<p>Hi :)</p>
<p>How good is Yale for undergraduate biology, especially evolutionary biology? I want to study palaeontology in the future, and while it's not offered as an undergraduate major, what kind of resources and opportunities are available at Yale? I'd really love it if someone could offer me advice on what courses would be good for this. Is it a good idea to major in geology, as opposed to biology?</p>
<p>Opinions, links, or any kind of advice would be much appreciated. Thank-you!</p>
<p>Yale’s Peabody Museum, for decades, was one of the leading resources of dinosaur research. Do a google search on it. </p>
<p>That being said, I can’t comment on its current standing. As for Bio, it’s one of the most popular majors and there are tons of resources. Every student has legit research opps since Yale receives so much grant $. Literally over a billion dollars has been spent by Yale on the Biological and hard sciences over the last few years. That’s Billion with a “B”</p>
<p>Thank-you for your answer :)</p>
<p>Does anyone know if it’s better to major in geology as opposed to biology if I wanted to go into palaeontology in the future? My parents are pretty opposed to my interest in palaeontology because they think that it’s a pretty dead-end profession with few options. I know that we’re supposed to do what we love, but I suppose sensibility is also important. My interests are evolutionary biology and palaeontology, so which would be the more sensible line of study?</p>
<p>Ask your Yale professors and advisors – much more authoritative than the avg CC poster, no?</p>
<p>I am a current E&EB major (ecology and evolutionary biology) major at yale. i love my evol bio course (i have two great professors Turner & Townsend and the class is great, we have lecture one day a week and a discussion on current journal articles one day a week)…my roommate is also in a class called History of Life which is basically paleontological history of the earth…and the Peabody is a FANTASTIC resource! Second largest dino collection and definitely the most accessible!</p>
<p>If you want to do palaeontology, you might consider our major in geology and geophysics as well. You can focus on dinosaurs there if you like!</p>
<p>G&G and ecology and evolutionary bio have very different requirements… you should take a look at what interests you more. For geology you’d be taking things like geochemistry, multivariable calc, physics with calculus, petrology and mineralogy, stratigraphy, plate tectonics, etc. E&EB would require evolution, general ecology, organic chemistry, genetics, non-calculus physics (or you can take harder if you like), and several classes in organismal diversity. </p>
<p>But if dinosaurs are your thing, you’ll be able to do more of that in geology and geophysics. But you could still probs do relevant research in E&EB too, and maybe supplement your work with some electives in G&G that focus on dinosaurs. </p>
<p>Each major has classes with awesome field work (e.g. in sicily and ecuador).</p>
<p>I can’t answer your question, but since it’s in your area of interest, have you seen this?
[Yale</a> Scientists First to Reveal Flamboyant Colors of a Dinosaur?s Feathers](<a href=“http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=7249]Yale”>http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=7249)</p>
<p>Just thought it was cool. I actually brought it up chatting with my interviewer, haha. 
Maybe you could join that research team!</p>
<p>Was reminded of this thread by this article in today’s YDN. [Yale</a> Daily News - Yale researcher discovers new dinosaur](<a href=“http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2010/04/21/yale-researcher-discovers-new-dinosaur/]Yale”>http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2010/04/21/yale-researcher-discovers-new-dinosaur/)</p>