Expert: John Locke - 10/2/2010

Question
Hi, I'm Aflin and I'm 17 years old. I like to ask you about the best way for me to approach my dream to be a marine biologist. What course should I take when I'm pursuing my studies in the university? I like to study about whales especially killer whales...And when i go to the university, will I have to take Maths subjects? I'm not really good at it...I hope you can help me answering these questions...Thank you..

Answer
Thanks for using AllExperts. My expertise is not in marine biology, and while I cannot serve as an educational counselor (that would be a good place to start asking your question, actually), I can give you some basic background information. Most marine biologists have master's or doctoral degrees in the subject, meaning that you would first get a bachelor's degree and then apply to graduate school to specifically study marine biology. Your bachelor's degree would not necessarily be in marine biology--many schools do not have such a degree--but it should be in a biology-related field. You would be expected to do biology research at the undergraduate level before applying to graduate school. Marine biology is not a tremendously large field, and there are many interested people, so I do believe that the field is somewhat competitive.

As far as math goes, you would be getting an undergraduate degree in biology or biology-related subject; most schools, I think, require two semesters of calculus--and all the prerequisite courses leading up to calculus--as part of that degree. You would also need to study statistics, as all research depends on statistics. You would also study genetics, which depends heavily on probability theory. So while your math courses would not be as extensive as if you were an engineer, say, you will need a good bit of math as a basis for your studies. This need not be an impediment by itself. Most universities offer a great deal of learning support for students who need help in particular subjects. You may also find that certain fields of math make more sense than others.

I would again urge you to start by asking educational counselors, either at school or in your community, how to make your dream a possibility. Since it involves multiple degrees most likely, you will have to take a step-wise approach, but it is certainly possible. Good luck.