Where to Study Paleontology
UC Berkeley's UCMP is one of the world's premier paleontological research institutions, with exceptional collections and faculty spanning all major subfields. Graduate training integrates the museum's unparalleled resources.
Museum: University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP)
KU's vertebrate paleontology program is among the strongest in North America, with distinguished faculty, major field programs, and deep ties to the KU Natural History Museum's world-class collections.
Museum: KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum
The University of Chicago has a long and distinguished tradition in paleobiology, with faculty such as Neil Shubin bringing integrative approaches that connect paleontology, developmental biology, and genomics.
Yale's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Yale Peabody Museum together offer exceptional paleontological training, with faculty leaders in Cambrian paleobiology, vertebrate evolution, and taphonomy.
Museum: Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
Bristol's School of Earth Sciences is a leading centre for palaeobiological research, with Mike Benton's group producing influential work on mass extinctions, vertebrate evolution, and the Triassic recovery of life.
Oxford's palaeobiology group is internationally recognized for quantitative macroevolutionary research, with particular strengths in tetrapod evolution, marine reptiles, and using large-scale datasets to understand deep-time biodiversity.
The University of Alberta offers one of the few dedicated undergraduate majors in paleontology in North America, with close ties to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and exceptional Cretaceous field sites in Alberta's badlands.
Factors to consider when selecting a graduate program
Find programs with faculty working in your area of interest. Review faculty research pages and recent publications. Consider whether the program offers specializations you want to pursue.
Inquire about graduate assistantships, fellowships, and stipends. Full funding (tuition + living stipend) is standard for funded positions. Ask about teaching and research assistantship opportunities.
Critical for paleontology training. Ask about summer field camps, excavation projects, and field school requirements. Field experience is essential for career competitiveness.
Consider departmental reputation and resources. Look at graduate placements—where do graduates get jobs? Does the department have adequate labs, equipment, and computing resources?
Potential advisor and committee members are crucial. Meet with potential advisors during recruitment visits if possible. Mentorship relationship significantly impacts graduate experience.
Spend 5-7 years at the institution. Consider location, climate, cost of living, and department culture. Visit campuses if possible; talk to current graduate students about experience.