Biology degree at cheaper generic school vs marine science specific degree at well known school?
Posted by sohoships@reddit | marinebiology | View on Reddit | 6 comments
I want to work with fish and am eyeing fisheries biologist. (I don't know if that's exactly the field in marine science I want but it sounds interesting)
I've already graduated with a bachelors in an unrelated major and I want this second time through college to be as cheap as possible because I already have so much student loan debt.
But if it's more advantageous to pay more for a better niche school, I'll take the loans out for it.
Should pick the most affordable college that offers a biology degree or go to a well known college that offers a marine science specific degree?
Fishnstuff@reddit
So fisheries biologist and marine biologist are pretty different fields. Do you know exactly the kind of work you want to do? Do you intend to get a masters? Where are you located? And please look at expected salaries before deciding on how much to spend on your education. We don’t make very much!
I’m a fisheries biologist, got a fisheries biologist degree at a state school.
Sweenkl22@reddit
Not necessarily, I got an aquatic and fishery biologist degree and am technically a “fish biologist” but I study marine mammals 🤷♀️ really depends on the institution.
Edit: typo/misfire
In general to OP, a science degree is a science degree and while specific learning/fieldwork/office work is helpful but not always necessary. I think networking is key…
Fishnstuff@reddit
Networking and real world experience! Take all the work study opportunities and seasonal positions during your summer time off
Amazed you got into working with Marine Mammals btw, kudos to you!
Fishnstuff@reddit
Adding to my comment, if you’re looking at fisheries biology, you could do an environmental science degree and then take focused water and fish ecology classes. I’d recommend that over a general biology degree unless you intend to get a focused masters degree. I can’t speak to the route for marine science since that’s not my specialty.
selkie340@reddit
I work as a fisheries biologist and have a BS in marine science, a MS in biology, and PhD in ecology & evolution. If your first BS can be related at all to science (statistics, coding, GIS, genetics), you should look into doing a MS. This way, you shouldn’t pay tuition and you should get a livable stipend (and defer on those undergrad loans!). If not, get an associates from community college to fulfill MS class requirements and THEN get an MS.
When I get job applicants, experience (research, volunteer, part-time) counts far more than the prestige of the university. It’s all about the opportunities you take advantage of to gain perspectives.
Hydrokine@reddit
I would suggest looking at the jobs you would be interested in and seeing what qualifications they tend to ask for. If they want someone with a biology-related degree, you may not need the specialized schooling, but if they're specifically asking for a fisheries science degree, you may need to have that more specialized program. (And if they want a Master's, you may not even need a second bachelor's degree; a lot of graduate programs are pretty flexible with regards to undergraduate majors provided you've proven your interest in working in that field).
That said, as the other commenter mentioned, you don't necessarily need to find a university that focuses specifically on fisheries or aquatic research; there are public universities that offer the types of programs you're looking for.