A choice of degrees

[hopewrites]

My intent is to end up up a tree in the Amazon Basin studying Margays. The Universtiy I have chosen to study at has two equally enticing majors that could get me there. Straight up Biology major with a focus on zoology, or Environmental Studies major which in and of itself focuses on the interplay of species and habitat, research and development, and habitat loss prevention and maintenance.

What are your opinions?

 

[The Judge]

They both sound interesting, but I wonder if you might get a better idea of which is the one for you by speaking to someone at the university who can tell you more of what they involve. Almost as importantly, could you swap from one to another if after a term or two you decide you've picked the wrong one?

Whichever you choose, good luck with it!

 

[soulsinging]

I think you'll be fine as long as you're not a humanities major like I was, or, God forbid, going to law school (worst decision of my life).

My general academic advice though is to see if you can get a course listing for both majors and see which has more interesting topics to you. The difference between the actual majors is going to be pretty minimal from an employer's perspective once it goes on a resume (unless you're going to become a professor maybe). What will matter is what you did while you were studying it, and if you're actively interested in the material you're much more likely to reap the benefits of the extra-curricular opportunities surrounding it... things like lab work, professor recommendations for interesting internships, academic/subject societies, etc. THOSE are the kinds of things that will give you a leg up much more so than your GPA or which particular major you chose within the broader discipline.

 

[The Ace]

I did Zoology, but it's up to you. Field work is a B*tch to get into without an Honours degree, though.

 

[Peter Graham]

My intent is to end up up a tree in the Amazon Basin studying Margays.

What are your opinions?

Buy a plane ticket and a camera and get out there now.

Regards,

Peter