Marine Biology vs General Biology
Posted by LogoAM_@reddit | marinebiology | View on Reddit | 2 comments
So this coming spring semester is going to be my last semester for my associates. I’ve gotten accepted into UNC-Wilmington & they have an excellent Marine Biology program, part of the reason I moved to Wilmington. After researching a bit about Marine Fisheries Biologist jobs it’s very … competitive to say the least. As of now I’m planning on doing marine biology, but they also have a Biology degree with a terrestrial & freshwater option that I’ve been considering. I know I want to study fish (hence fisheries biologist) & eventually get my masters. Which degree & pathway would you recommend as far as job security, stability & pay goes? Truthfully love the ocean but freshwater fisheries jobs seem to have more openings. I’m in quite the dilemma. Any advice or recommendations means a lot
marinebiology-ModTeam@reddit
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m_i_here@reddit
The field of marine bio in general is incredibly competitive. I have a B.S. in marine science focused in marine bio. It took me a while (2.5yrs) to get my foot in the door, my first job was in fisheries. I worked in that area for about 5yrs. What helps getting into this industry (marine bio in general) is networking and experience even for entry level positions. I was not fortunate enough to intern or volunteer to get experience while in college, but my friends who did were able to find employment much quicker. A masters degree can help, but make sure you have a solid desired outcome that you enjoy and will be attractive to future employers. I'd also recommend looking into job posting to figure out how much you'd make annually. When I worked in fisheries it was not much, and I had to supplement my income.
Depending on your program the marine bio degree at your school may be equivalent to general bio degree (I'd ask). My school's marine science (bio focus) program was structured this way. If not, general bio would likely provide more employment options until you focus your knowledge during your masters. But I'd imagine getting experience and networking plays a similar role in helping you find employment.
Good luck!