Decisions

The end of the second semester in USyd, and thus the third year of undergrad studies for my cohort of Aussie students... is drawing to a close. Had I continued, I'd be graduating at the end of the year, and my path from then on would be pretty straightforward. Bachelor of Commerce > work a bit > MBA.

But now I'm what they call a scientist and I still have at least half a year to go. And after that? I've no idea. Careers Fair came and went, I checked up some companies and organisations, and I'm still none the wiser about what I'd be doing after my degree. I won't go back to Singapore anytime soon; in my line of work in the UK, the government has good prospects, but they employ only British nationals. Ecological consultancies and related organisations in the private sector seldom employ fresh grads; most require at least a MSc and a few years of working experience. Non-profit orgs and NGOs offer poor pay in comparison - not that I'm complaining - but it's not very encouraging to know that your engineering and banking friends are earning a few thousand quids more than you.

I could go on and do a Masters, or even pursue a PhD. But if I do, where... what... when? Imperial is too tough... I don't think I can cope with the high academic standards. They want candidates to have at least a first class or upper second class honours, and they're so aggressive in research... unchallenged even by the likes of Oxford and Cambridge. I'd love to stay on (actually, do I really?) but I don't think I'd be up to it. Even so, there's only one course that suits me - MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, and it contains many elements which I don't quite have an interest in. The Institute of Zoology in London & the Royal Veterinary College offer a MSc in Wild Animal Biology, but the course content doesn't sound very attractive either. U of Edinburgh has one for Applied Animal Welfare and Behaviour, but that's Edinburgh.

The University of Sydney offers a Master of Applied Science in Wildlife Health and Population Management, and this course by far is the most tempting and the most flexible. Field studies in wildlife, in situ and ex situ wildlife management, wildlife health, sustainable use and stewardship of wildlife, science comms and commercialisation of science... and parts of it are carried out at the Western Plains Zoo, the Royal National Park and Arthursleigh. What more could I hope for in a course? Plus, I would be in familiar grounds with familiar friends. Closer to home, too. And the species richness and biodiversity there is also much more exciting than those of the drab woodlands, heaths, grasslands and cliffs of England.

But... sigh. Would the world, as my parents put it, see a return to a lower-ranked university for postgrad studies be a sign of academic incapability? Not that I really actually care much for that, but the personal positioning factor is a chore. They say it'd be akin to undoing my first degree in Imperial... they'd rather I go back and work - be entrepreneurial, be adventurous, whatever - rather than go for postgrad in USyd. Or take a break, and return to Imperial. If I can.

Everyone around me - the non-scholars, that is - are starting to worry. Marking down deadlines, finalising CVs, pouring over recruitment materials, looking out for project supervisors...

I'm so clueless.

posted by Husky @ 11/19/2005 11:56:00 PM  |