What is a good school for herpetology?

Question

I live in Oklahoma, and I want to know of a good college for herpetology?

I am 15 now and I'm in the 10th grade. I know more about snakes now then a whole lot of people on here, especially the snakes of Oklahoma.

I also need to know what else I could do to work with herps?

Answer 1

I heard the James Cook University is a pretty good place to study herpetology... but then again it's all the way in Austrailia and i doubt you would want to go that far. If you're interested theres a link to it's site in the sources.

Answer 2

here are some search results.Good Luck.

http://www.yabloog.com/school_herpetolog...

Answer 3

Reading through below I don't think you'll find an undergraduate college that offers much in herpetology. Look for colleges that offer a degree in Biology, vertebrate zoology, or something similar. Then see if that college offers any classes related to herpetology or at least has an instructor who has worked in herpetology.

Other things you could do is start getting some experience related to herpetology. See about job shadowing; working or volunteer someplace that has reptiles (for example, a reptilian and amphibian veterinary, zoo, natural history museum, reptile breeder or rescue); see if there are any herpetology camps, classes, or lectures you can go too; continue learning as much as you can about herpetology; get a herpetology textbook; etc

http://www.arav.org/Members/OK.htm

http://www.alligatoralley.com/employment...

http://www.okcherpsociety.com/index.html

http://www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue/...

http://www.asih.org/herpjobs

Formal Education

A college education with an emphasis in the sciences is recommended. There is no college or university that offers a major in herpetology at the undergraduate or even the graduate level. Instead, persons interested in herpetology select a major in the biological sciences. The knowledge learned about all aspects of the biology of animals is then applied to an individual study of herpetology. It is important not to neglect other studies as well-herpetologists need courses in statistics, chemistry, computer science, writing, and foreign languages. Acceptance into graduate school is especially competitive. Good grades and a well-balanced undergraduate education are necessary for acceptance.

It does not matter whether the college selected for study is small or large. What is important is that the school have a good academic record, be strong in the sciences, and particularly strong in organismal biology.

Graduate programs at many universities allow you to do advanced studies on some aspects of herpetology, and sometimes a comparatively obscure university may have an outstanding herpetologist on its faculty. One good way to select a university for graduate study is to read the current issues of the major herpetological journals (Copeia, Herpetologica, and Journal of Herpetology). When you find articles on the kind of research that interests you, check and see where the researchers are based, and apply to those institutions. A few universities have had a long tradition of producing herpetologists. These include Harvard University, University of Florida, Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Kansas, and University of California at Berkeley. Other centers for herpetological study include Duke University, University of Chicago, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Texas at Arlington.

http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/careers.p...

Any college that provides a strong background in the sciences, mathematics and English also provides the basis for a career in herpetology. But if you are seriously interested in pursuing herpetology as a career you might want to attend a college that also offers a course in herpetology (or at least in natural history or vertebrate zoology) and has one or more faculty members conducting herpetological research. "Leads" to such institutions can best be obtained by studying several recent issues of herpetological journals such as...

http://www.cnah.org/schools.asp?id=1

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/e...

There are a few schools where you can take a herpetology class and others where you can get a master in some area of "herp" research, but I don’t know any schools that offer a herpetology undergraduate degree. Check out this list of universities around the country. You can also read this letter from Kristi. She studied herpetology in college and has a few tips for you.

    * University of Virginia

    * University of SW Louisiana

    * University of Georgia

    * University of East Carolina

    * University of Florida

    * University of California-Berkeley

    * University of Oklahoma

    * University of Kansas- an excellent program

    * University of Michigan

    * University of Texas

    * University of Wisconsin

    * Michigan State University