What can you do with a BSc in Chemistry?

Can I become a Biomedical Engineer with a BSc in Chemistry?

• I'm a high school student who is starting to consider career options. I was just wondering if I can get a master's in Biomedical Engineering with a BSc in Chemistry.

• Answer:

  The short answer is: Yes! I have worked with more than one chemist that either worked their way into an engineering position, or took remedial classes, the GRE, and got a master's engineering degree. While this is one way of doing it, it is not practical to get an engineering position this way in my opinion. The long answer: I strongly recommend taking an undergraduate engineering curriculum. That is the best way... err... PERIOD, to prepare yourself in the most practical and financially efficient way for an engineering career. The former method will require you to take many more courses beyond your chemistry curriculum to prepare your way into the advanced engineering courses in graduate school. Biomedical engineering itself through the sophomore year, is a big blend of biology, physics, and chemistry plus the basic engineering courses so you'd need to be proficient in those other two disciplines which a standard chemistry curriculum goes little farther than two or maybe three physics courses, and perhaps only one basic biology course. If you avoid taking those courses and attempt to make it in a graduate engineering course, I truly feel you'll start the class behind the other students, and graduate class instructors do not have time to tutor you to catch up. Trust me on that. Do you think you would have made straight A's and B's had you started calculus in junior high, without ever having any algebra or pre-calculus? If you don't make a 3.0 or better you cannot remain in graduate school. Also, you are not allowed to count C's toward your master's degree. Good luck!