Q11626

The Ethological perspective claims that all animals including humans have innate predispositions that strongly influence their development. Ethologists are scientists who study animal behavior. From livestock to wildlife, animals have certain innate and instinctual behaviors that can be scientifically studies in a myriad of ways. Ethologists typically have advanced degrees and can work at colleges and universities, research institutions and more. Many ethologists are involved in work that requires them to be in an animal's natural environment while others work in labs. If you want to be an ethologist, you can start by getting a bachelor's degree in fields such as animal behavior, animal science, zoology or veterinary science. Many schools offer combined degree programs where you can follow one singular course of study to earn both a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). These programs teach the fundamentals of animal science, biology, physiology, genetics, biochemistry and behavioral science. You spend a considerable amount of time in student labs, examining specimens under microscopes and conducting experiments. Most schools offer internship opportunities, wherein you would work directly with animals. Because most jobs in ethology require job candidates to have graduate degrees, you should consider enrolling in a Master of Science in Animal Science or Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Animal Biology program; other potential majors include biology, genetics or evolution. Because ethology is a scientific field that requires an advanced degree, you should be proficient in math, science and biology. You should also have respect for animals and be comfortable working with them, often under dangerous or physically demanding circumstances. Ethology is also a research-intensive field, so you should have good research and writing abilities as well as cognitive skills. Most Ph.D. programs have a student-teaching component, so you should have a desire to teach and be comfortable speaking in front of others. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that biological scientists earned a median annual salary of $66,510 as of 2009 (//www.bls.org//). The BLS also reports that zoologists and wildlife biologists earned $56,500 in 2009; the lowest ten percent earned slightly less than $33,550 and the highest ten percent earned slightly more than $90,850. Your salary depends on the level of education you complete and your work experience, but the outcome of your work is amazing.