Program Profile: Paleontology	Home	Español	Activity
		Informal perspective about a program of study.

How I Got Started: Paleontology is a big word which means the study of fossils found in rocks, which includes, plants, animals, humans, and dinosaurs. I have always had an interest in plant and animal fossils, but had never used the word paleontology before. Now that I know what paleontology is, I am going to use it because it makes people think I am smart! I think it is amazing that animals from hundreds of years ago have been preserved in rocks. I have spent many Saturdays going to museums looking at actual fossils and reading books at the library.

What I Want to Study: I want to study paleontology because I enjoy looking at fossils that are hundreds of years old. Everything is so delicate and fragile, I do not know how they survived for so long. My favorite part of looking at fossils is trying to decide what has been preserved, where the fossil came from, and the approximate age. This is no easy task! I will major in paleontology in college to help me learn more about fossils. Some of the classes I will be taking are anatomy, geology, and biology. Most people who are interested in paleontology generally have a master’s or doctorate degree, but some do have a bachelor’s degree.

What I Can Do In The Future: Studying fossils is a big job, and there are many people who research fossils everyday. After I graduate, I can be a true paleontologist and do fossil research. Or, if I am ambitious and get a doctorate degree, I can teach geology and paleontology at the college level. A third option for me is to be a curator at a museum and maintain the fossils and keep them in the correct places.