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Zoology vs Earth Science/Geology

Good Afternoon everyone.

I'm having trouble deciding what I want to do for Uni, I have always had an interest in helping the earth and conservation ect so the obvious choices were Earth science(geology) or Zoology.
I'm tied between the 2 and I need help weighing up my options post grad, which would give me better job prospects ect. aswell as pros and cons for both (I don't want to work with fossil fuels) and maybe which would allow me to immigrate as Id like to Move to Canada at some point.
Thank you

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Why zoology and not environment science? Zoology is just a standard biology degree without plant science - it isn’t related directly to zoos and conservation.
Original post by Nathan GG
Good Afternoon everyone.

I'm having trouble deciding what I want to do for Uni, I have always had an interest in helping the earth and conservation ect so the obvious choices were Earth science(geology) or Zoology.
I'm tied between the 2 and I need help weighing up my options post grad, which would give me better job prospects ect. aswell as pros and cons for both (I don't want to work with fossil fuels) and maybe which would allow me to immigrate as Id like to Move to Canada at some point.
Thank you

Hi Nathan!

It sounds like we've got really similar interests - I'm now in my third year of studying Marine Biology with Oceanography at the University of Southampton and I'm really enjoying it.

Something I learnt the hard way, is that Earth Science might not be what you're expecting; it's very physics and maths focussed and tends to look more at rocks and sediment than biology-ish things. Something to note with Earth Science too, is that people who have studied often find their way into working with fossil fuels, energy and extraction which sounds like it might not be your sort of thing.

Why not have a look at courses such as Environmental Science, Conservation Management and Conservation Science, as these sound they might be more up your street! Southampton offers all of these courses, and a really common route is to study a BSc in Environmental Science and then do an MSc in Conservation in order to have the credentials needed for the sort of field you want to work in. Lots of other unis offer these as well as Southampton so it might be worth having a look around. Something to look really closely at as well is the modules universities offer, I didn't realise how different these could be between unis and courses and it's something that really swung my decision to help me decide my degree.

Another route you could follow with your interest in zoology is the course Marine Biology with Biology (I'm biased here though!) which is essentially a zoology degree with some add on modules focussed on ocean animals! A lot of my friends do it who have similar ambitions to you so I'd recommend having a look at this too!

Do you have any general degree-related questions I might be able to help with?

Lottie :smile:
Third year ambassador
personally id pick zoology
Reply 4
Original post by Uni of Southampton Students
Hi Nathan!

It sounds like we've got really similar interests - I'm now in my third year of studying Marine Biology with Oceanography at the University of Southampton and I'm really enjoying it.

Something I learnt the hard way, is that Earth Science might not be what you're expecting; it's very physics and maths focussed and tends to look more at rocks and sediment than biology-ish things. Something to note with Earth Science too, is that people who have studied often find their way into working with fossil fuels, energy and extraction which sounds like it might not be your sort of thing.

Why not have a look at courses such as Environmental Science, Conservation Management and Conservation Science, as these sound they might be more up your street! Southampton offers all of these courses, and a really common route is to study a BSc in Environmental Science and then do an MSc in Conservation in order to have the credentials needed for the sort of field you want to work in. Lots of other unis offer these as well as Southampton so it might be worth having a look around. Something to look really closely at as well is the modules universities offer, I didn't realise how different these could be between unis and courses and it's something that really swung my decision to help me decide my degree.

Another route you could follow with your interest in zoology is the course Marine Biology with Biology (I'm biased here though!) which is essentially a zoology degree with some add on modules focussed on ocean animals! A lot of my friends do it who have similar ambitions to you so I'd recommend having a look at this too!

Do you have any general degree-related questions I might be able to help with?

Lottie :smile:
Third year ambassador

Thank you very much! I was actually looking at a course Zoology with Marine Biology BSc which is at the University of Salford in Manchester, that course offers Diving training as well which sounds very fun, Do you think if I took Zoology or Zoology with Marine Biology it would be pretty marketable and would allow me to immigrate to Canada and obtain a work visa later in life to pursue the same type of work that id do here?
Reply 5
Original post by bridalchain
personally id pick zoology

Im leaning towards it XD
Original post by Nathan GG
Good Afternoon everyone.

I'm having trouble deciding what I want to do for Uni, I have always had an interest in helping the earth and conservation ect so the obvious choices were Earth science(geology) or Zoology.
I'm tied between the 2 and I need help weighing up my options post grad, which would give me better job prospects ect. aswell as pros and cons for both (I don't want to work with fossil fuels) and maybe which would allow me to immigrate as Id like to Move to Canada at some point.
Thank you

Geology without a doubt.
Reply 7
bump
Why zoology and not environment science? Zoology is just a standard biology degree without plant science - it isn’t related directly to zoos and conservation.
Reply 9
Original post by PQ
Why zoology and not environment science? Zoology is just a standard biology degree without plant science - it isn’t related directly to zoos and conservation.

I feel asif Environmental Science is not as Academic as Zoology and wouldnt allow me to move on a work visa overseas as Zoology might allow me to more.
Reply 10
bump
Original post by Nathan GG
I feel asif Environmental Science is not as Academic as Zoology and wouldnt allow me to move on a work visa overseas as Zoology might allow me to more.

I think you need to do more research into the careers and degrees you’re considering then. A “more academic” degree isn’t better for preparing you for work unless you want to go into academic research.
Reply 12
Original post by PQ
I think you need to do more research into the careers and degrees you’re considering then. A “more academic” degree isn’t better for preparing you for work unless you want to go into academic research.

I feel Zoology would be a better degree that will allow me to immigrate than Environmental Science.
Original post by Nathan GG
I feel Zoology would be a better degree that will allow me to immigrate than Environmental Science.

I understand that. I'm just saying that it would be sensible to actually do some research into that rather than base it on your feelings.
Original post by Nathan GG
I feel Zoology would be a better degree that will allow me to immigrate than Environmental Science.


I doubt that, especially as far as Canada is concerned where one of their major industries is the fossil fuel industry, but politically they are very tied up in trying to frame themselves as progressive in terms of environmental policy. So someone with an environmental science degree would likely fit in quite well between those two concerns. Also a lot of Canada is forests and so people with environmental science backgrounds could be well placed to support forestry industries in environmental assessments etc. Even in that frame, a degree in e.g. ecology and/or conservation would probably be more "employable" as far as immigration goes than one in zoology generally, as those will have more directly industry relevant aspects.

In any case, why not do something which incorporates some elements of both sides, like palaeontology or an earth sciences course with palaeobiology options? Alternately you might want to consider things like natural sciences courses that let you combine both to some extent.
Marine Biologist is just looking at moss and making presentations.
Reply 16
Original post by artful_lounger
I doubt that, especially as far as Canada is concerned where one of their major industries is the fossil fuel industry, but politically they are very tied up in trying to frame themselves as progressive in terms of environmental policy. So someone with an environmental science degree would likely fit in quite well between those two concerns. Also a lot of Canada is forests and so people with environmental science backgrounds could be well placed to support forestry industries in environmental assessments etc. Even in that frame, a degree in e.g. ecology and/or conservation would probably be more "employable" as far as immigration goes than one in zoology generally, as those will have more directly industry relevant aspects.

In any case, why not do something which incorporates some elements of both sides, like palaeontology or an earth sciences course with palaeobiology options? Alternately you might want to consider things like natural sciences courses that let you combine both to some extent.

would a joint honours of Biology and Environmental Science be better? or something like ecology and wildlife conservation
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Other_Owl
Marine Biologist is just looking at moss and making presentations.


You mean looking at plankton and making presentations? :wink:
Original post by Nathan GG
would a joint honours of Biology and Environmental Science be better? or something like ecology and wildlife conservation


I mean again, it depends a bit on what you're looking to do afterwards. Either of those options sounds like better fits for your general interests right now I think, however.
Reply 19
Original post by artful_lounger
I mean again, it depends a bit on what you're looking to do afterwards. Either of those options sounds like better fits for your general interests right now I think, however.

Or would Environmental Science Be the way to go as this was initially the first thing I wanted to do but then I started looking at different approaches.

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