Can I do a bachelor of science and major in chem without doing HSC chem? (1 Viewer)

[v.tex]

Can I do a bachelor of science and major in chem without doing HSC chem?

 

[totally_screwed]

for sure but you might need to do a bridging course (idk) or do some extra work to catch up or keep up at the start. or just learn hsc chem during summer hols before uni using textbook, youtube vids

 

[Armon]

Sure. it'll be tough though

 

[Duskheaven]

Yes, it's fine. Do the bridging course if available. UTS first semester CHEM had a reasonably high failure rate due to students from non-HSC chemisty backgrounds.

I think HSC chemisty did help throughout the course.

Get a tutor if at risk of failure. A high GPA is important for CHEM jobs, but networking is more important

Majority of Chemistry grads don't work in chemisty after graduation - my professor.

Im a Chemistry major.

 

[xoNat]

Majority of Chemistry grads don't work in chemisty after graduation - my professor.

Why is that so? are there not that many chem jobs? do people study chem as an interest??

 

[Duskheaven]

Why is that so? are there not that many chem jobs? do people study chem as an interest??

IMO, most people in the degree studying chem shouldn't be studying chem. They just felt like they needed to go to university, and chemistry was their favourite subject. A huge portion of the cohort doesn't actually like chemistry, and I think that's true for all universities as well. They SAY they like chemistry and that the education is good, but, they won't come to lectures, won't read or learn about chemistry in their free time (not related to course), won't maintain their relationship with the field of chemistry if they don't do further study in it etc.

Not many chem jobs. It is actually extremely hard to find chemistry jobs on offer - like they are just rarely on job notice boards.

Finding chemistry jobs - especially good chemistry jobs reliably (not by luck, as obviously at least some people will obtain them as the jobs do exist) requires being extremely creative, putting yourself in lucky sitations and doing things your university - and things your peers aren't going to be doing. Eg. professional resume / Linkedin / joining external science based socities (virtually nobody does this at the undergraduate level, I personally know nobody who has joined anything other than RACI, and even RACI membership is rare) / befriending all lecturers etc

On top of actually getting good grades - still likely doesn't have to be amazing though 75 average will probably be fine, but ideally higher if you are considering masters scholarship.

If the plan was to heavily lean on grades to get future jobs, you could probably reliably get a job through CSIRO/ANSTO grad program if you got a idk 90 average + some extracurricular and awards. Or, were outstanding in another way. 85 would also probably be OK but with some decent extracurricular.

At least with only an undergraduate degree this is the case. But, even with masters / PhD ... I still think it is the case but probably highly dependant on your research area I imagine. That being said, I don't often recall many master's jobs but I don't go searching for them either. Overall, don't know.

Something to note is that high level chemistry research seems to be majority coding based - as research seems highly computational now - in which case the foundation in coding seems like it would be better than a chem major. You will have to verify this with someone else, however.

If you want to find the Bsci chemistry jobs that are available, I reccomend looking at SEEK. Or, a university careers hub.

Some jobs are just "have a bachelors" in which case having a BSci will furfill that requirement.

You can consider chemical engineering if u want to be more employable.
Or, Bsci + 1 year masters in business is the same length of time.

If you are very desperate for some info, I can ask some recent BSci grads what they're doing after graduation.

 

[liamkk112]

IMO, most people in the degree studying chem shouldn't be studying chem. They just felt like they needed to go to university, and chemistry was their favourite subject. A huge portion of the cohort doesn't actually like chemistry, and I think that's true for all universities as well. They SAY they like chemistry and that the education is good, but, they won't come to lectures, won't read or learn about chemistry in their free time (not related to course), won't maintain their relationship with the field of chemistry if they don't do further study in it etc.

Not many chem jobs. It is actually extremely hard to find chemistry jobs on offer - like they are just rarely on job notice boards.

Finding chemistry jobs - especially good chemistry jobs reliably (not by luck, as obviously at least some people will obtain them as the jobs do exist) requires being extremely creative, putting yourself in lucky sitations and doing things your university - and things your peers aren't going to be doing. Eg. professional resume / Linkedin / joining external science based socities (virtually nobody does this at the undergraduate level, I personally know nobody who has joined anything other than RACI, and even RACI membership is rare) / befriending all lecturers etc

On top of actually getting good grades - still likely doesn't have to be amazing though 75 average will probably be fine, but ideally higher if you are considering masters scholarship.

If the plan was to heavily lean on grades to get future jobs, you could probably reliably get a job through CSIRO/ANSTO grad program if you got a idk 90 average + some extracurricular and awards. Or, were outstanding in another way. 85 would also probably be OK but with some decent extracurricular.

At least with only an undergraduate degree this is the case. But, even with masters / PhD ... I still think it is the case but probably highly dependant on your research area I imagine. That being said, I don't often recall many master's jobs but I don't go searching for them either. Overall, don't know.

Something to note is that high level chemistry research seems to be majority coding based - as research seems highly computational now - in which case the foundation in coding seems like it would be better than a chem major. You will have to verify this with someone else, however.

If you want to find the Bsci chemistry jobs that are available, I reccomend looking at SEEK. Or, a university careers hub.

Some jobs are just "have a bachelors" in which case having a BSci will furfill that requirement.

You can consider chemical engineering if u want to be more employable.
Or, Bsci + 1 year masters in business is the same length of time.

If you are very desperate for some info, I can ask some recent BSci grads what they're doing after graduation.

yeah for most science majors a bachelor's wont really get u far because a lot of roles are in academics/research and thus a phd is highly likely to be required

 

[Duskheaven]

Why is that so? are there not that many chem jobs? do people study chem as an interest??

Oh I found this and thought of you.

The link is broken now so not worth clicking

https://www.unsw.edu.au/science/engage-with-us/alumni/meet-our-alumni

But from UNSW's advertised Science Alumni, previous to it being removed, only 1/8 was currently using science in their job position. Obviously, they used a cherry picked data set for their advertisement as well.

 

[xoNat]

Oh I found this and thought of you.

The link is broken now so not worth clicking

https://www.unsw.edu.au/science/engage-with-us/alumni/meet-our-alumni

But from UNSW's advertised Science Alumni, previous to it being removed, only 1/8 was currently using science in their job position. Obviously, they used a cherry picked data set for their advertisement as well.

Thanks for your insight

 

[xoNat]

Oh I found this and thought of you.

The link is broken now so not worth clicking

https://www.unsw.edu.au/science/engage-with-us/alumni/meet-our-alumni

only 1/8 was currently using science in their job position

I just don't understand then, why do people do it

 

[Duskheaven]

I just don't understand then, why do people do it

The social expectation of going to university, the pressue to conform to socital expectations. You essentially purchase social status by going to university as well.

Ppl just pick their best HSC subject as their degree all the time.

Sometimes having a generic university degree is a prerequsite for some job positions, but, that isn't even what students are thinking about at that point.

 

[MJRey]

The social expectation of going to university, the pressue to conform to socital expectations. You essentially purchase social status by going to university as well.

Ppl just pick their best HSC subject as their degree all the time.

Sometimes having a generic university degree is a prerequsite for some job positions, but, that isn't even what students are thinking about at that point.

And this is why the uni you choose to go to generally doesn't matter in the long run because people from different unis will all come together to do the same job. I know a lot of people make a big deal of say the Go8's status, but in hindsight it's all irrelevant once you enter the workforce.