Insights for undergraduates seeking an advanced degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences

Fisheries
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

In today's job market, having a successful career in the fisheries and wildlife sciences is becoming more dependent on obtaining an advanced degree. As a result, competition for getting accepted into a graduate program is fierce. Our objective for this study was to provide prospective graduate students some insights as to what qualifications or attributes would best prepare them for obtaining a graduate position (M.S.) and to excel once they are enrolled in a graduate program. A survey was sent to 50 universities within the National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs (NAUFWP) where both faculty and undergraduate students were asked questions relating to graduate school. Faculty rated the importance of various criteria and attributes of graduate school, and students answered the questions according to how they believed faculty members would respond. Overall, undergraduate students shared many of the same graduate school viewpoints as those held by faculty members. However, viewpoints differed on some topics related to admittance and the most important accomplishment of a graduate student while enrolled in a graduate program. These results indicate that undergraduate students may be better prepared for graduate school—and they may understand how to be successful once they are enrolled in a program—than was initially thought.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Insights for undergraduates seeking an advanced degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences
Series title Fisheries
DOI 10.1080/03632415.2013.826200
Volume 38
Issue 11
Year Published 2013
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Contributing office(s) South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description 8 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Fisheries
First page 483
Last page 490
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details