
comp sci is much better
it is the 2nd most sort after degree after medicine by employers
comp sci is only getting more and more important and you can work from home too
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mgi
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#12
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#12
(Original post by randomquestion)
What about for teaching tho?
What about for teaching tho?
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Chaddam
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#13
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#13
(Original post by randomquestion)
What about for teaching tho?
What about for teaching tho?
kids these days hate school and teachers are just pawns for schools
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GreenCub
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#14
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#14
Almost all degrees do not guarantee you a good job, or even any job. When it comes to getting a good job, what's more important is getting a good degree (usually a first or 2.1) from a good university and getting internships and work experience.
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
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Chaddam
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#15
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#15
(Original post by GreenCub)
Almost all degrees do not guarantee you a good job, or even any job. When it comes to getting a good job, what's more important is getting a good degree (usually a first or 2.1) from a good university and getting internships and work experience.
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
Almost all degrees do not guarantee you a good job, or even any job. When it comes to getting a good job, what's more important is getting a good degree (usually a first or 2.1) from a good university and getting internships and work experience.
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
medicine is more certain but of course living in a big city like london helps a lot with that
and going to a good unis like oxbridge, imperial, ucl etc are a big and getting a good grade are a big factor in geting jobs after you graduate
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username4398974
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#16
(Original post by scottadamson)
Of course, if you are happy doing something you love, theres no better career choice. I think you would be safe in the knowledge that there is always going to be jobs for biology teachers in the world.
Of course, if you are happy doing something you love, theres no better career choice. I think you would be safe in the knowledge that there is always going to be jobs for biology teachers in the world.
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username4398974
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#17
(Original post by GreenCub)
Almost all degrees do not guarantee you a good job, or even any job. When it comes to getting a good job, what's more important is getting a good degree (usually a first or 2.1) from a good university and getting internships and work experience.
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
Almost all degrees do not guarantee you a good job, or even any job. When it comes to getting a good job, what's more important is getting a good degree (usually a first or 2.1) from a good university and getting internships and work experience.
I'd decide between biology and computer science based on what you enjoy more. It's perfectly possible to get a good job with either degree, though in general computer science degrees at good unis tend to be more competitive than biology ones. Do you do much programming in your free time?
I was originally set on Biology, but job prospects began to scare me, so I looked into computer science
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GreenCub
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#18
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#18
(Original post by randomquestion)
No I don’t !
I was originally set on Biology, but job prospects began to scare me, so I looked into computer science
No I don’t !
I was originally set on Biology, but job prospects began to scare me, so I looked into computer science
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username4398974
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#19
(Original post by GreenCub)
Go for Biology then. If you get a good degree from a good uni, and get internships and work experience, then you should be able to get a good job. It sounds like you're only considering computer science for the prospects rather than because you have any interest in it.
Go for Biology then. If you get a good degree from a good uni, and get internships and work experience, then you should be able to get a good job. It sounds like you're only considering computer science for the prospects rather than because you have any interest in it.
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GreenCub
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#20
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#20
(Original post by randomquestion)
Would I be able to go into the finance sector with Biology?
Would I be able to go into the finance sector with Biology?
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