I have been studying wildlife ecology, for 3 years, and I have a bunch of very hard classes left ahead of me. i have wanted to be a conservation agent, but i dont believe there are many getting hired in this economy. not to mention getting this degree is going to be very tough, expensive and lets face it agents dont get payed a whole lot, so it seems kindve dumb to me to spend so much time effort and money just to get out and either not have a job, or get a job not paying a lot. im thinking about switching to a bio/psych major, since it wont change my course of study too much, and is a similar major. and should give me a few more options for a career. im really not sure what a bio/psych major will get me job wise, but im thinking it is more open ended than a wildlife degree. any thoughts? all comments are welcome
This is a tough one man! I had a similar issue when I was in school. I changed my major at least three times that I can remember. Do your research and look things over very carefully, that is the best advice I can give. Try not to sweat it too much though, in the end you will still have a degree when it is said and done. I never used my degree in the field of study it was designed for and mine was very specific. I was still able to more than meet my goals by keeping my options open and following my gut on some tough decisions. Start networking heavily now. Always keep in mind that things can change drastically in a very short amount of time. I know that statement seems kind of vague, but you'll figure things out. Make the most of your opportunities and keep your eyes open for new ones. Don't limit yourself to the small box that your specific degree puts you in. If you like the outdoors and like to write and take photos, that degree could still serve you well one day as an outdoor journalist....you can always make your living in a separate field until you reach that level where your writing will support your lifestyle.
A biology/psychology degree would require a graduate degree to be worth anything. I obtained a degree in Environmental Science. I work in the field 50% of the time, and had a job ready for me 3 months before I graduated. I turned several job offers down. Of course, this was 5 years ago as well, but I do know that my firm is currently hiring, as well as other large firms in the environmental industry. Geology, hydrology, toxicology, and industrial hygiene are all good degree fields with good hiring potential. You made the mistake that a lot of guys make who love the outdoors. I knew so many guys that went to college for wildlife conservation or ecology degree, who are now cops or fireman. Just not that many jobs out there, and the ones that are, don't pay.
Not to mention if you successfully became a conservation agent, you'd be working all the prime-time hours that you'd want to be in the field hunting... Doh! I'd suggest if it'd be that easy to obtain the biology degree to couple it with some sort of life science minor and get into medical sales... good money AND fair amount of control of your time to hunt with.
wildlife biologist or land specialists wouldn't be a bad gig and real estate investment for land. considering how big hunting keeps becoming each year and people looking for land!
thanks for the replies guys, as for being an agent and working during the prime hunting season.... i dont really care for rifle hunting too much, and bow season here is sept through jan, so i wouldnt have too big of a problem being able to hunt. as for fireman or police, i have no problem with that as a back up, but thats not my main goal as for a wildlife biologist or land specialist i would love to do that, manage peoples land, or something like that, but lets face it, if it were easy or even practical to get that job every hunter would have the job. while i was interning for the mdc (MO dept of conservation) the wildlife biologist were known to just be wildlife farmers, because all they did was farm the conservation land, never did anything with wildlife. that is not for me. so unless other states/agencies are different i wouldnt want to be a "wildlife biologist"
thats a great question, if i knew i would know what major to pursue, but now that i see how hard/expensive a wildlife degree(or any degree ) is it turns me off on the fact of working a low paying job. i feel like after paying so much for a degree my job should pay quite a bit more than most do. so basically im looking for something that pays pretty good, (starting at 50k minimum) possibly an outdoor job, or something in the science field atleast. i also like helping people, and would like to own my own business (something in the outdoor field, sporting goods, land management etc) im beginning to think i should just switch to the bio/psych major because it is the quickest easiest degree for me at this point, and still leaves me with just about as many options as a wildlife degree will. then once im out of school just find any job i can since the economy is down ill be happy to get just about any job i can.
Good luck without a specialized degree Like I said, a biology/psychology degree is pretty useless without a secondary degree. That is a very broad major. Any potential employer will want you to be specialized in something.
you have a point, but at the same point im thinking a wildlife degree narrows my options down a lot, almost too much. i was hoping with a broad degree i would have a better chance at getting a job, not better pay scale, just more options. maybe im wrong though, im by no means an expert, im getting help off a bowhunting forum ha ha.
If you want a broad degree that would be easy finding a job, go in Accounting, Business, or Economics. Biology/Psychology, while broad, is still limiting your potential job fields. It is just broad in the scientific field. And broad in the scientific field is a very bad thing.
that makes sense the way that you put it, the main reason im not going with accounting business or economics is i would basically be restarting my schooling. so im stuck with something in the biology side, i think im going to stick with wildlife and hope for the best.
Does your school offer classes in GIS? A minor in GIS would make yourself more valuable than the average Wildlife guy. Plus a good internship. If I were you, I would continue my education and obtain a graduate degree in upland ecology or any other area you might be interested in. But that is just me. I loved college.
A couple of extra years in school may be a small price to pay when you consider that you will likely be working for 40+ years. If it helps you land a better job you may be able to retire early and enjoy the ride getting there.
I don't know you at all, but after reading your post I feel confident that you should avoid english!!!!
I knew I like you for some reason Hook, Environmental Science was one of my minors. Where did you go to college?
I started school as a wildlife bio major.. Then I graduated with an AAS degree in Plumbing/Shop Management. All my credits transferred, so it worked out nice. I love the trades, and actually enjoyed trade school (hated the university). Good luck, and you are def making the correct decision looking at other possibilities/ opportunities.
Over the years, I know of 3 wildlife mgt degree'd folks. One now is a machinist at his fathers shop, one works on a manufacturing line. Another a DNR police. Unless you get a doctrine in it, its about impossible
You're a year off from finishing your degree? Finish it! You're more likely to get a foot in the door and get a job doing anything just because you have that slip of paper. Unless you are going into a specialized field, companies do not care what you got your degree in. A degree is about hardwork, determination and laying a framework for learning in your career. If you want to be a conservation officer, you have to finish this degree. You might not get to do it straight out of college, but not a lot of guys do. If you really want to stay this course, you should join up with the police and get some law enforcement experience. You will become a more attractive candidate if there ever is an opening as a conservation officer. A cop is a cop is a cop. A conservation officer is no different than a state trooper as far as law enforcement is concerned. When living in remote areas in Minnesota, it is not unusual to have the local cops or sheriff pulling double duty around openers or just checking in on state land occasionally.
