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Studying Zoology

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  • 22-02-2015 5:21pm
    #1
    burnsie1
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭


    i am 2nd year Science student at UCD and need to decide whether to major in Zoology. The question is what happens afterwards. It's hard to see an decent work opportunities for graduates. Anyone know where the class of prior years ended up?


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    #2
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    I'd say it varies as much as any other science graduates tbh. Why are you thinking of majoring in Zoology? Do you actually have an interest in it, or is it just a matter of you having to pick something?


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    #3
    burnsie1
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭burnsie1


    I like Animal behaviour best so it isn't favourite area of Science. I'm just not sure where I go after finishing a Zoology degree. I was thinking I might do a two subject degree. Also need to figure out if Zoology is acceptable if I applied for grad. vet., which I know is a long shot to get into!!


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    #4
    jigsaw_ape
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭jigsaw_ape


    I'm in the same situation.. Really interested in some of the modules like Evolutionary Biology and Animal Behaviour but I also don't know where the degree will take me when I'm finished :/


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    #5
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Where do you want the degree to take you when you finish? Do you want to work in conservation? in a natural history museum? in a zoo? in wildlife/environmental education? Looking into evolution? Zoology is a good fit for all of those. But depending on what you want you'll also have to feed your own interests into it - like volunteering for a project or group related to what interests you most. I studied zoology, I know two of us have ended up in bird conservation, I know 1 or 2 people did veterinary, some worked for the EPA, one went into wildlife tv stuff etc. Tbh a lot of people ended up doing a Masters to refine what they wanted more specifically - e.g. a masters in conservation or a masters in evolutionary biology, or environmental biology etc.



    I think, but you'd have to double check, that zoology is acceptable for grad vet, but I think a lot of people end up doing a Masters before getting in.


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    #6
    aidoh
    Registered Users Posts: 620 ✭✭✭aidoh


    burnsie1 wrote: »
    I like Animal behaviour best so it isn't favourite area of Science. I'm just not sure where I go after finishing a Zoology degree. I was thinking I might do a two subject degree. Also need to figure out if Zoology is acceptable if I applied for grad. vet., which I know is a long shot to get into!!

    I'm a researcher who specialises in behavioural ecology.
    I studied zoology in UCD a few years ago and had the same worries then that you do now.
    If you want to do something badly enough you'll work your ass off to get there, it's really as simple as that. I wanted to continue doing research so I did a MSc after zoology, then applied for PhD funding and rolled from there.
    Others who were in my year in UCD are working as field ecologists with ecological consultancies around the country and abroad, doing further research degrees or are working in fields totally unrelated to what they studied.
    If you want to keep going with a career in zoology / ecology etc. after you've finished it can be done. You just have to want it badly enough and work your a** off. If you're getting no love in Ireland afterwards you can always emigrate too, which is a little easier in terms of finding a job.
    Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.


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