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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Education & ReferenceHigher Education (University +) · 10 years ago

Undergraduate vs Graduate?

Okay, so I want to be a psychiatrist, which means four years of college then four of med school. That means I'll be a GRADUATE in college initially, correct? (As opposed to undergraduate)

Also, I want to include art and music/choir in my studies... If possible, I'd rather major in one of those than in psychology... Kind of so I have a backup, ya know? I read somewhere that med schools don't require that you major in the area of study you're going there for, cause they're more interested in you being able to commit to something you want than in you trying to just "make it in..." Is this true? I'm a talented artist and singer both, so I also want opportunities in the future for those things...

Can someone explain to me exactly how a graduate and undergraduate course "work?" What all do they entail? What's the difference? How many areas of study can I include in each? I've never really understood...

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  • neniaf
    Lv 7
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    No, you will be an undergraduate initially, as is everyone else. Undergraduate refers to anyone who is working on an associate's or bachelor's degree (the first 4 years of college). When you start med school, you would be a graduate student. Graduate students are those who have completed a basic college degree and then are going for more advanced educations.

    You certainly don't need to major in psychology, and it is possible to major in art or music and still go to med school, but it is a little harder than if you were to major in one of the physical sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, etc.). The reason for that is that in order to take the MCAT, which is the medical school admissions test, you need to have taken a full program of pre-med sciences. If you were majoring in a science, several of these would already be required, and you could take the remaining ones as electives, but if you were to major in something like art or music, it is unlikely that you would take many science classes normally among your required courses, so you may need to take a number of extra classes to graduate. It can be done (and I know people who have done it), but it isn't very easy.

    As far as the difference between undergraduate and graduate coursework, graduate courses usually assume that you have already taken the basics. They also tend to require a lot more time than do undergraduate classes. Most grad students take fewer classes at a time than do undergrads. How many areas of study you can include really depends on where you go to school and what you choose to major in. Some majors (engineering, for example) tend to be all-encompassing, with very little room for electives. Others may give you a little more flexibility. Also, if you start college with prior college credit, whether from AP scores or from concurrent enrollment at a community college while you were in high school, you may be able to manage to fit more in. I've known honors students, for example, who had an entire year's head start in college when they arrived as freshmen, and because they also tended to do well on placement exams in things like math, they saved additional time. Rather than rushing through college, in those situations, it makes more sense (and looks better to most graduate programs) to do something like a double major, or to pick up a minor, or just to take more courses in subject matters which interest you.

  • 10 years ago

    No, initially you will be an undergraduate during your first four years of school. Than you can go to med school and be a med student working for a professional degree (MD, D.O).

    Med schools do NOT require any sort of major, but they DO require a certain set of classes to be completed during your undergrad years. They are looking for your ability to commit but you can do this in areas relevant to medicine, I'm majoring in biochemistry not because I just want to go to med school but because it is interesting.

    As far as a future for music, you can be talented but you also need luck to be discovered and published. It's a huge risk going for that area.

    Undergrad schooling is more general and you won't specialize as much. In med school as a med student your work is highly specialized towards medicine.

  • 10 years ago

    in regards to the first part of your question, no, you would not be a graduate student. you would be considered an undergraduate until you earn a bachelor's degree. once you have that, you apply for graduate school --- in your case med school. THEN you would be a graduate student. as for your other questions, i suggest you speak with an admission counselor at your potential schools. also, as you are a "talented artists and singer" you technically don't need a degree in either of those subjects to be successful in those fields.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    10 years ago

    Nope, undergraduate initially. once you graduate from your undergraduate program, you can apply to grad schools (medical schools).

    You should major in science or psychology, not music. you can take a minor or simply have electives that are artsy, but if you want to get into med school I would recommend taking science/psych, as it will make the mcats easier to study for.

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  • ?
    Lv 6
    10 years ago

    You got it all wrong. An undergrad degree IS a university grad. To go further you are going for your masters, to go further its your PHD. If you specialize then you need your 4 year undergrad then go wherever you need to go for med school, law school, etc.

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