Choosing 2nd Year Science Subjects: EOS, Microbiology, Botany?

Hannahlu

Hi, I'm trying to choose what subjects to choose for 2nd year Science. I know I want to do Zoology, it's the main reason I'm doing this course but I don't really know what to pick alongside. I'm not greatly interested in any of them so I was wondering if some of you doing the subjects might give me an idea of how the 2nd year module is.. The full subjects I have to choose between are EOS, Microbiology and Botany.

Thanks,

Hannah

steel_spine

I've just made the same choices - what exactly is it that interests you about Zoology? I might be able to give you a better idea of which other course to lean to. Also are you in undenominated or denominated?

Hannahlu

Hi, i'm in undenominated. I choose Science just to do Zoology. I want to study it because I'm interested in animals and enjoy learning everything about them particularly they're behaviour and evolution/development. I'm choosing the half subject Sediments and the Biosphere because that deals alot with the archaeological side of animal and life evolution.
I'm not sure, I'm leaning towards EOS because I enjoy the practical side of it and the new course is apparently much more practical based. But then I really dislike Oceanography, it bores me to no end. Microbiology I feel has very good lecturers but again I'm not really interested in it and I know its going to progress into the whole chemistry side of it and I'm not a big chemistry fan, actually not even a little one. :-) . What did you choose in the end?

steel_spine

Ah I didn't realise that Undenominated could choose Sediments & the Biosphere as a half subject - I took EOS too for that module & the same reasons you did, though I have to take the Fundamental skills module in 1st semester which is mainly cartography,3-D visualisations etc, as I have to choose EOS as a full subject. The only other subject in your list where you're going to escape most Chemistry is Botany - which could be interesting for undenominated with Zoo, as plants & animals have evolved together and are completely reliant on each other, and plant-animal interactions and the like are covered too I believe. The lecturers are very nice as well.
I enjoyed Botany, but as I'm doing Marine Science I had to decide it wouldn't be much use to me unless I have a particular fascination for Algae (Which I don't :pac:)
If not Botany, I'd go for Microbio, it's a good subject with good lecturers, and if you're going to take a subject where Biochemistry has to come into it, then I think they'd present it in the most accessible, non-boring way.

Hannahlu

yeah we can :-) so youre a marine sciencer, i didnt mean to offend with the comment on oceanography. I dont think I could take on Botany as a full subject, like yourself, algae is just not my cup of tea. I dont know, eos or microbiology. its gonna be a tough decision but i think either way im gonna regret it :rolleyes:

steel_spine

Haha yeah I had the same troubles. If you're in undenominated then you wouldn't have to worry too much about algae, it's just since my degree is Marine, the plant life in the ocean environment and thus the usefulness of botany to me is much more restricted. I didn't mean to imply 2nd year botany has a heavy focus on algae in general or anything. If you're interested in general/terrestrial Zoology, general Botany'd prolly be more useful to you than it would to me.
Not a big fan of Oceanography myself but I figure it's worth getting through to get to the Sediments & Biosphere module.
Besides, as the years roll on with the degree you can specialise more and more in what actually interests you, for now I guess a little breadth of knowledge never hurt anyone