If you’re thinking about what to study in college, whether you’re a high schooler or a freshman, you may already have settled on “something science-y.” Maybe you’ve already celebrated never having to take English again.
But what many students don’t fully understand is that there are a lot of science majors in college, and choosing one isn’t easy once you know just how many options are out there. That said, you should know at least some of them before you make any big decisions. In this list, we’re describing just ten of the science disciplines you can pursue in college.
What is a Science Discipline?
When you picture archetypal science majors, your mind probably jumps to hard sciences like chemistry or physics. But think about it: Do you know what a “science” actually is?
Definitions of “science” include that it’s any systematic study – think rigorous observation, hypotheses, experimentation – of the natural or social world. So yes, chemistry, physics, and other subjects like it count, and many are on the following list. But any good dictionary or science homework help service will also make space for social sciences, like history and economics, which apply scientific principles but focus on human forces. Keep that in mind here.
Biology: The “Lifeblood” Types of Sciences Classes
Our emphasis on social sciences will come in handy later, but for now let’s talk about biology.
If your only takeaway from high school bio was that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, just know that college biology is, well, more complicated. What is biological science in college? According to university websites, it’s the study of “processes fundamental to all forms of life.”
Biologists learn about cell behavior, functions of proteins and other bodily structures, reproductive processes, anatomy, evolution, and so much more. The field casts a wide net, and mastering other subjects, like chemistry and calculus, are critical to success. Many students turn to biology homework help platforms for a helping hand, since pursuing the discipline alone is so taxing.
Yet studying biology is useful and unlocks career opportunities in fields like medicine, pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, and epidemiology. It’s difficult, but science lovers shouldn’t let that stop them!
Chemistry: An “Elemental” Field of Study
Whether it’s mixing baking soda with vinegar or putting sodium in water, chemistry claims perhaps the best visual demonstrations of any subject on this list. But college chemistry isn’t just about making things explode. Its purpose – the study, and manipulation, of matter and its properties – encompasses deep levels of complexity with profoundly useful applications.
College chemistry classes deal with kinetics, thermodynamics, quantitative analysis, acids and bases, and, of course, actual lab work. Sometimes chemists study substances within living organisms, at which point we get the lovely field of biochemistry (up next!). Sometimes they use their knowledge to make products, at which point they become chemical engineers.
Like biology, chemists emerge from college with paths to work in pharmacology, toxicology, forensic science, food science, and much more. Since the study of matter encompasses everything, well, material, its difficulty is proportionate to its sheer range of possibilities. It’s at least worth considering.
Biochemistry: An “Organic” Path to Suffering
We’re only half-kidding. Though it sounds scary, biochemistry is really just a combination of the previous two fields, biology and chemistry, which seeks to understand the chemical processes of living organisms. If you want to understand brain function, or how cells communicate with each other, or how humans develop diseases in chemical terms, then biochemistry is a worthwhile major that’s worth its dual and thus difficult status.
Biochemistry majors, therefore, will take courses on the two subjects described above and should be well versed in both. However, they may receive more specialized training on topics like organic chemistry, metabolism, and explicitly “biochemical” analysis. Once qualified, biochemists are essential to protecting various aspects of organisms’ health outside of, but also including, purely “medical” contexts, from researching heredity to illnesses to measuring herbicides. Its interdisciplinary nature is an asset for students who want to understand how we “live” on a molecular scale.
Physics: An “Accelerated” Path to Suffering
We’re still half-kidding, of course. It’s perhaps the fundamental physical science discipline, meaning the study of non-living things, and thus answers the question of, exactly, what is physical science in college. If chemistry is (roughly) the study of what matter is, and how matter interacts with each other, physics is (roughly) the study of how matter behaves with respect to different sources of energy.
College physicists can expect to learn the properties of electricity, magnetism, light, calculus (yes, that old behemoth), and other forces that dictate how nature operates. Furthermore, physics has exciting spaces for specialization. Astrophysicists apply their knowledge of forces to advance our understanding of moons, stars, and other objects in space. Nuclear physicists study the properties and interactions of atomic nuclei. That said, all physicists have a place in careers ranging from nanotechnology to engineering to medicine to meteorology.
Is it difficult? Yes. But if you like to solve complex problems, then consider becoming a physics major.
Astronomy: How to Reach (Literally) for the Stars
Raise your hand if you ever had a telescope as a kid, or if you just had a phase in which you really liked learning about space. Some kids never grow out of that phase. If that’s you, this might be your section.
Astronomy is the study of the origins and composition of the universe. As such, college astronomy courses focus on astrophysics, data analysis, possibilities of extraterrestrial life, and threats (like asteroids) to life on Earth. Along the way, astronomers develop strong foundations in math, computer programming, and other skills that are highly transferable (and lucrative) to different scientific fields. So while they’re interested in big, spiritual questions about the mysteries of our universe, they’re not just dreamers who want to look at stars; astronomers are sophisticated scientists who need to be well acquainted with complex technology. If you’re endlessly curious and concerned with protecting our planet, don’t abandon that space phase yet.
Genetics: Sometimes It’s Just in Your DNA
We all (hopefully) remember drawing Punnett squares in middle school biology, learning about recessive traits like blue eyes and attached earlobes. If you were lucky, you may even have extracted DNA from a strawberry. We remember such things fondly.
But genetics in college is a bit more complicated. As the study of genes, those little units of information that pass down hereditarily and make up “who we are,” it’s a sophisticated science from which students learn about genetic testing, cancer treatment, and viruses, and explore legal and ethical questions that come from using modern genetic technology. The good news is that geneticists can do a lot of good for humanity. Geneticists with medical training can tell their patients whether they’re likely to contract health conditions based on family history. Genetic counselors can help clients how to navigate the stressful realities of contracting those genetic diseases. If you like helping people, it’s a meaningful option for you.
Geology: A “Rock-Solid” College Major
Speaking of phases as a kid: collecting rocks, anyone? What about volcanoes?
When you major in geology, sometimes called “geosciences” or “earth sciences,” you’re choosing to learn about the history of our planet, its natural processes, and its many resources. We need geologists among us to predict disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, collect data about energy sources, locate and treat groundwater, and pursue answers to how life developed here. Geology majors take courses cover subfields like petrology, or the study of rocks; stratigraphy, or the study of rock layers; oceanography; and mineral resources.
Typically, professional geologists pursue careers in fields that extract the Earth’s resources, like oil and mining, or, on the opposite end, seek environmental protection and regulation. However, geologists who receive specialized training can become various types of engineers or marry their geological knowledge with other scientific disciplines. If you’re fascinated by the Earth’s mysteries, then this is your field.
Engineering: Learning How to Solve Problems
It’s almost hard to picture engineers at work when the subject is just so broad. We can all picture chemists with their lab equipment and astronomers with all the instruments of observing space. But engineers?
We like the description that engineers are essentially “professional problem solvers.” You design things, you build things, and you use mathematical and scientific principles to make technology productive and efficient. Mechanical engineers do this with, well, machines. Chemical engineers help manufacture chemical products like plastics, medicines, and cleaning solutions. Can you guess what electrical engineers work with?
If you’re an engineering major, expect to take a whole range of math- and science-based courses, from calculus to physics to structural design to software engineering (again, what could that be?). The path ahead is difficult, but the good news is that any career that needs problem-solvers – and, it turns out, there are a lot of them – is always looking for people like you.
History: The Original Social Science
Remember how we clarified that scientific processes can also apply to human society? Well, here’s where that clarification comes in handy. As a “social science,” the history major might seem like an outlier on this list, but it requires many of the same analytical skills that are necessary to succeed in more “traditional” hard sciences.
The proof is that rising college freshmen, upon being assigned their first history essays, seek history homework writing help online because their professors set such rigorous academic standards. Good history papers don’t just tell stories about “dead old guys”; they must outline their research methodologies, discuss how their work fits within existing scholarship (known as historiography), and synthesize diverse sources to make cogent arguments. The critical thinking and writing skills that students learn in college history thus transfer well to other social sciences, chief among them other contentious and writing-intensive subjects like law, political science, and philosophy.
Geography: A “World” of Analytical Possibilities
Our strong defense of social sciences brings us to our last entry on this list. Majoring in geography at a college level may involve learning the same hard truth as majoring in astronomy: that it’s not just about “learning all of the countries” or “looking at maps” all day.
In an academic sense, geography is the study of not just places but human activity as well. As a geography major, you can expect courses to cover migration trends, economic development, and environmental shifts in the context of climate change. In the process, you’ll learn skills from spatial analysis to mapping data to computer programming, all in service of a sophisticated understanding of human populations but also critical for any field that relies upon scientific methods of finding truth. On that note, geographers are essential employees in urban planning, land surveying, climatology, environmental work, political analysis, and other varied disciplines. It’s really more complicated than people think!
Different Science Majors, Same Study Habits
If there’s anything you should take from this list, apart from learning about its actual subjects, it’s that different science majors can overlap in significant ways. Sure, you’ll (probably) never need to know astrophysics as a history major, nor master archival research as an astronomy major. But when you strip away their most specialized aspects, scientific disciplines really promote a set of common skills. Those skills can be learned by turning to common resources. That’s what this next section is about.
No matter your major, here are three tools you can use to help you study for success in college.
Common Science Study Materials
We’ve all had professors who go too fast, have thick accents, or just don’t explain their content very well. Luckily, teaching yourself chemistry isn’t impossible these days, though you’ll probably need some help.
That’s why we’re recommending that all science majors, not just chemistry, actually use all the resources available to them. It’s tempting just to not open your textbook all year, but do yourself a favor and at least try. Make study guides with yourself or your peers. Find online programs that can explain concepts in other, perhaps clearer language than your professors. Here’s one: Did you know that Chat GPT has its own program just for academic sources? Instead of combing over JSTOR for that perfect, cloud-clearing article, AI can just do it for you.
In our digital age, getting through college without exhausting every possible learning option only inhibits your success in the short and long term.
Consider Enrolling in a Science Program
In that vein, let’s talk about science programs. Did you know that plenty of universities offer them in the summer? George Washington University has several, including for medicine, cognitive neuroscience, and social psychology. Florida State University has its own six-week Young Scholars Program, where rising high school students bond over their love of math and science while taking classes and conducting, for most, their first independent research projects.
Many of these programs are geared towards students who want to prepare adequately for their college careers. Attending a university’s summer program not only looks great on a college application, especially to that specific one; it’s also a chance for students to spend extra time absorbing difficult material which, once they get to college, will hit them at a faster pace. If you’re a planner, or even if you just know your weak points, science programs can therefore go a long way!
Visit a Science Festival
Did your school ever put on a science fair? More importantly, did you know that scientists just, kind of, never stop doing them?
Most academic fields have conferences, and the sciences are no exception. Visiting a science festival is how students can stay updated with the latest contributions of their specific discipline. Even just a cursory look at the prestigious World Science Festival leads you to fascinating discussions about advances in our understanding of gravity, artificial intelligence, and universal expansion. When you visit or watch a science festival, you bear witness to the new research of leading academics from around the world, which can and will inspire you to share your own contributions through your own research. As a student, it’s not just a chance to surpass what your classmates are doing to succeed; it also puts you on the path to, someday, becoming one of those distinguished speakers yourself.
Lots of Options, Lots of Potential
Now that you know more about different science majors, and how best to study for them, can you do my homework for me?
Once more, we’re only half-kidding. (Ok, we’re full-kidding this.) However, lists like these are useful if you know you’re passionate about science but aren’t sure how to apply that passion. The hard and social sciences are vast, wide-ranging, complex, requiring lots of reading and conceptual difficulty. If you’re not sure where to start, it’s easy to focus on the obstacles instead of the positives. But reviewing options is a start. Pursuing your potential is the next step.