Science FAQs

What are the job opportunities and career prospects after doing GY303 Biomedical Science?

Graduates from this programme will find employment in the pharmaceutical (e.g. Allergan), diagnostics (e.g. Abbott) and medical devices (e.g. Medtronic, Boston Scientific) industries. Other graduates will go on to careers in research, academia and many areas of health sciences and health care. Some stay on for further study at MSc or PhD level. 
Some change focus by studying Graduate Entry Medicine, Teaching or other professions at postgraduate level.

What qualities would you say a student needs to have to enter into the field of Science?

If you enjoy Science subjects already at school, then you're halfway there. If you want to know how things work - from genes to machines; or you like any or all of Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, then you already have the qualities that we'd like to see.

Doing a BSc will let you explore all of those more deeply, and you'll get some key skills as a scientist: The key skills involved in becoming a scientist are around (1) thinking, and asking questions like a scientist; (2) applying analytical tools; (3) analysing data; (4) drawing conclusions and making decisions based on your data; and (5) becoming a really great communicator....We think we do an exceptional job on training our undergrads in all of those areas at NUI Galway.

Why is it possible to switch from a denominated/named programme, let's say Biotechnology or Biopharmaceutical Chemistry, onto GY301 General Science after year 1 but not the other way around?

Transferring from a named/denominated programme to General Science is possible in principle, at the discretion of the Dean of Science. Students do so very occasionally. This is called an 'internal transfer'. Our Admissions Office has some useful information on their website at www.nuigalway.ie/undergrad-admissions/deferrals/transfers/about internal transfers.
It is never possible to transfer from General Science into a ‘named’/denominated degree though. The reason is that the named programmes swap one of the first year subjects for their own content. For example, Biotechnology students do not do first year Physics, and Biomedical Science students do not do first year Maths.

If you know you want to study Science, and Genetics is one of 2 or 3 areas you know you are interested in but you aren't sure which is your favourite, would you recommend the genetics degree or the general science degree?  

The new BSc Genetics & Genomics degree sounds like it would be best for you, because it will help you know if genetics is for you. If at the end of Year 1, you decide it's not for you, you could transfer to Undenominated Science (GY301) and choose other subjects for Years 2 to 4 of your degree. 

If you were to choose Science (GY301) instead: though you may encounter some genetics as part of subjects such as Biology (in First Year) and Microbiology, Biochemistry and Plant & AgriBiosciences in later years, the new Genetics and Genomics degree would offer the best ‘deep dive’ into this area.

I’m finding OL maths difficult and because of this I don't know if I would be able to do the Science GY301 course?

It's a good question - and well worth considering. It is important you enjoy the course you choose at third-level. Struggling with OL mathematics may prove to be a barrier for you in a general science programme - but it depends on what it is that you find challenging about learning OL maths. The approach in first year mathematics at NUI Galway recognises those challenges. We also have an excellent resource known as the SUMS centre (Support for Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics) which is a free drop-in service for our students studying mathematics and needing help from experienced tutors.