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I’ve thought about it now that I’ve traveled a bit and have a few years passed between now and undergrad, and have had a chance to do more jobs that are better than what I spent my early 20s doing, I’ve decided to look at taking prerequisite courses for a masters in marine biology to decide if I want the masters degree. My undergrad was general studies but of all the unrelated courses I took for that degree, I had no marine biology courses. Undergrad courses were offered at my school for marine biology, but living hours and hours and hours from the ocean, it didn’t interest me much at that point. Now that I’ve gotten scuba certified and have taken several trips to reefs in the Caribbean, I’m enamored with what I see there and would like to learn more about the biome and if I keep enjoying whatever studies I take while getting the prerequisites to get the Tropical Marine Biology degrees, I’ll move to a location in the Caribbean and get the advanced degrees there.
My friends and family are all dead, so I’d be doing all this alone. I’m hoping I don’t need to quit doing teaching work during my degree partly because its the best paid work I’m qualified to do, but also because education is the best job I’ve ever worked—definitely leagues above the retail, healthcare, and pharmaceutical jobs I held through college where I had to job hop a lot due to unappeasable bosses and paid so little I had to live with my angry step-father who would beat me for reasons unrelated to anything I’d done—so I was going to work and school with bruises all over me. For all my frustrations as a high school teacher, its at least better than any other job I’ve ever had.
If I do need to quit working to pursue these advanced degrees, the advanced degrees will need to wait until I’ve saved enough to meet living expenses with perhaps a part-time job to keep me afloat. That could be a few more years.
Is there are nearby college that you have identified offering the masters in marine biology?
If there is then make an appointment and talk to the department head and see if the classes you need for degree can be scheduled around your teaching job, possibly in summer.
I have found that sincerity makes people want to help.
If you find the department head is "our way or the highway" then you'll know that before wasting time and money.
Jobs are limited and competition is stiff. Internships will be important. Pay is "okay." You may be making more money as a teacher. What do you teach with a Gen Ed degree? Have you thought about getting licensed to teach biology once you have the required coursework out of the way?
Jobs are limited and competition is stiff. Internships will be important. Pay is "okay." You may be making more money as a teacher. What do you teach with a Gen Ed degree? Have you thought about getting licensed to teach biology once you have the required coursework out of the way?
I got licensed in an array of subjects: 6-12 general education, 4-8 mathematics, 6-12 general science, 6-12 general social studies, 9-12 biology, mild/moderate special education, and inclusion special education.
Right now, I am in a high school math inclusion position, were I coteach with another math teacher. We have 9th graders, and on paper, I’m responsible for the ones performing below grade level and the other teacher focuses on the ones at or above grade level, but in practice, we mix and match.
I’ve applied to biology positions, but only ever get offered special education positions. The pay is the same, but I’d probably enjoy the biology more.
My issue with teaching high schoolers is I get a mix of students who are good and interested with students who are disruptive and uninterested but too young to drop out. I feel like I’d be happier teaching older students in a college setting who are more likely to let me teach and not try to disrupt the class.
Also, sharing information I already know and watching people understand something is rewarding, but I’d also like to help uncover new knowledge—and its usually higher education professionals who get to do that.
Last edited by Magic Qwan; 12-10-2019 at 08:49 AM..
If I do need to quit working to pursue these advanced degrees, the advanced degrees will need to wait until I’ve saved enough to meet living expenses with perhaps a part-time job to keep me afloat. That could be a few more years.
You're going to have to quit.
College degrees come in two flavors: "hands-off" and "hands-on."
Political Science is hands-off. You can get a degree without ever setting foot on a campus by taking courses on-line.
Unfortunately for you, Marine Biology is totally hands-on.
You cannot take courses on-line, because the great majority of your classes have 1-5 hours of lab each week and you need to be in the lab and the lab is only during day-time hours.
Not only that, but even at the undergraduate level some 200-level and many 300- & 400- courses require field work, especially for your methods courses. That means you're out in the field all day. In fact, you may have to travel a great distance to get your field site and you may be there for days or weeks at a time.
Marine Biology is also a specialty field, and for specialty fields, there are no night, evening or weekend courses. Classes are offered between 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and if you aren't free during that time, it sucks to be you.
There's probably a few low-level courses you can take evening/night or on-line and you can try to knock those out while you set yourself up financially to make the big push.
After you have finished all of the prereq classes (and they vary depending on the school that you end up attending) if and when you get accepted into graduate school, you should apply to any programs that provide funding. In science, if you don't get funding, no one takes you seriously. Most people decide if they want to pursue either a masters or a Ph.D. degree at the beginning. You can, but most don't, first get a masters' and then a Ph.D. because they are redundant. You can usually get funding by being a TA which is great for you since you like and already have teaching experience. They should pay you enough so that you will have enough to live on. You don't pay tuition, they pay you.
Yes, you will absolutely have to quit your day job when you are in graduate school. It's only a few years of classes, the rest is all independent research. You will have to apply for a lab to accept you.
I don't know what you will be missing for your prerequisites. You may be able to take some of them while you continue to work full time. At some point though, you'll have to stop working even as an undergrad. You'll need to do some sort of undergrad research in a lab and some of your courses will require lab work. Besides the usual weed out courses that all science majors take, you'll probably have to take evolution, genetics, maybe biological clocks, etc.
When you are in grad school, you will probably do your field work part of the year, depending on your project and the animal that you are studying. The rest of it will involve lab work and modeling (computer). Most of the time, you won't be spending time playing with the animals, unfortunately. That's the part that everyone enjoys. Much of your time in graduate school will be used to write applications for grants, both for yourself and your lab.
If you don't already know R, the program, teach yourself now.
Everyone wants to apply to Scripps. Few get in.
Why not consider being a scuba instructor? At my old high school, scuba was an elective and taught by public school teachers. I guess that depends on your location, for high schools to offer scuba diving classes.
Bioengineering is really hot right now, even in the marine science world.
After you have finished all of the prereq classes (and they vary depending on the school that you end up attending) if and when you get accepted into graduate school, you should apply to any programs that provide funding. In science, if you don't get funding, no one takes you seriously. Most people decide if they want to pursue either a masters or a Ph.D. degree at the beginning. You can, but most don't, first get a masters' and then a Ph.D. because they are redundant. You can usually get funding by being a TA which is great for you since you like and already have teaching experience. They should pay you enough so that you will have enough to live on. You don't pay tuition, they pay you.
Yes, you will absolutely have to quit your day job when you are in graduate school. It's only a few years of classes, the rest is all independent research. You will have to apply for a lab to accept you.
I don't know what you will be missing for your prerequisites. You may be able to take some of them while you continue to work full time. At some point though, you'll have to stop working even as an undergrad. You'll need to do some sort of undergrad research in a lab and some of your courses will require lab work. Besides the usual weed out courses that all science majors take, you'll probably have to take evolution, genetics, maybe biological clocks, etc.
When you are in grad school, you will probably do your field work part of the year, depending on your project and the animal that you are studying. The rest of it will involve lab work and modeling (computer). Most of the time, you won't be spending time playing with the animals, unfortunately. That's the part that everyone enjoys. Much of your time in graduate school will be used to write applications for grants, both for yourself and your lab.
If you don't already know R, the program, teach yourself now.
Everyone wants to apply to Scripps. Few get in.
Why not consider being a scuba instructor? At my old high school, scuba was an elective and taught by public school teachers. I guess that depends on your location, for high schools to offer scuba diving classes.
Bioengineering is really hot right now, even in the marine science world.
I live too far north and too far inland to sponsor a scuba club at my school, but I am seriously considering moving--if I stay in-state, I can keep building pension credits, and we have a coast in-state 5 hours south of me. What bothers me with that, though is the beach 5 hours south of me is an ugly beach and it still gets down in the 40s in winter there, and if I move, I'd rather go "all the way" and move to a pretty beach between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricorn, which includes lots of pretty beaches and has most of the scuba areas I like flying to to hit up (coral reefs do grow in colder regions of the world, but my depression gets worse in winter and the farther from the equator I am, the worse it is in winter, so I want to get closer to the equator if I can, plus I like my water warm).
I knew about going straight into a PhD program, but I thought my undergrad degree being in General Ed and mostly having humanities courses would make me undesirable despite my strong GPA of 3.51--I was just trying to graduate at that point so I could get a better job and move away from my abuser and get a better job in general. I regret buying a house in this city, though, since I don't like my city very much.
Do you really think just taking prerequisite courses in marine biology will be enough for a good PhD program?
Its also funny you mention bioengineering, too, since thats something else I'm interested in.
So far, this school looks promising for grad school, as the local university where I live only offers up to 400-level classes in marine biology: https://www.mona.uwi.edu/cms/dbml.htm
Last edited by Magic Qwan; 12-11-2019 at 10:38 AM..
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,694 posts, read 58,004,579 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mircea
You're going to have to quit.
College degrees come in two flavors: "hands-off" and "hands-on."
Political Science is hands-off. You can get a degree without ever setting foot on a campus by taking courses on-line.
Unfortunately for you, Marine Biology is totally hands-on.
.....
I vote... Get a J-o-b in your chosen field and have employer pay for your school.
Worked for me for (5) degree programs. (intensive STEM focus)
I like to work nights and be fresh for school during day (Evening work (3-11pm) is best for those who actually need sleep).
I also worked PT jobs on weekends, (helped to diversify experience). PLUS, more jobs = less time to spend money. Some night jobs are perfect for studying / doing related projects to school experience.
I ended up with a skill set that paid very well, and availed international employment (good experience for family to live overseas as minority).
It is always best to work in your field BEFORE higher edu, as your perception and inclination to learn + your contribution to prof and other classmates is vastly more superior if you actual have been 'On-the-floor'
Thus... I will hire foreign trained Uni grad Students before USA, as most have been in vocationally related employment (real jobs, not internships / fake / pretend jobs).
I vote... Get a J-o-b in your chosen field and have employer pay for your school.
Worked for me for (5) degree programs. (intensive STEM focus)
I like to work nights and be fresh for school during day (Evening work (3-11pm) is best for those who actually need sleep).
I also worked PT jobs on weekends, (helped to diversify experience). PLUS, more jobs = less time to spend money. Some night jobs are perfect for studying / doing related projects to school experience.
I ended up with a skill set that paid very well, and availed international employment (good experience for family to live overseas as minority).
It is always best to work in your field BEFORE higher edu, as your perception and inclination to learn + your contribution to prof and other classmates is vastly more superior if you actual have been 'On-the-floor'
Thus... I will hire foreign trained Uni grad Students before USA, as most have been in vocationally related employment (real jobs, not internships / fake / pretend jobs).
Not sure what marine biology jobs I’m eligible for with a general education degree and a scuba certification, but I’ll look. I honestly didn’t expect to land a teaching job with general ed, but I managed to land one. Maybe I could call the university and try to pick up contacts/ideas there. I just hope I’m not annoying anybody, lol.
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