Steps to becoming a Marine Biologist
For those who are considering a career in marine biology, there are certain pre-requisites that must be met. You cannot graduate from high school and enter into this field. Here are the steps to becoming a marine biologist:
College education requirements
The first thing you must do is obtain a college degree if you wish to pursue a marine biologist career. It is best to pursue anundergraduate major in biologythat also includes studies in statistics, calculus and computers. This is the first step in your college career. Classes in biology, physics, chemistry as well as engineering may also be valuavle as you are pursuing an undergraduate degree.
You should carefully review all of the courses that will be required as well as any high school required courses that may help you in your college career. It is important to remember that marine biology is a science. Should you decide to pursue this career path, you should be prepared to be curious, clever and be willing to take initiative. Few things happen in marine biology that are not started by those with these character traits.
Finding the right college
Your studies are going to be an important part of your career planning. While most colleges do offer a wide range of science and math courses, you want to find out which colleges offer specificmarine biology courses. This is especially true if you are pursuing a graduate degree or a master's degree. Your choice of college will also be largely dependent on what you intend to do once you graduate and pursue your career.
An example of a person who attended US colleges and was a very successful marine biologist isRuth Turnerwho received her first degree at Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts), then attended Cornell University for her Master's Degree until finally she attended Harvard (via their agreement with Radcliffe College) for her Doctorate.
Career choices for marine biologists
Marine biologists may elect to study the animals that live in the oceans, they may pursue a teaching career or they may elect for a research career. Marine biology careers can be exciting, fun and rewarding regardless of how you elect to pursue your career.
Summary
Marine biology can be a rewarding and lucrative career choice, whether you choose to pursue a teaching position or you are more interested in research. Marine biologist career choices are varied and some may even include scuba diving. These preliminary steps to becoming a marine biologist will get you started on the right track.
