What training is necessary to become a paleontologist?
Paleontology is actually one of the few fields of science left in which amateurs can and frequently do make important contributions. Formal education is not a prerequisite for becoming a paleontologist. What’s needed is a keen analytical mind, curiosity and imagination tempered by scientific rigor, and lots of patience to keep visiting sites, to keep good notes, and to familiarize yourself with what is known about the fossils and time period that you are studying. Formal education, however, is generally necessary if you want employment. Museum preparators and industrial paleontologists may need only a master’s degree; the doctorate is necessary for most academic paleontologists. Few universities offer degree programs in paleontology itself. Most universities that offer paleontology coursework do so through their geology departments (UC-Berkeley is an exception). However, a thorough grounding in evolution, ecology, and/or systematics is increasingly necessary for paleontologists. Find o
