My goal is to become a botanist, but do I ever have to take Chemistry again in college?

Question

I am a senior taking Chem II AP. It's okay, and i have an A in that class, but the thing is is that i don't have any passion or drive for chemistry. I was just taking it as a sort of "oh well, i'll never take it again EVER, so let this be a last farewell".

You see, my passion is biology, especially botany. I want to become a botanist, but i read somewhere that most botanists minor in chemistry. Can someone clear this up? do i have to minor in chemistry to become a successful research botanist?

WOW! thanks guys! i'm applying to NYU, BERKELEY, UT AUSTIN, TEXAS A&M, HARVARD COLLEGE, and....i think that's it. ya. But i'd rather not go to a&m but if you guys think it is good, then i'll double check it :)

oh, and the type of research i was thinking of was "discovery" i guess (haha). I think there is so much potential and knowledge out there for all the undocumented plantae, so i was acutally thinking of taking trips to the amazon, studying how a particular plant polinates, maybe that plant that i find would have medicinal properties...etc...stuff like that...

Answer 1

It really depends on the college that you go to. At my college, we don't have an actual botany degree--you'd have to get a plain old biology degree or a biology degree with a concentration in ___ (aquatic science, environmental science, etc). For a bio degree here, you do not need a chem minor, but our school requires 3 semesters of chemistry (basically general chem I, II, and O-chem). As a botanist, you'd prolly need some degree of chem in order to understand plant physiology and whatnot--even if you don't plan on using it when you get into the work world--but you will still need to be well-rounded in the subject.

Check with the college(s) that you're interested in attending. Go on their website, look for a biology or a botany program description (if they have a botany program), and see what the required classes are. If you're not sure where to look, contact the college and have them put you in contact with someone in the bio department. Good luck!

Answer 2

As someone who has been a Plant biologist (different name for Botanist) for many years let me say, yes you will take some Chemistry in college. Most college Biology and Plant Science majors are required to take AT LEAST one year (two semesters/three quarters) of College Chemistry. If you want to go to Graduate School, you should plan on Organic Chemistry as well. You certainly don't need a Chemistry Minor (if my college had minors when I attended, my minor would have actually been Spanish since it is the only subject area outside of Biology in which I had at least 24 hours-8 classes).

Answer 3

I work as a botanist - by that I mean I do taxonomic research in a herbarium, and I have never used any kind of knowledge of chemistry in my work, in fact I dropped it at 16 (I'm from the UK).

So I would check what your college official requirements are, but in terms of actually getting a job in botany they will look for your skill in plant identification, publication history, fieldwork experience etc. and chemistry will be very minor. There are fewer and fewer botanists, and the job of describing plants is so huge that it is very very easy to quickly become the world expert in a plant group, and chemistry will be a distant memory!

Answer 4

Botany has many areas within it.
Exactly what type of research?

Ya, as stated above, please tell us where you want to go to college if you don't mind.
I am familar with many of the top name programs at universities in the U.S.
but should not overlook smaller schools as well.

Probably not necesary to double major,
but you will likely need to take:
Freshman: a year of general chemistry, plus lab.
Soph: a year of organic chemistry with lab.

You might have to take physics, Calc and stats as well.

Other than Botany,

By the time you are at the end of your soph year you will know more about what direction you want to go in.
Other classes that crossover:
Biochemistry, molecular biol, cell and developmental biol, plant physiology, plant pathology, microbiology, genetics, horticulture, agronomy, plant breeding, landscape engineering, nursery biz, ecology/environmental sci.

Best Wishes,

Answer 5

I would say yes based on two textbooks that are very popular
the one by Heldt and the other by Lea and Leegood.
They both mention biochemistry in the title.

Answer 6

a minor is not required ,but two core chem classes are