Biology Masters Programs

[paradisaeidae]

Hey guys, just read through this thread and found it fascinating. One poster advocating that an MS degree is useless - while I, for the most part, have always been under the impression that you choose to do an MS first (en route to a PhD) if you are relatively unsure of your ultimate intended research area. One professor put it to me this way: that working for a PhD is like working exclusively on a tiny pixel of the whole biology picture, and that determines your career for the rest of your life. Pretty intimidating...

I have A LOT of questions about grad school in general, however I'd like to just get some advice, any advice that might be helpful to my situation:

I graduated from UNC Wilmington with a BS in Marine Biology, with a very mediocre GPA 2.9 (do they round that up to 3?) but around a 3.5 in my major, and for my last two years. It's that overall GPA that makes me so anxious, though...

I have some experience, although I don't know if it would count as "research": I volunteered and then worked in the ecology/ornithology lab at UNCW for around 2.5 years - through that professor, I was invited as a tech to help with his paleoecology project in Colorado (two weeks) and then later on Ross Island, Antarctica (1 month).

Because of my volunteering/working for the above professor, I am pretty sure I could get a strong recommendation letter from him.

AFTER graduation (2010) I moved back home, worked at a restaurant (ugh) until I found a field job in eastern NC (which is where I wanted to be) doing avian surveys for the summer season. After that job ended, I worked as a "marine fisheries observer" for the NC Division of Marine Fisheries for about 9 months. I ended that job because I felt it was so menial it was not contributing to my resume at all (anyone know anything about this at all?). So I have been unemployed for several months, trying to decide what to do with my life - ultimate goal being to get a PhD and study something related to birds, marine fisheries, evolution, paleoecology.

Is it a problem that I do not know EXACTLY what I want to study (therefore applying for a PhD would be weird)...I want/need to go to grad school, I just feel like I have so little guidance as to how to go about the whole process.

Subsequently I AM looking at UNC Asheville for a Masters in Biology...and any input on if its a good program, has good funding, etc, would be much appreciated.

Also any other comments or advice for an overwhelmed chronic worrier who just wants to do science!

Cheers

[Chai_latte]

@Paradise- Within academia a number of people view science masters as worthless, particularly at the most elite (and "semi-elite") institutions. But, you have to be true to yourself. You know what you need. There's nothing worse than latching onto a grad program that doesn't meet your needs. So, if you need the M.S. first, get it. Plain and simple. LOL, there's no rounding up w/ GPAs. It is what it is. But, there are a number of ppl who get in w/ sub-3.0 GPAs. There's a whole thread devoted to that...read it. Contact your schools of interest and find out if their GPA cut-off: a) exists or is strict. I don't know how schools feel about months of not being actively engaged w/ academics or quality work. Try volunteering in a nearby lab that's doing birds, marine fisheries, evolution or paleoecology. You don't want gaps in your resume. Plus, this might help you figure out your goals.

[abcd1]

Good to see this thread is useful for other people as well.

So anyone has any comments or experiences about the biology program at Pennstate - University Park. Its one of the options i am considering.

Thanks

[mtlve]

paradisaeidae, your position may be a little different from the op. It may be more common to get a masters degree first in more field type stuff. I am not sure about this. It is uncommon for biomedical stuff, but ms to phd is the most common route in most other areas. You may want to look at jobs in other states. I know that jobs watching wildlife and that type of thing is common in many western states. I am not sure how common they are in NC. Look at place like WY, MT, ID, AK, etc. The only science jobs in some of these states are the types of positions that you are looking for. Most of the graduate students are probably working in these areas too. My source: I have lived in some of these type of states

[chrisch]

It sounds like if you want to gain research experience in order to apply PhD in the biological sciences, the best options are

 

1. working in a lab as a tech

2. getting research experience through an MS

 

What about a pre-med-intended special masters program (specifically, Boston University Master of Arts in Medical Science), which also happens to require a laboratory thesis as part of the degree, and then continuing working in the same lab for a year? If cost is not an issue, would this make me a better applicant to PhD programs?