Marine Biology
Julie Teneyck
who is a marine biologist, studying to be a marine biologist or someone
who just knows alot about it please tell me all you can including how
much school is required, how many jobs are avaliable, and how much money
is avrage for someone in this feild.
Thank you,
JULIE TENEYCK
VPT...@prodigy.com
Buck DeFee
Julie,
I received my B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University -
Galveston in Dec. '94. You really don't say much about where you are
located, how much you can spend, etc. So I'll just give you a brief
overview.
Most people see Marine Biology as "playing with dolphins". This is
*not* the case. Most work in MB is related to environmental issues.
One of the world's most important resources are the wetlands. Marine
Biologists learn a lot about the wetland/marsh environment. If your
interests lie in training dolphins (Sea World), most trainers are
degreed in animal behavior or psychology (last I heard, anyway).
The top three Universities for Marine Biology are U. of Mass. at
Wood's Hole (http://www.mbl.edu/), U. of S. California at Santa
Barbara, and Texas A&M University - Galveston. They are listed as the
top three consistently by U.S. News and World Report. You can receive
information from Galveston at :
Dept. of Student Services
P.O. Box 1675
Galveston, TX 77553-1675
(409) 740-4422
Jobs.... A MB degree can lead to many different careers. If you are
"seaworthy" (are interested in life on a ship), you can work as a
technician for a researcher (you can also do this in a wetland
environment or elsewhere). It can lead to teaching, working in an
environmental career in industry or for the government, working as a
ranger, or, with an advanced degree, lead to research (as the research
scientist) or teaching on the collegiate level. MB is a good
background degree in biology which can also lead to professional
school (Med school or law). Environmental law is a hot topic at this
time, and is getting more important every year.
There is a lot to do with a Marine Biology degree. Pay rates depend
on where you go, and what you do. Personally, I gained a lot of
experience in the laboratory (I worked as a lab technician to pay for
college), so I stuck with that theme when I graduated. I work as a
Research Assistant (I run a research lab for a Doctor) in the medical
field. Basically, I supervise the projects and the students working
in the lab.
Your best bet is to visit the library and do some research on your
own. Contact some universities and ask for an information packet.
Cost can be a big factor. Currently, out of state tuition runs close
to $200 per credit hour at A&M. With an average semester being 16
hours, adding the required fees, adding books, and adding living
expenses, it can cost $5000 or more per semester. Residents in Texas
pay about $35 per credit hour. This works out to approximately $5000
per year. And Texas A&M is still one of the best values in
universities today! You can attain residency by living and working in
Texas for 12 consecutive months while taking no more than 4 credit
hours per semester (I did this so I could afford to go to school). I
know that the other schools I mentioned earlier are more expensive for
in state students (residents) than Texas A&M is for out of state
students.
I have tried to give you an overview, but looking back it seems more
like an add for A&M. Sorry about that. If you have any questions,
please e-mail me and I will try to reply ASAP. Send me some more info
on yourself (where you want to go to school, what you want to do,
etc.) and I will try to help. One last thing - marine biology is a
very hands-on field. Students spend a lot of time in the field (in
the marsh, at the beach, in Galveston Bay, sometimes on the ship), so
it is not a degree suited for people who prefer to be indoors. If you
like getting muddy, mosquito bitten, sandy, salty, and sunburned while
seining, setting up experiments, fishing, wading, swimming, and
generally getting into the thick of it, this may be the degree for
you!
Good Luck!
Buck
A man can go broke buying bargains....
_____________________________________________________
Buck DeFee
Department of Human Anatomy & Medical Neurobiology
Texas A&M University
e-mail: DE0...@TAMUG3.TAMU.EDU
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