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To become a paleontologist, students should study zoology, geology, or biology in college, and take advanced placement courses in high school. They should also seek opportunities to work with paleontologists and participate in fieldwork. Most paleontologists have a master’s or doctoral degree.
The paleontologist contributes to the understanding of the world in the distant past by evaluating mainly animal / plant fossils. Given the importance of this study, it’s easy to assume that people can just go to a university and get a paleontology degree, but most colleges don’t have such a degree. Instead, people study in fields like zoology, geology or biology to become a paleontologist. Those interested in this field can help themselves by starting studies from high school.
In high school, a student who wants to become a paleontologist should plan on getting very strong grades in all math and science courses. These backbone classes are essential for studying at the college level. When possible, advanced placement (AP) courses in science and calculus are recommended, as they eliminate some of the first-year college requirements and allow students to study at a more advanced level.
It’s not a bad idea in high school or college to talk to a few paleontologists about the career and what it entails. The best resources for this are usually natural history museums or colleges. Particularly in museums, a paleontologist may be willing to have a student assistant for a few days, weeks or months. This can help people determine if they really want to become a paleontologist.
With that goal in mind, the student will move on to college and, again, probably won’t major in paleontology, but will declare one of the major areas mentioned above. To determine which special is most attractive, students should reflect on what they would like to do when they become paleontologists. If the interest is in animal fossils, studies in zoology or biology are probably more appropriate, for example. In all college programs, at all levels of study, students should look for a program that offers classes in paleontology as part of their undergraduate degree.
In college, there may be opportunities to do real fieldwork with professors or others. People can participate in excavations or other work. These programs may be offered during the summer months, accommodating students’ schedules. Any internship available to the person who wants to become a paleontologist is worth exploring, and participation can be helpful in applying to graduate school.
Some paleontology jobs are open to graduates, but many others are available to those studying at the master’s or doctoral level. Most people who become paleontologists have a master’s degree, at the very least, and more may have a doctorate. The job only available with a bachelor’s degree is probably an assistant paleontologist with a college degree. It is recommended that people plan to go to college if they want a more active role in this profession. Upon completion of school, people are likely to establish some degree of reputation through publication or contact in the field, and may begin this work in a variety of ways.
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