Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What degrees do you need to major in to be a herpetologist?

Biology and Chemistry. It would be best if you checked at your nearest University and/or Community college for the requirements. If you are still in high school, make sure your GPA is above 3.0 and you have a strong background in the sciences and mathematics.

Lester G. Milroy III

As Les4toads stated, biology and chemistry are two good options. I work as a herpetologist for the National Park System. I graduated from Purdue University's noted school of agriculture (it's not just about cows and pigs!). My degree is a B.S. so a variety of math, biology and chemistry courses were required. I added to that background by completing other courses such as animal behavior, entomology, forestry, etc. Keep in mind, that you are unlikely to find any undergraduate programs that focus on herpetology. You can however attend schools where well-known herpetologists are employed and perhaps take courses taught by them. You can focus on herpetology in grad school if you decide to go beyond your bachelor's degree. Remember, just having a degree doesn't automatically make you a herpetologist. You need to have knowledge in the area of herpetology in which you would someday like to work. You might have a PhD, but if you go into an interview knowing nothing about the job, you could be bumped out of the job by someone with less education but is better suited for job description. It's a great field and I love my job. Good luck.
Will Brown