Psychology major to Biology major?

I'm currently a Psychology major nearing my senior year, and I realized that the one degree that I've longed for is Biology, but first a bit of history. When I first started college I wanted to be a Doctor/General Surgeon. , therefore, I enrolled in a Biology major with a Pre-Med emphasis. After the rigorous coursework that I was not ready for, due to my military service, I downgraded to a more simple degree Psychology. It wasn't until recently that I've realized I still have the urge to work in the Biology field. My question is, should I switch majors abruptly or should I finish my Psychology major with the dreading Practicum and Seminars that will sap the greatest amount of energy? I'm passionate about the body, it's a knack for what I know ever since my introduction to biology my freshmen year in High School. I currently want to get into a Master's program in the field of Biology, such as Molecular or Developmental; however, I do not meet the requirements for any of them. Consider this my plea for help. My wife is already aggravated with me for being wishy-washy with my graduate plans, but it's because its difficult to find an area that holds my interest.

I've found that I'd be forced to go to a B&M school as the biology courses that are required need labs. Unless someone has found out something different from what I have. I prefer not to bounce around if anything does arise.

 

Considering how close you are to graduating, I would suggest finishing up your bachelors in psychology and then pursue a second bachelors in bio.

BTW, given your dual interest in psych and bio, have you ever considered a career in neuroscience?

 

Happened that I have both, but opposite I started with Biology and then I went to Psychology. I also wanted to change in my senior year before seminar and practicum. For practical reasons it was better to finish biology and then move into psychology field. In my case, I preferred to finish and have something concrete at hands, it was not something that I wanted, but I needed. After working for more than 10 years as a teacher and researcher, I moved into counseling psychology. Maybe you can find some areas in psychology where biology is needed and from there start again, but at least you will be finish one of them.
As you posted a little bit of history, I was coming from engineering before biology, so I preferred to finish something at that point. Hope this will give more information for your discernment. Good Luck!

 

Don't beat yourself up. (But you can let your wife do it for you) Find a Masters program that interests. Look at the admission requirements. You will need to contact them and ask specifically which courses are required. Take those courses. If you can't do it within your current school then do from another (like LSU, etc. - Jennifer can help you find the right courses) You'll need to finish your Bachelors degree in any case. You'll need to decide if you're going to finish your present program and earn a Psych degree with additional credits that will allow for admission to a Bio Masters program or if you're going to transfer the whole deal to a place like TESC and get a Bio degree.

It can be done. Some extra time, some extra money...

 

I have, however, in my general area they do not offer anything in that specific area. Neuropsychology would be borderline perfect for me. Would it be possible to hold off on the last few classes and pull a dual major? (Despite me being close at the given time)

 

Time, not too concerned just really want to be making money instead of being a poor college student.
Money, the government is picking up the bill so no worries there.
My wife, that's a whole different issue....

Would you advocate me pulling a delayed double major or even a biology minor? I intend on finishing my Bachelors one way or another.
Also does anyone happen to know if there are any specific accreditation required for a Biology degree, this is increasingly important as it relates to graduate school? (such as APA in Psychology)
If it's any consolidation, I will be 1 year ahead of where most seniors are at the given point in my academic career.

 

Which courses do you need labs for? It's easy to find online chemistry, biology, and anatomy and physiology courses with lab. For the upper level courses, it's not easy to find them with labs. Excelsior has a natural science degree with a concentration in biology. They offer all of the courses you'll need if you can't find them elsewhere. TESC has a BA in Biology program, but they don't offer all of the required courses. COSC will give concentration elective credits for the Biology GRE. The Big 3 also accept Straighterline's science courses, but I'm not sure if those would be accepted as prerequisites to graduate programs. Some community colleges will give lab credits for the Chemistry and Biology CLEPs. Central Texas College will also give lab credits for the Microbiology and Anatomy and Physiology Uexcel ECEPs.

Uexcel ECEP (formerly Uexcel and Excelsior exams) have tests for microbiology, pathophysiology, bioethics, genetics, and anatomy and physiology. UC Berkeley and UC San Diego have several online biology courses. University of New England offers medical versions of several science courses online with labs, but they are expensive.

Course Catalog | UC Berkeley Extension

Life Sciences Online Courses- UC San Diego Extension

 

The majority of courses that I would need are Upper courses. Also this would require me to go to many different colleges both online and B&M causing the possibility of losing credits along the way. I know TESC is quite liberal when it comes to credit transfers, but the fear resides.

 

Although this does not interest me, as it would indicate the "bounce-around" technique of acquiring a degree, I did find an online school that did the final 2 years of a biology degree particularly in the Microbiology field.

Curriculum

 

Although it is not fully online, because you have to go to a participating location in Florida for labs.

 

Besides the ECEP exams sanantone describes, Excelsior College offers a small stack of biology courses by distance – mostly upper-level. It looks like you could complete the subject requirements for Excelsior's B.S. in Natural Sciences with concentration in Biology entirely through Excelsior courses, with one or more exams if chosen.

Excelsior would also be friendly to "the 'bounce-around' technique" – but this wouldn't be required.

 

By government you mean the tax-payers? If so, and if you are a tax-payer then you and the rest of us are picking up the bill, creating more economic problems.

 

By that I mean I will be using my Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits, or Chapter 33, granted to me by the United States Government for my military service. I don't think this is the problem here, so if you would like we can get back to the problem at hand.

 

Ok, Thanks for the clarification, but you did not indicated that fact when you wrote your statements. Reason for my question. Still, tax payers are picking up the tab, in a different way as oppose to those that take students loans and default on them. Thank you for your service and I hope you can get your degree!

 

Finish your degree... You can get into a physiological psychology program, if you want. Just finish something that you're so close to finishing, and add the second bachelors if you desire. Who know what will happen when you have a degree in hand. It may offer a promotion or unexpected change... regardless, a degree shows commitment to finishing a program rather than you starting another in the last mile of your race. Wishing you the best in your future endeavors.

 

I was going apply to University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio's IMGP PhD program, but I didn't want to rush to try to finish all of the prerequisites. They have a concentration in neuroscience. A few of the neuroscience students have bachelor's degrees in psychology. Every admitted student gets a tuition waiver, a $26,000 annual stipend, and free health insurance. Their Biology of Aging program pays a 30-something thousand dollar stipend. That goes a long way in South Texas.

 

That would be something I'd go for, if i lived i Texas. I live in Indiana and uprooting my family as it is now, also seeing as my wife is till glued to her mother's side, it wouldn't be advisable.

 

Would you think picking up a minor, in biology, and finishing a bit later would be a bad decision? I'm still 1 year ahead of where I'm suppose to be right now. It would only be an additional 24 credit hours.

 

It's unfortunate that you can't move. I would have also recommended George Mason University's master's program in biodefense. It's friendly to social science majors. Saint Louis University offers online public health programs with concentrations in behavioral science and health education, biosecurity and disaster preparedness, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, health management and policy, and maternal and child health. The only prerequisite is to have a bachelor's in a science or social science.

https://www.slu.edu/college-for-public-health-and-social-justice/degrees/masters-degrees/master-of-public-health

 

That decision would be totally up to you. I don't see anything wrong with it, but if it's best that you get your degree as fast as possible, maybe it won't be the best option for you. I know I wanted to get my degree was fast as possible; now that I'm done, I want to slow down my graduate program. It all depends on your circumstance and what you can afford (time-wise and monetarily).