STUCK IN A BIT OF A PARADOX...

[paris]

<font color="000000"><font face="times new roman,times,roman"></font><font face="verdana,arial,helvetica"><font size="-1">one often hears of people listed as 'herpetologists', yet no college i have researched offers a degree in that subject. herpetology is often limited to one class offered under a boilogy, or a zoology degree. so there must be an area of specilization post grad. i will be completing my double degree in about 2 years (boilogy/geography)i am trying to seek out colleges for my phd. obviously i would like to go to one that has an active herpetology program, yet i can find none with my web searches. i would like to stay in the pa/oh/wv area if i could, any suggestions? i could combine it with environmental science program if that option arises, but i would like to go to a school that is known for its amphibian research (other than berkly), more in the field research area than the medical.i cannot find my copy of salamanders of ohio, but i believe that was published on a university press.(cant remember if it was ohio university or ohio state) any info will be helpful..unless of course you reccomend i drop out and flip burgers!

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[kai]

Hi Paris,

Sorry to burst your bubble but just about anybody can claim to be a herpetologist.

However, all large research collections offer training opportunities and many/most large universities will have faculty staff specializing in (some area of) herpetology. That's where you want to work towards your Ms. or Ph.D. I'd recommend to browse through the leading herp journals and look out for research results which "vibe" with you. Then go ahead and contact the respective scientists and their universities.

BTW, check out http://www.asih.org/ - they give some more hints on a herp career!

Best wishes,
kai

 

[ravenous]

I live in Cincinnati, and I have visited Ohio State and OU. Both have herpetology courses.

Dan

 

[edward]

Hi Paris,
You can also try Villanova (I think its Villanova off hand). Aaron Bower is there and he teaches a grad level course in herpetology as well as publishing a lot on geckos and other herps. If you can find a researcher who publishes on herps (such as Bower, Jaeger, Wake, to name a few), then that colleage will at least offer herpetology as a speciality study.
As for Kai's comment, yes many people can claim to be herpetologists but most are herpetoculturists. (I don't claim to be a herpetologist and I get paid to care for and study herps).
Ed

 

[paul]

I know a professor at Middlebury College (middlebury.edu) that offers many herpetology oportunities and is the chairmen of the board of herpetology in the state of vermont. He has also spoken of differen't college proffesors that specialize in herpetology and he could help you out. His email is jandrews@middlebury.edu.