<p>I’m about to graduate with a degree in Broadcast Communication, but I’d like to pursue graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering. Right now I’m looking at two options: one, pursue a second baccalaureate degree in biomedical engineering first before applying for grad school, or two, pursuing an associate degree in biology at a community college to gain the necessary units to be able to apply for grad school. Which do you recommend?</p>
<p>First - the associate degree is worthless. Nothing in that level of program will prepare you for graduate study.</p>
<p>Second - I do not normally advise a second bachelors, but you are talking about such a tremendous leap in fields that it might be necessary. Check with a few of the programs you are interested in about their prerequisites, and compare that with what you have done. You may be able to register as a non-degree student for a year or two, instead of the 4 years another degree would take. That might cause funding problems, and some schools may not allow it, so that BS might be inescapable.</p>
<p>Back in the last century, I completed a degree in Classical Archaeology, worked for a while, and then went back to school at my home-state public U to study agriculture. I took classes for a year as a “Senior Transfer”, and for another semester as a “Non-Degree Grad Student”. Then I worked for another year while applying to grad school.</p>
<p>If you have a cheap public U near you that will admit you as a transfer, you might want to go that route. Your transfer credits will classify you as an upperclassman, and you will have a better chance of getting the class schedule you want. You won’t necessarily have to actually complete a second degree (I didn’t), but you may end up with enough credits in the new field that it is worth it to you. I have a number of friends that did just that.</p>
<p>It probably is cheaper to take the intro classes at the community college, but you still will need the upper-level coursework in order to go to grad school. Only you can determine if a year at the CC followed by a year (or more) at a four year school makes sense to you.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you for the replies, guys! I’ll call UCI tomorrow and ask the grad counselor there what options are available for me. If not UCI, I still have CSUs I can apply to for senior transfer (if they allow it), or maybe I can do what happymomof1 said and take intro classes in a CC then another year at a four-year uni. If that works, instead of four, it’ll only take me two years before I can apply for grad school. I’m not really in much of a hurry to get my masters (though I’m really itching to start on research), so any option would do I guess.</p>
<p>In the sciences, I would not advise a year first at CC. Go right to the university, and you will discover within a semester or so whether you can handle the rigor of bioengineering. </p>
<p>Because CCs don’t have engineering programs and don’t prepare students for graduate study, the intro courses may not adequately prepare you for upper level courses at a university. You may find yourself struggling to plug gaps in your knowledge. Or you may discover that bioengineering isn’t really for you. At this point, you don’t want to waste time and money. Efficiency counts.</p>
<p>Quick update, I talked to the Graduate Admissions person for BME at UCI, and she said it’s ok for me to take units I lack in Math and Science at a community college prior to applying for the MS Biomedical Engineering program, so I’ll be doing that.</p>
<p>Aside from that I’m thinking of taking upper div classes via Access UCI extension program or via cross-enrollment. The grad admissions person said this would suffice. Here’s to hoping I get in!</p>
<p>Good luck! Glad to see that I’m not the only one trying to switch majors between undergrad and grad.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>