Maybe check with Dr. Ron Coleman at his website - http://cichlidresearch.com/ - he is a good guy and might be able to point you in the right direction regarding research opportunities focused on freshwater fish.
Studying aquarium fish? MS? PhD?
- Thread starter pedzola
- Start date
pedzola said:Unfortunately I never took science courses in college. I took an introductory chemistry class and thats it. No science or math required for a business degree! And thats why I did it!
The more I think about it, the more I realize I'm not really sure what exactly it is that I want to do. I would like to be a college professor, for sure... but is it worth it? I would need an awful lot of school (PhD) to go down that road....
It would be a lot of time... and I'd probably be in debt the rest of my life...
o___O
From the voice of experience: It depends on you area of study/teaching as to whether your terminal degree is a Masters or Phd. Generally, if it's PhD and you just have your MA, you'll probably be hired only in a temporary capacity. Univerisities and Colleges have been making drastic budget cuts over the past 15 years, and this includes staff. Either or, depending once again on area, you may not make too much money. If I were teaching at University at the present I'd be making an average of $10,000 less--but then, our society doesn't value Art (I taught University for almost 10 years). Not to mention, the debt you may incur--from grad school 2x, at 47, I owe $35,000, and bring home 2,000/month. I literally have no money left by the end of the first week. If you have a great Community College system, that's a way to go! Or even public schools. :huh:
I am a phyics major, not a biology major, but I know how grad school for science works.
First, you don't need an undergraduate degree in biology to get into a bio grad program, but it helps. Its probably easier to get a masters then try to get into a phD program. You will probably have to take some pre-req's but not a whole BS degree worth. Second the math for biology is much less than other science's, I think only a year of calculus. It sounds scary, but I thought calculuse was the easiest math I have taken. I think it was easier than learning algebra or trig, but you need that stuff to do calculus.
As far as being a science professor and a university, 50-100k per year depending on position and expierence. The other thing about thing about grad school as a science major, you get paid to go to school instead of paying. Infact, if you get accepted to a phD program and aren't going to get paid, don't take it. On average, science grad students get funding for their research that pays for their tuition, fees, books, and about 10,000 a year to help with living expenses. My current professor had no debt after her 6 years of grad school (physics takes about 6 years of grad school, don't really know about Biology). You might get a phD in marine biology or something like that, but your post doc research, such as when you are a university professor, can be in almost anything you want. In fact the most specialized research, such as studing freshwater tropical fish for the home aquarium, would be post doctoral research, where you have phD students helping you with your research.
First, you don't need an undergraduate degree in biology to get into a bio grad program, but it helps. Its probably easier to get a masters then try to get into a phD program. You will probably have to take some pre-req's but not a whole BS degree worth. Second the math for biology is much less than other science's, I think only a year of calculus. It sounds scary, but I thought calculuse was the easiest math I have taken. I think it was easier than learning algebra or trig, but you need that stuff to do calculus.
As far as being a science professor and a university, 50-100k per year depending on position and expierence. The other thing about thing about grad school as a science major, you get paid to go to school instead of paying. Infact, if you get accepted to a phD program and aren't going to get paid, don't take it. On average, science grad students get funding for their research that pays for their tuition, fees, books, and about 10,000 a year to help with living expenses. My current professor had no debt after her 6 years of grad school (physics takes about 6 years of grad school, don't really know about Biology). You might get a phD in marine biology or something like that, but your post doc research, such as when you are a university professor, can be in almost anything you want. In fact the most specialized research, such as studing freshwater tropical fish for the home aquarium, would be post doctoral research, where you have phD students helping you with your research.
Have you considered opening a store?
With your business degree have you considered opening up a fish store? It will offer a lot of opportunities to learn and teach. It also has the added benefit of not spending tens of thousands of dollars on an education when you can probably find and research much of it on your own, you could even copy a university's curriculum.
Opening a store will also offer the opportunity of surrounding yourself with others that have the same passion in fish as you have.
Whatever you decide I think before you make the leap of a huge career change that it is wise to get a mentor in what you think you want to do. Find someone that has done what you want to do and pick their brain. We as Homo sapiens tend to idealize another career, so it is good to jump in another’s shoes and see their day-to-day activities.
With your business degree have you considered opening up a fish store? It will offer a lot of opportunities to learn and teach. It also has the added benefit of not spending tens of thousands of dollars on an education when you can probably find and research much of it on your own, you could even copy a university's curriculum.
Opening a store will also offer the opportunity of surrounding yourself with others that have the same passion in fish as you have.
Whatever you decide I think before you make the leap of a huge career change that it is wise to get a mentor in what you think you want to do. Find someone that has done what you want to do and pick their brain. We as Homo sapiens tend to idealize another career, so it is good to jump in another’s shoes and see their day-to-day activities.
I changed careers a few years back. I thought it would be cool to be a chef because I loved cooking. So I went to Culinary School for 2 years and got my degree. I worked at a few nice restaurants, but now I don't really care to be a chef anymore. The restaurant business is nuts and I never want to work in a commercial kitchen again. I don't cook at home much anymore either. The joy of cooking was lost somewhere. IMO, I tried to turn a hobby (cooking) into a career and that's where I messed up. Now I'm back with my other career, that I don't particularly like (which is tig welding), but I'm good at it and it pays the bills. I'll try not to make my fish hobby into a career. I don't want to make that mistake again.
Hi Pedzola
Your situation isn't uncommon - wanting to change track, but not sure how to go about it or if it is a waste of time, etc., etc.
I left a well-paying job in December for a fresh start. I work as a copyeditor/proof reader, so it's easy for me to work freelance to keep the money coming in (if you work in IT, I guess this could be an option for you too). :read: I think I know what I want to do, but like you I have concerns about the length of time it could take, debts, etc., and I have no academic background in the subject area. So I intend to do some classes with the Open University (UK based, but I'm sure you must have similar in the US) - distance learning, and you can either just do classes you are interested in, or ultimately stack them up and get a degree or higher out of it. I am going to take a couple of courses and see how I go - if my interest is held, if I can cope with the time and financial commitments. It's not a quick-fix solution, but may save time and money in the long run.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Make it work for you!
Sara
Your situation isn't uncommon - wanting to change track, but not sure how to go about it or if it is a waste of time, etc., etc.
I left a well-paying job in December for a fresh start. I work as a copyeditor/proof reader, so it's easy for me to work freelance to keep the money coming in (if you work in IT, I guess this could be an option for you too). :read: I think I know what I want to do, but like you I have concerns about the length of time it could take, debts, etc., and I have no academic background in the subject area. So I intend to do some classes with the Open University (UK based, but I'm sure you must have similar in the US) - distance learning, and you can either just do classes you are interested in, or ultimately stack them up and get a degree or higher out of it. I am going to take a couple of courses and see how I go - if my interest is held, if I can cope with the time and financial commitments. It's not a quick-fix solution, but may save time and money in the long run.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Make it work for you!
Sara
joephys - thanks for your insight. "Free School" is an oxymoron for the other paths I was considering (MBA, or JD). For the MBA I can count on $60,000, and for the JD I can count on $100,000. I assumed a PhD would be even more costly, since it is many more years of school.
ryanalex - yes I have considered opening a fish store. Not seriously, though. After seeing how poorly my local fish stores are managed, as well as the failings of the major chains, I am fairly confident I could destroy any competition if I were to pursue that. However, retail is still a cutthroat environment, and I feel like even if I were "successfull" it would not be sufficiently lucrative to earn a return on the investment. A fish store is not somewhere you can simply stock the shelves and get going. There is a lot of very expensive and specialized equipment, and very high overhead in terms of monthly expenses to maintain livestock.
Chefkieth - I have already made this decision once. I went to business school instead of music school!! I was a dedicated musician through my school years, and was determined to go to Berklee for college. It came down to cost. Berklee being 6x more $$. I went to get an MIS degree instead, but kept music as a hobby. Looking back, I think that was the right decision. However, I don't think this is a case of "the grass is greener," I really truly believe that my job is ruining my life. It's like in Office Space... every day I go to work is the worst day of my life. Something needs to change.
SaraB - thanks for your story. It will be tough to drop a good paying job and pursue another career, for certain. "Freelancing" is not something I would want to do. If I go back to school full time I want to put my past behind me, and not keep reliving it. I will find a part time job doing whatever I can - maybe work in a fish store? lol.
ryanalex - yes I have considered opening a fish store. Not seriously, though. After seeing how poorly my local fish stores are managed, as well as the failings of the major chains, I am fairly confident I could destroy any competition if I were to pursue that. However, retail is still a cutthroat environment, and I feel like even if I were "successfull" it would not be sufficiently lucrative to earn a return on the investment. A fish store is not somewhere you can simply stock the shelves and get going. There is a lot of very expensive and specialized equipment, and very high overhead in terms of monthly expenses to maintain livestock.
Chefkieth - I have already made this decision once. I went to business school instead of music school!! I was a dedicated musician through my school years, and was determined to go to Berklee for college. It came down to cost. Berklee being 6x more $$. I went to get an MIS degree instead, but kept music as a hobby. Looking back, I think that was the right decision. However, I don't think this is a case of "the grass is greener," I really truly believe that my job is ruining my life. It's like in Office Space... every day I go to work is the worst day of my life. Something needs to change.
SaraB - thanks for your story. It will be tough to drop a good paying job and pursue another career, for certain. "Freelancing" is not something I would want to do. If I go back to school full time I want to put my past behind me, and not keep reliving it. I will find a part time job doing whatever I can - maybe work in a fish store? lol.
joephys said:
My point--US doesn't value Visual Arts, but head for Sciences or Mathematics, and you've got your way paved with gold. Life ain't easy, life ain't fair. No sour grapes, just an observation. Where would we be without the arts?
What MBA programs are you looking at that are going to put you into 60k worth of debt? I'm actually in Uconn's program right now. Its a really good program with a lot of opportunities to be had. I started out as an electrical engineering major at URI, then after 3 years I switched into the school of business and finished in another 3 semesters with a degree in general business. I decided I liked it so much I wanted to learn some more so I came to this program. I think you said you were from CT, if so you can get instate tuition, I think its like 5000 per semester. Definitely good bang for the buck.
hmm I will have to look at prices again. I figured $30k/year as an average. I know UConn is much less, but other schools are much more.
Maybe I will look into UConn's program again...
I dunno if MBA is something I really want to go for, though. Like I said, I'm looking for a career change, not a raise.
Maybe I will look into UConn's program again...
I dunno if MBA is something I really want to go for, though. Like I said, I'm looking for a career change, not a raise.
