Hi,
I got accepted into Molecuar bio & genetics and bio physio. I am having a really hard time deciding btwn the 2. I have looked at the courses and it seems like both of these programs pretty much allow u take the same courses...so then what is the difference btwn them?
How are the profs in these programs? I am hearing that genetics is the hardest major you could do, but I find it really interesting, but I am also scared that it will be brutal. So how are the courses structured in both phsio and genetics? like why does everyone say that genetics is so much harder than physio? is it cuz of the way of they mark ? But honestly, I don't even see the differene btwn the courses people in these majors take cuz watever i looked at seems to be open to all studens doing honours bio. The only course that i found was open to only physio student was a seminar and genetics kids can do this lab course that no one else can....so is that the only difference? that seems really odd...i feel like i m not looking at the course calendar properly :S

Also, which of these programs is more about understanding the material rather than memorizing it? I really suck at memorizing lol
Also I know that itn 2nd year the classes are still really big, but how are they in 3rd/4th year?

Thanks, any help will be really appreciated.

Amna.

Originally Posted by amna_m20

Hi,
I got accepted into Molecuar bio & genetics and bio physio. I am having a really hard time deciding btwn the 2. I have looked at the courses and it seems like both of these programs pretty much allow u take the same courses...so then what is the difference btwn them?
How are the profs in these programs? I am hearing that genetics is the hardest major you could do, but I find it really interesting, but I am also scared that it will be brutal. So how are the courses structured in both phsio and genetics? like why does everyone say that genetics is so much harder than physio? is it cuz of the way of they mark ? But honestly, I don't even see the differene btwn the courses people in these majors take cuz watever i looked at seems to be open to all studens doing honours bio. The only course that i found was open to only physio student was a seminar and genetics kids can do this lab course that no one else can....so is that the only difference? that seems really odd...i feel like i m not looking at the course calendar properly :S

Also, which of these programs is more about understanding the material rather than memorizing it? I really suck at memorizing lol
Also I know that itn 2nd year the classes are still really big, but how are they in 3rd/4th year?

Thanks, any help will be really appreciated.

Amna.

You have to look at required courses and how many electives you can take. Just because you can take the courses doesn't mean you will have enough space to take them.

I don't find it that hard, third year was quite intensive though.

I don't know about Physio, but Mol Bio is aimed at getting you into research so there's a lot of application. But that's not to say there aren't a few courses which is memorization. In the end you have to know how to memorize because you can't apply your knowledge if you don't know the names or functions of proteins.

I've had classes in 3rd year ranging from 30 students to however many can fit into BSB 147.

I'm leaning towards molecular bio but I was just wondering how crazy and intense it gets in third year and if it's manageable... and do you like your program? Or, did you wish you had more electives or something?

I don't know anybody in this program so I'd really appreciate anything you had to say!

Originally Posted by jrodftw

I'm leaning towards molecular bio but I was just wondering how crazy and intense it gets in third year and if it's manageable... and do you like your program? Or, did you wish you had more electives or something?

I don't know anybody in this program so I'd really appreciate anything you had to say!

It's pretty intense, but if you manage your time properly it won't be a problem. I like my program, I couldn't care less about electives. In fact the electives I plan to take next year are part of my course list (biochem and molecular biology courses). I just have a high interest in the program and and an extremely low interest in all the other subjects.

Originally Posted by jhan523

You have to look at required courses and how many electives you can take. Just because you can take the courses doesn't mean you will have enough space to take them.

I don't find it that hard, third year was quite intensive though.

I don't know about Physio, but Mol Bio is aimed at getting you into research so there's a lot of application. But that's not to say there aren't a few courses which is memorization. In the end you have to know how to memorize because you can't apply your knowledge if you don't know the names or functions of proteins.

I've had classes in 3rd year ranging from 30 students to however many can fit into BSB 147.

Hi,
Thank you ! and yes ofcourse there will be the memorization part cuz we need to learn wat things are called before we learn what their fcns are but I just dont want something which is just pure memorization, i think that would kill me...but from what you have said it seems like there is not that much memorization...more application right? thats good!
Also, can you please tell me about the labs in genetics courses? how are they structured? are they fair?
Oh and I was looking at upper year courses for genetics...there is a 3rd year course that is only a lab course and you just do lab work...do you happen to know how many kids get into that?

thanks a lot!
Amna

Originally Posted by amna_m20

Hi,
Thank you ! and yes ofcourse there will be the memorization part cuz we need to learn wat things are called before we learn what their fcn is but I just dont want something which is pure memorization...and is this program like that? It seems like its going to be a lot of application (& the lil bit of memorizing names that comes with that)...thats wat i m going for.
Also, can you please tell me about the lab courses in genetics? how are they structured? are they fair?
Oh and I was looking at upper year courses for genetics...there is a 3rd year course that is only a lab course and you just do lab work...do you happen to know how many kids get into that?

thanks a lot!
Amna

Well second year is still general so most stuff is just memorizing. Third year has more application but there are some courses where it's also memorizing.

Lab course is structured in a way to get you to learn some techniques. You have to put a lot of thought into your lab reports or you won't get a good mark. This lab course is the only lab course for Mol Bio unless you take other bio courses. All Mol Bio students get into that (or most of them anyways, it's not required but you have to take like 7 out of 8 of these courses and one of the other ones is an independent project. I mean, if you can manage to set one up it's a good experience but otherwise just do the lab course).

Originally Posted by jhan523

Well second year is still general so most stuff is just memorizing. Third year has more application but there are some courses where it's also memorizing.

Lab course is structured in a way to get you to learn some techniques. You have to put a lot of thought into your lab reports or you won't get a good mark. This lab course is the only lab course for Mol Bio unless you take other bio courses. All Mol Bio students get into that (or most of them anyways, it's not required but you have to take like 7 out of 8 of these courses and one of the other ones is an independent project. I mean, if you can manage to set one up it's a good experience but otherwise just do the lab course).

hi,
yes i did mean the lab course...the one where it says u spend 8-10 hours in a lab and thats it..no classess...is that wat u are also talking about? How do you get marked in such a course? does it come entirely on ur lab performance? do u think it will b good experience for 4th year thesis and stuff? cuz i believe even for this lab course, we have to contact the prof? so thats why i thought only selected people get in.
and what 7 out of 8 courses are you talking abt? i am sorry, i kind of lost u :$
thanks
amna

Originally Posted by amna_m20

hi,
yes i did mean the lab course...the one where it says u spend 8-10 hours in a lab and thats it..no classess...is that wat u are also talking about? How do you get marked in such a course? does it come entirely on ur lab performance? do u think it will b good experience for 4th year thesis and stuff? cuz i believe even for this lab course, we have to contact the prof? so thats why i thought only selected people get in.
and what 7 out of 8 courses are you talking abt? i am sorry, i kind of lost u :$
thanks
amna

I'm talking about Mol Bio 3V03. Lab Reports (4), in-lab quizzes (I think like 4 or 5), lab performance, and exam. It's probably useful if you are doing a thesis, you learn all the techniques and it's a good start to thinking critically.

Courses: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...12/pg1930.html

Edit: Oh wait, they removed the independent project from the list... Guess you don't have a choice and have to do the lab course then.

Originally Posted by jhan523

I'm talking about Mol Bio 3V03. Lab Reports (4), in-lab quizzes (I think like 4 or 5), lab performance, and exam. It's probably useful if you are doing a thesis, you learn all the techniques and it's a good start to thinking critically.

Courses: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...12/pg1930.html

Edit: Oh wait, they removed the independent project from the list... Guess you don't have a choice and have to do the lab course then.

Hi,
I was talking about mol bio 3I03...it is called the independent study unit...what is this course about? do we come up with a question to explore? how exactly does this work?

Originally Posted by amna_m20

Hi,
I was talking about mol bio 3I03...it is called the independent study unit...what is this course about? do we come up with a question to explore? how exactly does this work?

Like it course title says, it's an independent project. Looks like a mini-thesis.

http://www.biology.mcmaster. ca/cou...%20outline.pdf

Honesty, the difference between Bio phys and molecular bio is really dependent on your learning style.

I am the type of person who likes to learn the fundamentals and apply them in order to figure things out. There's a lot of material to cover, but if you're smart about it you should be able to rationalize everything. I took a couple of molecular bio courses and there was a lot of memorization of pathways and names of chaperones/enzymes etc. I just didn't have the interest in that because really, if I need to know it I will look it up.

If you hate memorizing I would go with physio. The classes are smaller in 3rd and 4th year ... especially seminar courses (3ZZ3 and 4X03/4T03). The seminar course was a lot of fun because we got to see new research and applications of what we learned in 2A03/3U03/3UU3.