I'm currently in humanities looking into different programs and I'm really interested in Biology...

How do you guys feel about this program and is anyone here in it?

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg2286.html

Would it be better for me to switch into science and get a science degree rather than an arts degree? Is there any difference / benefits?

Originally Posted by RitchieLy

I'm currently in humanities looking into different programs and I'm really interested in Biology...

How do you guys feel about this program and is anyone here in it?

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg2286.html

Would it be better for me to switch into science and get a science degree rather than an arts degree? Is there any difference / benefits?

It really depends what you're interested in and what you want to do with your degree after. A bachelor's won't get you far in humanities or science, both will most likely require further schooling, but it all depends what your career goals are.

If you do switch into bio and don't want to lose a year, you might have to take summer courses. First years who aren't in science programs aren't allowed to take first-year bio courses, and they will only waive that restriction for students during the summer. As a second year though, you would be able to take these courses during the year, so if you missed a whole bunch of the prereqs and are taking an extra year to get them, you won't have a problem.

I'd also suggest looking at 3rd and 4th year courses that you'd be taking in biology and see if those interest you. Intro courses tend to not be a very good indication of what the program itself will be like.

delete message /

Originally Posted by starfish

It really depends what you're interested in and what you want to do with your degree after. A bachelor's won't get you far in humanities or science, both will most likely require further schooling, but it all depends what your career goals are.

If you do switch into bio and don't want to lose a year, you might have to take summer courses. First years who aren't in science programs aren't allowed to take first-year bio courses, and they will only waive that restriction for students during the summer. As a second year though, you would be able to take these courses during the year, so if you missed a whole bunch of the prereqs and are taking an extra year to get them, you won't have a problem.

I'd also suggest looking at 3rd and 4th year courses that you'd be taking in biology and see if those interest you. Intro courses tend to not be a very good indication of what the program itself will be like.

Say I was still in the middle between law school and medical school, do you think that going for this program would give me the option to decide on either one later?

Originally Posted by RitchieLy

Say I was still in the middle between law school and medical school, do you think that going for this program would give me the option to decide on either one later?

Plenty of people go to law school or med school with BSc degrees. A lot of people think that poli sci is the typical pre-law program, but that's absolutely not true. People with BSc, BEng, etc all go into law fairly often.

That said, as long as you have the required courses you can get into med school regardless of your program. It is easier to meet these requirements if you're in a science program, and I personally believe that a science degree will prepare you better than a humanities degree, but other people disagree with me on that.

You can do either professional school from either degree, it just takes proper planning.

Originally Posted by starfish

Plenty of people go to law school or med school with BSc degrees. A lot of people think that poli sci is the typical pre-law program, but that's absolutely not true. People with BSc, BEng, etc all go into law fairly often.

That said, as long as you have the required courses you can get into med school regardless of your program. It is easier to meet these requirements if you're in a science program, and I personally believe that a science degree will prepare you better than a humanities degree, but other people disagree with me on that.

You can do either professional school from either degree, it just takes proper planning.

Hmmmmm alright, thanks for your help! I guess I just need to think about it a bit more. Honours Philosophy and Biology just looked like an interesting program because it had a science and a humanities portion to it....

Originally Posted by RitchieLy

Hmmmmm alright, thanks for your help! I guess I just need to think about it a bit more. Honours Philosophy and Biology just looked like an interesting program because it had a science and a humanities portion to it....

If you find it interesting and it's a way to combine a variety of your interests, then it's probably a good idea.