What to Expect

A parasitology degree teaches students about diseases that affect the immune systems of animals, plants and humans.

Parasitology students have already gone through four years of undergraduate studies. Many students begin their studies in veterinary medicine or molecular biology and happen to specialize in parasitology.

The field involves a lot of research and hands-on lab work. Most of a student's time is spent in laboratories. Some of the more specific classes students take include wildlife biology, population dynamics, statistics, immunology, biochemistry and diagnosis in parasitology.

Andy Cheadle took parasitology at the University of Florida. He says students should expect "long hours, little or no pay and little respect while you are a student." He says he studied five to 10 hours a week.

This program involves a great deal of disappointments when experiments don't work or students spend too much time on one specific problem.

Parasitology programs are usually small, so students can expect to receive one-on-one attention. Professors at the graduate level are also very willing to help students and they encourage students to interact with peers.

How to Prepare

Take science classes in high school. Communication and writing classes are also very important. Students need to be able to present their ideas.

Students should also visit hospitals and veterinary clinics and travel to places with different climates and habitats.

"Honestly, you must be mentally prepared to deal with multiple problems all of the time and no time to find solutions to them," Cheadle says.