Josh wrote: its a quirky program
haha that's one way to put it.
Specialized isn't necessarily a bad thing, only if their prescribed structure doesn't cater to your needs or interests.
Although, one thing I really DID enjoy about the curriculum is the workshop course (which spans all four academic years). Working in small groups on case studies for issues that span science and business (for the most part, the pharmaceutical industry). You get a handle on the true complexity of the arguments for and against said issues (genetic patenting, FDA regulations etc).
I think I went into the program with idealized notions of what Biotechnology really is. The picture that UW painted was just not something that really interested me. My gist of the current state of the industry is that there isn't a place for their advertised "21st century scientific businessman/woman". Unless you strive to become an entrepreneur, given the sheer breadth, very rarely will you be placed in a position to fully exercise and be proficient in both. Whether it be climbing the corporate ladder or commercial R&D, why not just focus on one and acquire more specialized skills?
That said, the co-op component is definitely worth it for the future workplace edge. (Probably not so good if you want to keep the professional school option open). Quirkiness definitely helps in landing co-op jobs. My friends worked at Health Canada, CIBC Tech division, Novartis, lab research with faculty in an Ivey league university down south to name a few. Waterloo's co-op experience, as you know, is golden for opportunities after graduation.
http://www.scibus.uwaterloo.ca/documents/Co-opMagforWebsite.pdfAnd my view is probably biased given I've no idea how upper year courses operate. I do know that higher level Econ gets VERY conceptual (involving lots of statistics) and is completely different from the supply,demand,equilibrium happiness they feed you at the beginning.
Take a closer look, the opportunities you can take away from this program is undoubtedly there. Specialized just means deciding at a very early point whether or not it's really for you.
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"I'd rather die terrified than live forever..." -
A Softer World
