U of T Neuroscience vs. Biochemistry

[CampingDelight]

Hey guys, I'm in my second year and I'm having some trouble deciding which second major I should enroll in.

 

I'm not asking which one looks more prestigious, because that is not what concerns me. Biochem sounds more interesting to me but... it's just that it has too much lab... like hours and hours of lab every week.

 

Because both of my majors will be in life sciences eventually, I have lots of overlap whether I choose neuro or biochem.

 

So my question is... which of these two majors are more difficult according to the general consensus?

[HBP]

I took Neuro. BCH is hands down more difficult.

 

Tons of UT neuro students in med school.

[drkwhy]

Someone once told me that most multidisciplinary fields in health sciences are easier than the pure science fields. Ex. Neuroscience versus molecular biology.

 

There are exceptions to this of course, like pharmacology, but in this case, I have heard that neuroscience was more easier than the BCH courses.

 

Also, the acceptance into their undergrad specialist programs are:

course marks = mid 70s; average = high 70s --- Neuroscience and

course marks = mid 80s; average = mid 80s. --- Biochemistry.

 

Not that this is any indicator of the difficulty of the program, but it's always good to compare

[CampingDelight]

Someone once told me that most multidisciplinary fields in health sciences are easier than the pure science fields. Ex. Neuroscience versus molecular biology.

 

There are exceptions to this of course, like pharmacology, but in this case, I have heard that neuroscience was more easier than the BCH courses.

 

Also, the acceptance into their undergrad specialist programs are:

course marks = mid 70s; average = high 70s --- Neuroscience and

course marks = mid 80s; average = mid 80s. --- Biochemistry.

 

Not that this is any indicator of the difficulty of the program, but it's always good to compare

 

Dang it, now that's a dead giveaway

[ArchEnemy]

Someone once told me that most multidisciplinary fields in health sciences are easier than the pure science fields. Ex. Neuroscience versus molecular biology.

 

There are exceptions to this of course, like pharmacology, but in this case, I have heard that neuroscience was more easier than the BCH courses.

 

Also, the acceptance into their undergrad specialist programs are:

course marks = mid 70s; average = high 70s --- Neuroscience and

course marks = mid 80s; average = mid 80s. --- Biochemistry.

 

Not that this is any indicator of the difficulty of the program, but it's always good to compare

 

I believe the OP is asking for Major programs. By which both have similar entry requirements in the low-to-mid 70s.

 

BCH major is not even close to the specialist programs. Look at the list of courses you have to take as a specialist as oppose to a major and you'll see why there are only so few of them in upper years

[Jaybird]

I believe the OP is asking for Major programs. By which both have similar entry requirements in the low-to-mid 70s.

 

BCH major is not even close to the specialist programs. Look at the list of courses you have to take as a specialist as oppose to a major and you'll see why there are only so few of them in upper years

 

A major's 10 credits to a specialist's 15 credits gives it away off the bat

[ArchEnemy]

A major's 10 credits to a specialist's 15 credits gives it away off the bat

 

To be exact, it's 8 credits for Maj and 14 for Spec

[drkwhy]

I believe the OP is asking for Major programs. By which both have similar entry requirements in the low-to-mid 70s.

 

My mistake. But here are the entry requirements for the MAJOR programs:rolleyes:

 

Biochemistry:

While it is difficult to predict what will be competitive course marks and average in a given year, based on previous years, the estimate is: course marks = high 70s; average = high 70s.

 

Neuroscience:

Type1 --- Meaning anybody that has completed 4.0 credits can enrol. No grade restrictions.

 

Again, not saying ones more harder than the other based on entrance reqs

[drkwhy]

Also, the biochem majors luck out, as someone above me said. They take very little upper year courses and don't even take the BCH242Y that the specialists do!

 

If I was in your position, I would do a neuroscience major. Just because you may find it more interesting than the nit-picky nature of biochem to target the most useless things to memorize which you can just look up when you need it in life...IF you ever need it in life...but that's just me, pointing out the flaws instead of the fun of imagining the protein analysis and isolating procedures of biochemistry since there is no lab component to put that stuff to use.

Imagine being told how to swim and but not being allowed to practice it

[future_doc]

^ +1 it's a no brainer to me.

[shikimate]

Like others said, the BCH major gets difficult when it comes to labs and certain required courses. Otherwise some BCH courses are good, interesting courses.

 

If you have an interest in biochem and molecular biology you can also enroll in CSB major. It's not as intensive as the BCH major and offers a lot of good courses.

 

FYI, in our class this year we have a little bit of everything: 1 BCH specialist, 1 HMB Nuerosci specialist, and 1 CSB specialist (that's me) and I think another, maybe 2 HMB/CSB/BIO/PSY mix all from UTSG.

[CampingDelight]

Also, the biochem majors luck out, as someone above me said. They take very little upper year courses and don't even take the BCH242Y that the specialists do!

 

If I was in your position, I would do a neuroscience major. Just because you may find it more interesting than the nit-picky nature of biochem to target the most useless things to memorize which you can just look up when you need it in life...IF you ever need it in life...but that's just me, pointing out the flaws instead of the fun of imagining the protein analysis and isolating procedures of biochemistry since there is no lab component to put that stuff to use.

Imagine being told how to swim and but not being allowed to practice it

 

Wow thanks for the great advice. I think I'll just end up choosing Neuro over Biochem...

[CampingDelight]

My mistake. But here are the entry requirements for the MAJOR programs:rolleyes:

 

Biochemistry:

While it is difficult to predict what will be competitive course marks and average in a given year, based on previous years, the estimate is: course marks = high 70s; average = high 70s.

 

Neuroscience:

Type1 --- Meaning anybody that has completed 4.0 credits can enrol. No grade restrictions.

 

Again, not saying ones more harder than the other based on entrance reqs

 

drkwhy, thanks for the "solid" answer

[xkittens]

Do they have the neurosci specialist/major program at UTSG or is it only at Scarborough?

[ArchEnemy]

Do they have the neurosci specialist/major program at UTSG or is it only at Scarborough?

 

Yes they have both at UTSG.

[apache]

neuroscience n biochem r both pretty cool, can u like do bio n do classes from both?

 

i took this nucleic acid course n it blew, pure memorization, structural concepts was good because u remembered very conceptual types of structures that i still remember now, but i took advanced orgo so that helped, metabolism was hell on earth but what i remember from the class is so so hammered in me i find it to be one of the most useful science course i took, intro biochems just blah because it's everyones first exposure

 

nvm: i remember now, the 300's were meant for random science majors, all the biochem ppl that sat by me that took 400 level labs right after had chronic anxiety, seriously… i'd be like i'm headed to witchcraft n the occult, bye guys, ROFL!

 

Also, the biochem majors luck out, as someone above me said. They take very little upper year courses and don't even take the BCH242Y that the specialists do!

 

If I was in your position, I would do a neuroscience major. Just because you may find it more interesting than the nit-picky nature of biochem to target the most useless things to memorize which you can just look up when you need it in life...IF you ever need it in life...but that's just me, pointing out the flaws instead of the fun of imagining the protein analysis and isolating procedures of biochemistry since there is no lab component to put that stuff to use.

Imagine being told how to swim and but not being allowed to practice it

[apache]

why don't you guys get psychology degrees from whichever an just take neuroscience and biochem classes, that way if u don't get in or something you'll have what appears on the surface to be a good generalist degree = i.e. job, lol

[apache]

well, thats a good thing actually, you can work together on collaborative projects you couldn't normally do… psych neurophysiologist studies mathemeticaly cohesion of firing in diff times of sleep to improve memory, he does lots of eeg, math etc…. he thinks of neural networks as systems… knows neurophysiology of course, but not to the extent that say someone doing basic cell research is biology would… the kinesiologist knows quite a bit bout muscle interaction, but nowhere near the neurology of brain rhythm guy… who prob works next to guy who does psychopharm, who does projects in imaging over at the hospital… throw in an engineer, and a psychometrician who focusses on developing neuropsycholoigal assesment (eeg guy is brilliant n may do that too.. neways)… you could see how you would need all of them to collaborate on a program to assess via imaging, eeg, neuropsych… with the psychopharm guy working with cell dude who might get someone to do a delivery system, to target and try n synthesize the pathology or elucidate it through immunoglobulin markers… the kine guy may work on effect on muscle atrophy… not sure… but yeah, you can imagine forever now...

 

 

I wish york had a neuroscience degree..I would enroll in a heartbeat.

 

How come there are professors doing research in neuroscience, teaching neuroscience related courses - but some universities don't acknowledge neuroscience as it's own department? Neuorscience courses are spread over the Psychology, Biology and Kinesiology department.

[apache]

well psych profs are often extremely good mathemeticians in some areas… monte carlo methods, modelling, eeg transformations, developing pen n paper tests which minimize variability, mathematically on long term outcomes, in order to determine what the most important variables are, interaction variables… characteristics that change or even exclude those values… you can do these retro… but then u need old data… may not exist… or wait yrs.. lol… n observe

 

I wish york had a neuroscience degree..I would enroll in a heartbeat.

 

How come there are professors doing research in neuroscience, teaching neuroscience related courses - but some universities don't acknowledge neuroscience as it's own department? Neuorscience courses are spread over the Psychology, Biology and Kinesiology department.

[tothestars]

You're in luck. I am at Uoft and my majors are Neuroscience and Biochemistry.

Neuroscience is by far easier than biochemistry simply because the neuroscience program at UofT is a new one and the courses are more fluff than hard-core science (you end up taking a lot of psychology courses). Biochemistry, on the other hand, is tougher because 1. it requires a lot of memorization and remembering specific details, 2. tests are killer and marking schemes are terrible (some 4th year courses have 40%-60% breakdown), and 3. the professors are terrible at teaching (namely Andreopoulos -- but that's another story).

You don't have to take a lot of lab courses for biochem major. Just BCH370, which is half a semester. Then again, for most science majors you will end up taking 0.5 lab course either way (except neuroscience major which does not require a lab course). I would recommend not taking biochemistry and just going with a neuroscience specialist.

[davidchatman]

Definitely neuroscience is more difficult than biochemistry. I had very tough time at my neuroscience graduation. The most difficult part was dissertation in neuroscience. That driven me crazy. I had to spent two months for that. Somehow i managed to pass the course which is still mysterious.