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I'll try to be brief: I'm considering going back to school (online) and considering getting into the field of environmental science/policy. I already have a BA and MA in History, which has ended up being more or less a waste of time, so I'd like to avoid a repeat. I started in Marine Science initially in undergrad and find that I'd like to go back into something similar to hopefully make a more positive impact (lol probably delusional) but will actually need a decent job at the other end. With the coming massacre of the EPA, etc., is this a terrible idea? I'm starting with very limited info so I was hoping some goons might've gone down this path and could advise for/against. Any/all info would be much appreciated, I'm going to see about trying to find a university advisor/ contact who might be able to clue me in (hopefully without just trying to sell me).
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Feb 20, 2017 21:54
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I went to grad school for History too and ultimately realized it was bad for me. My spouse went to grad school for environmental science, she didn't care much for the school experience. We're both in Peace Corps right now. If you are interested in environmental work, I honestly don't know what the academic side of things will look like over the next couple of years but there will likely be opportunities for environmental work through private organizations (non-profits, NGOs) even if the public sector falls apart. If you really want to be public, I'd look to states (and specific counties) where people are doing the work you'd like to do. And also, who knows, but maybe by 2020 we'll have a radical Democrat controlled legislature and executive. I could ask if my spouse'd be willing to chat with you via email if you want, she can offer a better perspective than me.
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Feb 21, 2017 16:31
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Yeah, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it. All input is welcome.
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Feb 22, 2017 20:26
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Note that you want to get work experience before you're done studying (some sort of environmental volunteering, doing internships in relevant organisations, etc) so you have a chance of standing out over dozens of other people and ideally meet potential employers there.
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Feb 23, 2017 10:58
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I CANNOT EJACULATE WITHOUT SEEING NATIVE AMERICANS BRUTALISED!
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I have a degree in Environmental Science from a university that's known for that sort of thing. Ideally, you get a degree in some aspect of environmental science that you want to do, but just a degree in environmental science (which a few universities offer nowadays), is often enough to start down the path, and then you can specialize later. I want to work for the Bureau of Reclamation/Be involved on restorations!: Environmental Planning/Environmental Engineering/Environmental Science with a minor in Engineering/Physics/Civil Engineering? I want to stare into microscopes until my eyes balls fall out of my head!: Biology, Botany, Zoology, Ornithology, etc. I just loving LOVE ROCKS SO MUCH: Geology ( every science-oriented nonprofit I've ever seen has at least one geologist on staff, if not two) I want to be bored as gently caress/Talk endlessly about the failures of the court system to address environmental wrongs/Write NEPA/CEQA/Insert EQA here Environmental Impact Reports!: Environmental Law I want to be really involved with Grasslands, but actually end up writing super long papers on best management practices for cattle grazing!:Rangelands science, Fire Science I want to be out in the woods fighting fires with my homies and getting paid the big bucks!: Fire Science, Rangelands Management, etc. I just love protesting and getting arrested!: Environmental Studies, Political Science I want to say the words 'channelization' as something that's not a euphemism for sex!:Hydrology, Oceanography I want to get out of school, start working for environmental non-profits, and not have a loving clue what I'm doing!: Environmental Science Very generally speaking, there's Again, when you're in school, you definitely absolutely must volunteer outside of school hours for whoever and whatever needs it. Ideally, you find a non-profit that's dedicated to one specific thing (ie, education, water monitoring, data analysis) and you can work as an unpaid intern for them and get a great reference for later. However, there are a multitude of organizations that constantly need unpaid If you're a dumbass like me, you can also use the variety of government programs that pay recent graduates with degrees to go do things. I would recommend Americorp, but unfortunately president fuckface murdered that program. Check out the Peace Corps, NCCC, PLAN, or your states own Conservation Corp. There's are dozens of different programs that offer recent graduates with environmental degrees/degrees in general workplace experience. The only real downside to those is that you get paid poorly. A Festivus Miracle fucked around with this message at 22:04 on Feb 23, 2017 |
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Feb 23, 2017 22:01
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Also, if you are hellbent on doing 'marine sciences' or oceanography or any sort SCUBA training, go to a university that has a boat for undergrads. It is plainly retarded to do a 2ish year degree in oceanography without ever experiencing what 15-25 foot swells is like in a repurposed fishing boat. That's like doing a pre-med but somehow never working with cadavers.
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Feb 24, 2017 01:37
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I've actually done SCUBA etc since and the waves aren't for me (sans Dramamine) much to my chagrin. My undergrad had their own little center and boat (I think) but I didn't stay in long enough to get out. I think I'd end up doing policy or nonprofit work, not really sure though (or now if I'll get to even try and time soon).
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Feb 24, 2017 02:11
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The feeling I get is that policy is going to be a horrible minefield for the near future (my university's policy teacher almost didn't bother teaching either of her classes this semester, apparently), and the federal job market is going to be iffy, too. I would start working backwards. Identify some places you'd like to work or some open jobs you'd like to have. See what they require. Plan from there.
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Feb 24, 2017 02:21
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Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I'm also in Texas so passing stuff to the state is probably a dead end too. They'll stomp anything out they possibly can, I fear.
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Feb 24, 2017 02:38
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Skip on anything with the word policy in it unless you plan on becoming an environmental attorney. Get an environmental science degree and take classes that focus on hydrogeology, soils, contaminant transport, and physics and then work for a dime a dozen consulting firm in California or the northeast. Pay is good and you'll use your degree.
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Feb 24, 2017 17:50
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marsisol posted:Skip on anything with the word policy in it unless you plan on becoming an environmental attorney. Get an environmental science degree and take classes that focus on hydrogeology, soils, contaminant transport, and physics and then work for a dime a dozen consulting firm in California or the northeast. Pay is good and you'll use your degree. ^^^ My concentration was in Environmental Policy and I've used that training a grand total of once. Don't go into policy unless you want to do law afterward.
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Feb 24, 2017 21:50
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Good to know, thanks. Unfortunately I won't be leaving Texas anytime soon so I'm starting to wonder if I should bother.
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Feb 25, 2017 00:07
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REMEMBER SPONGE MONKEYS posted:Good to know, thanks. Unfortunately I won't be leaving Texas anytime soon so I'm starting to wonder if I should bother. Just because you live in a godforsaken shithole state doesn't mean there isn't opportunity. You just have to look a little harder for it. Another degree that popped into my mind that I know makes loving  is a degree in GIS (Geospatial Information Systems). Every kid that I knew in College that even got their concentration in GIS now works for the DOT or for CALDOT here in the best state in this entire country. Plus, any time I mention that I took GIS classes in college, nearly every interview starts with "So, I see you put GIS on your application. Does that mean we can just rely on you to do a poo poo ton of time-consuming GIS work for totally free?".
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Feb 25, 2017 07:12
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OP, you can reach my partner at Doe8200[at]gmail.com Let me know when you've sent an email pretty please.
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Feb 28, 2017 13:28
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marsisol posted:Get an environmental science degree and take classes that focus on hydrogeology, soils, contaminant transport, and physics and then work for a dime a dozen consulting firm in California or the northeast. Pay is good and you'll use your degree. yeah, my sister in law did exactly this, she got a degree in environmental science and now she works for a consultant in SF going around to various construction sites and scoping them out for their impact on local wildlife, she is always driving around to cool place and lives comfortably, seems like a nice job
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Feb 28, 2017 20:04
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Earwicker posted:yeah, my sister in law did exactly this, she got a degree in environmental science and now she works for a consultant in SF going around to various construction sites and scoping them out for their impact on local wildlife, she is always driving around to cool place and lives comfortably, seems like a nice job Environmental consulting is wildly varied as far as job satisfaction goes. Pay isn't awful, but, but it's not great. The hours and travel can also suck hard. Profit margins are relatively low and your job is usually only a month of mediocre utilization rates away from disappearing. If you want to make real money in consulting, you want to get a PG, PE, or at least some business/project management certification. The "good" jobs are all in project management. That means most if your time is spent on budgets, planning, and business development, and using your license to review and sign off in the work of others. It's certainly a job, but after spending 8 years in environmental consulting myself, I was miserable and bailed. I know make about $12k less a year working for a county government. I have way more flexibility, actually use my geology background, and feel like I'm making a bigger impact. LogisticEarth fucked around with this message at 00:01 on Mar 1, 2017 |
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Feb 28, 2017 23:58
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LogisticEarth posted:Environmental consulting is wildly varied as far as job satisfaction goes. Pay isn't awful, but, but it's not great. The hours and travel can also suck hard. Profit margins are relatively low and your job is usually only a month of mediocre utilization rates away from disappearing. What is your background specifically? Sorry phone posting and can't look back at the moment. The GIS stuff sounds promising but I have no idea if I'd be a good fit or not, plus a bachelors will be kind of pricey but at least it's marketable. Thanks everyone who's replied so far.
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Mar 1, 2017 00:13
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N. Senada posted:OP, you can reach my partner at Doe8200[at]gmail.com Will do, might try if I have a minute later tonight - thanks!
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Mar 1, 2017 00:19
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REMEMBER SPONGE MONKEYS posted:What is your background specifically? Sorry phone posting and can't look back at the moment. Sorry, I missed this before. I have a B.A. in Geology from a pretty well-respected undergrad program. After graduating, I went to work for a smaller employee-owned environmental consulting firm in 2007. The plan was to work for a year or two and go back to grad school. The 2008 crisis hit, my firm decided to sell to a larger architectural/engineering corporation. I got laid off in April 2009 for several months, and grad school didn't work out since the endowment for the program I was applying to was in the shitter due the state of the economy. In 2009 I had a couple other job leads, but they all actually paid less than my previous job and had shittier conditions. Like, having to fly halfway across the county for months on end. My "old" job with the "new" company came back, after the acquisition had stabilized, and they hired me again with a minor promotion. Following that, I worked with them until 2015. I generally did environmental and geotechnical sampling, drill rig oversight, construction management and engineering inspections, etc. I had a few semi-interesting projects under my belt, but most of it looked like a construction/demolition site covered in some kind of mixture of trash, crude oil, and dry cleaning fluids. Any some other folks did even nastier stuff. I didn't pursue grad school for a few reasons: 1) Because trying to get a masters in the geosciences while working is exceptionally hard given that most good programs require you to be a full time student due to the field work, 2) My coworkers with graduate degrees made exactly the same amount of money, and did exactly the same job as I did, except they had more student loan debt and were a couple years behind me in work experience, and 3) My firm, in theory had a program to pay for grad school, but the costs were never really approved unless you were going for engineering or an MBA. And even then, I had a coworker who got into an MBA program with Drexel University, only to have the firm back out after he had already been enrolled and left him holding a $15,000 bag. Folks who had environmental science degrees, as opposed to geology degrees, were in a weird place since they didn't have the coursework to get a Professional Geologist license, so the only true career advancement was into project management/business development, which is increasingly non-science-y the further up you go. The biologists, which most people see as the fun, bugs-and-bunnies job where you're doing bat surveys and saving endangered species, did indeed do some cool stuff. However, they were also perpetually on reduced pay, laid off, or jumping between jobs trying to get a good gig. Again, it's not an inherently awful career path, but I would say that your job satisfaction is highly dependent on finding a good firm and in a specialization that has some long-term prospects. And even then, firms come and go very quickly. Every one of my senior managers had been through at least two cycles of firms going bankrupt and being laid off/acquired by Conglomo-Corp #42.
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Mar 5, 2017 14:26
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Good to know, thanks. Trying to sit down and figure out if it's a good call, especially starting again after 30. Grad degrees seem to not be terribly worthwhile in most cases, it seems. I definitely think I'd have been better off going to work right after my BA, but I finished that and grad school right in the midst of the economic shitstorm.
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Mar 5, 2017 19:38
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You may have already looked there, but there are a few relevant threads in Science, Academics, and Languages that might be helpful.
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Mar 5, 2017 20:37
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Didn't even know that sub forum existed, thanks!
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Mar 5, 2017 20:54
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