Marine Biology

[archman]

Well shucks, that degree plan looks perfectly fine. Eight credits each of general biology and chemistry, four physics credits, and a huge helping of environmental credits. Many of your enviro classes do "double duty" for chemistry, which is good. As environmental science degrees go, that one's pretty peachy.:14:

If you are tailoring your degree to be more *biological*, I see a few ecology courses stashed in there that will work. Take at least two of these.
-Ecology & Human Impacts
-Restoration Ecology
-Wetlands Ecology

Looking at USF's Biology program course descriptions, it appears to be geared for the molecular and medical fields. Very few wildlife or ecological courses. However, they do have (some) nice classes in there that you might consider taking to *supplement* your major.
-Oceanography (take this!)
-Marine Biology (and this!)
-Conservation Biology
-General Microbiology
-Herpetology
-Genetics

 

[RoyN]

Well, I'm 100% sure I'm going to take Ocean and Marine Biology as electives because I do need some elective credits.

 

[SharkyJillian]

I have my BS in Behavioral Biology which I have used in studying sharks world wide. Internships and field work are VERY important. You learn how to think on your feet as text book examples are great, but they are not always reality. I travel as a biologist/naturalist leading dive trips. I am looking to do my masters and now with all my experience I am ready and know where I want to go with it. Like mentioned before learn a language, learn how to drive and fix boats, dive as much as possible and keep an open mind.

 

[Hank49]

And learn how to do, and the importance of equipment maintenance. That alone will make you a standout when hunting for a job with your degree. Almost every aquafarm or research facility I've ever been to suffers terribly in this area.

 

[Rockhound76]

There are some jobs in marine biology for undergraduate degreed individuals, but I would highly recommend spending a little more time in school and getting a graduate degree.

Some schools offer Intradisciplinary double degrees in marine sciences. My undergraduate degree program was in Biology and Marine Science. When I was a senior, I learned the limited nature of the jobs I could get without going on to a PhD, so I added geology by staying another year and ended up with degrees in Marine Science and Geology (within 3hrs of a degree in biology, I was out of money and even an assistantship at SUNY couldn't save me.). Geology offered me additional opportunities in the marine and environmental science field and the pay was a bit better.

I had two roommates when I was working at a Sea Lab while in school. One finished in the Marine Science/Biology program I was in, then stayed just another year to get a masters in Environmental Science. He has done very well in this field.

My other roommate, a girl (ahem a GCE, or GenderlessCoEqual), finished with a straight biology degree, but stayed on as a graduate student in Marine Biology. She got her PhD and works as a Marine Biologist with the State of Florida (DEQ?).

None of us were able to find good jobs as undergraduates, but that was 30yrs. ago and the demand is now a bit higher.

I have no regrets regarding my career choice, as I love the work. But, I also admire those who want to work as "pure" marine biologists. It is still an interest and a love (hobby) of mine. I would be excited if one of my boys decides to pursue it as a career.

Here is a link to my alma mater and it's marine science double degree program:
http://catalogs.ua.edu/undergraduate/21600.html#103360

Dauphin Island Sea Lab: http://www.disl.org/



Good luck!

 

[RoyN]

Well, I'm not going to stop at my BS degree, I'm going to continue on and get my masters in biology or something too.

 

[archman]

In that case, add Genetics and General Microbiology to your list of electives. Plus some Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry. These are necessary prerequisites for postgraduate work in the biological sciences.

I don't see why you just don't change your major to Biology, and take Environmental Science electives. It would sure save you time and a lot of hassles. USF seems to have a rather weak Biology curriculum, but it does possess all the basics, and you should be able to spruce it up with classes from other departments.

 

[RoyN]

I can try, but I'm already well advance 3 years into the school already, if I change it, I'm looking at least another 3 years and by that time, I will be financially CRASH!! Financial Aid has only award me 3 thousand dollars leaving me with a ten thousand dollar bill and thats just this semester alone. Unless somebody would donate some money for this poor college student, I'm just hurrying to finish the school for the sake of actually having a roof and food in the belly. The US government nor Terminator doesn't seem to wanna help a poor student like me.

 

[archman]

Wait, you're already a senior? This is rather odd, I thought you were an entering freshman. Uh...

Which environmental science classes have you already completed? Did you already knock out general chemistry? If so, you can take the follow-up Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry you'll need. If no, I don't know what to tell you. Frankly, I can't figure out how your department can offer so much chemistry in many of the environmental sciences classes, yet not require base courses in chemistry itself. Huh, now I'm back to being irritated with that department again.

With only a single (general) biology course at this point in your degree plan, you are going to need one HECK of a lot of supplemental courses to merely get *the core* biology training necessary for postgraduate study in the field. If it's a choice between something like Marine Biology vs. Genetics, drop the former... you need to get the nasty basics down first before you start playing with the foo-foo stuff.

I trust like most other colleges, yours has academic advisors. What the heck have they been telling you the last few years? Oooh, I'm so mad now, it's making me want to pee.:doctor:

 

[Thalassamania]

I don't see how one could function as a practicing environmental biologist, even at the lowest technician level without a much stronger biological background.