Marine Biologist

[Fish-Addict]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this but...
What subjects would I need to study at university to become a marine Biologist? Obviously I would need biology, but what others?

[12 Volt Man]

you need a Master's degree in North America to become one, so you need a bachelor's degree and then grad school.

try to pick an undergrad program that has as many relevant courses as you can:

chemistry
calculus
bio - all disciplines (cell, invert, physiology, etc etc.)
physics
statistics

real bio is lots of numbers - math is your friend.

biologists quantify everything.

I have a bio degree, so I remember lol

[leeser28]

you need a Master's degree in North America to become one, so you need a bachelor's degree and then grad school.

try to pick an undergrad program that has as many relevant courses as you can:

chemistry
calculus
bio - all disciplines (cell, invert, physiology, etc etc.)
physics
statistics

real bio is lots of numbers - math is your friend.

biologists quantify everything.

I have a bio degree, so I remember lol

The only thing I'd add is a college with at least one course in environmental science/environmental chemistry.

[leeser28]

Fish Addict - what part of the US are you in??

[Fish-Addict]

I am in the UK actually.

[Reefscape]

I am in the UK actually.


If your after doing this to make a career, then, forget it in the UK..its just not a very usefull qualification to go for..I discussed this not so long ago with some fellow hobbiests whom are in the marine biology field, as i was contemplating doing this.

Sorry to pop ya bubble, but, just being honest about it..

[Squawkbert]

^ also true for most in the US - many a Marine Biologist wait tables here, so you have to be top notch.

If you go that route, hang w/ pre-meds.

[Fish-Addict]

If your after doing this to make a career, then, forget it in the UK..its just not a very usefull qualification to go for..I discussed this not so long ago with some fellow hobbiests whom are in the marine biology field, as i was contemplating doing this.

Sorry to pop ya bubble, but, just being honest about it..

But you could move around to another country to do it? Is there any country where it would be worthwhile?

[leeser28]

I guess it kind of depends what you want to do with the degree. What are you interested in?

[Fish-Addict]

I guess it kind of depends what you want to do with the degree. What are you interested in?

I don't know. What is in that kind of work? Conservation?

[leeser28]

Cut and paste from my reply to your other thread :) --

Well, because I'm in academia, I tend to see that most biologists teach at the University level if they also want to do research, or they teach high school (kids aged 13-18). Teaching at a university does typically require a PhD in the USA (although I lucked out and got a job with a Masters Degree). Another practical application would be environmental science and ecology. Again probably some combination of teaching and research.

[gt1009]

I'm going for marine biology starting in august of this year! I know the job market is not that big, but I think if I can't find something in marine biology I will try to do something in environmental/conservation biology. With all the focus on saving the planet now, I think there will be more jobs in that area in the coming years.

[leeser28]

I'm going for marine biology starting in august of this year! I know the job market is not that big, but I think if I can't find something in marine biology I will try to do something in environmental/conservation biology. With all the focus on saving the planet now, I think there will be more jobs in that area in the coming years.

Good for you! Good Luck in your studies. Science is academically difficult, but it's worth it :)

[faun]

It is a shame that courses like marine biology and environmental sciences have become "trendy" so basically the courses are really badly oversubscribed. So unless you are a straight A student you will really struggle to get into uni to do these courses. Also when you have finished your degree you will have to be the best of the best and be prepared to go anywhere in the world to get a job doing what you want. If the natural world interests you there are plenty of other degrees that would enable you to work in a slightly different field but which would be just as fulfilling and probably give you more realistic job prospects.

[stezatois]

Swansea Uni does BSc in marine biology, maybe order a prospectus and take it from there.

[jpappy789]

Go for a general bio degree in undergrad and you can specify in marine related topics in grad school with research. A broad bio degree will give you more options than trying to be specific with your degree early on...

[boobiebutt]

I'm going for marine biology starting in august of this year! I know the job market is not that big, but I think if I can't find something in marine biology I will try to do something in environmental/conservation biology. With all the focus on saving the planet now, I think there will be more jobs in that area in the coming years.

I'm actually going into Marine Biology and I'm not too sure what I wanna do in the field either. I'm sure finding a job in this field, you have to be really good and top of the class. But either way I think the job market for Marine Biologist will expand due to the overwhelming problems effecting us globally, like coral bleaching, island erosion, water pollution, global warming, the list goes on.

Hopefully by the time I graduate many years down the road, the economic crisis will be resolved too. Or I can just stay in school forever until it's over haha.



Also for those who keep mentioning going into biology as an undergraduate, some schools actually offer undergraduate Marine Biology/Oceanography programs.

As for classes, I think it's different for different schools but as most people have said, science is most likely the bulk of the classes you will be taking. Here is a layout of the courses that are required for my school.

Core Requirements:
http://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/nb-ug_current/pg23718.html
Marine Biology Courses for Undergraduate and Graduate:
http://marine.rutgers.edu/courses/index.html

Here is a link to the School of Arts and Science (SAS) and School of Environmental and Biological Science (SEBS) Marine Biology Major listing with other links with more information.

The Rutgers University website is bit much and hard to navigate at times. There is so many students/programs/information all over the place and there is a different website for everything at Rutgers. It's a bit annoying. But I would suggest looking up which Universities/Colleges you are interested in and most colleges have a course layout like my University.

GOOD LUCK!