Subject: Mycological Schools

From: [email-masked] (Mycos)
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 10:47:40 GMT

Does anyone know of the presence of a school or some such institute
that teaches mycology specifically wiyhout the requirement of a
Masters or other biology degree as a prerequisite background?

                                            Gary Williams
<[email-masked]>

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From: [email-masked] (Mark Spear)
Date: 23 Sep 96 02:10:32 -0700

What kind of mycology do you mean?  You can get some mycology at the 
undergraduate level in a number of plant pathology departments. 

Or, if you mean education without college there are classes that go 
for a few days to a week in subjects like edible mushrooms or 
microfungi. 

If you are just starting join one of the groups like North American 
Mycological Society or and read the journals and newsletters for more 
info.

    ---- Mark

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From: Peter Herman <[email-masked]>
Date: 20 Sep 1996 14:06:16 GMT

>Masters or other biology degree as a prerequisite background?

Most schools have an escape clause to prerequisites for courses, 
with most accepting "or permission of instructor". So, if you can 
talk the profesor into letting you in, you can generally take the 
course without formally having the prereqs.  At NMSU, we teach 
mycology at the upper division undergrad/grad level with a 
mixture of Micro and Plant Path seniors and starting grad 
students enrolled.

Peter

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From: [email-masked] (David N. Gaines)
Date: 24 Sep 1996 14:23:34 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] says...
>Masters or other biology degree as a prerequisite background?

Gary

Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, has a mycology section within their 
Biology Department. A person could get a graduate degree in mycology if 
accepted into the program.  There is also an undergraduate level course 
in mycology offered and they use David Arora's book as the text.  The 
professor in charge of the mycology section is none other than Orson K. 
Miller, author of several important mycological texts such as Mushrooms 
of North America.

David

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From: [email-masked] (Mycos)
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 09:51:32 GMT

>Peter

That sounds interesting. Is i"ve previously stated, I have no desire,
or the wherewithal, to achieve at least a Bsc in biology where the
study  of fungi is shallow to say the least. I have had contact with a
number of these students and surprisingly they often can't I.D.
something as basic as a Shaggy Mane. Further to that, I once was
almost berated for assuming that I, without a degree, should presume
to know something that they, formally educated and all, didn't.
Something that leaves me with mixed emotions about dedicating my time
to a formal academic training program. However, it seems without that
degree, a largely self-taught individual hasn't a snowballs chance in
hell of recieving any kind of funding to look at the ecology of fungi
including other related areas of interest.
Before any of you jump to conclusions, my self-taught expertise is
apparently considerable. At risk of sounding immodest, a poison
control center(provincial) has asked me to I.d. the fungus in question
in cases of mushroom intoxication that require hospitalization. My
reputation has allowed me to use the local universities lab to conduct
what ever takes my fancy. Within reason of course.An individual at  A
B.C. Government ministry has asked me to I.D fungi that the public
calls in. I believe his fear, and probably quite rightly so, is if
that a mistake were made, the government wouln't be held liable for
any future lawsuits in case of a lethal mistake. Bottom line is that
professional, lettered individuals have refered to me and often
deffered on several occasions to me and yet any ideas I have for
research are looked at with a jaundiced eye and I can only presume its
because I am self taught and hold no degrees.
\
Any ideas as to what courses of action are left open to me short of
spending 5-10 yrs. in college studying 90% of subjects that are not
directly related to my main passion, e.g. mycology?

                                               Gary Williams ABCD ECT.

PS. Perhaps this will give some insight into the Header "As a layman
ect. 
To be perhaps a little sarcastic, I know what I know, and am often
astounded at what they don't know. Yet that's where the money goes.
 
Sour grapes it would appear but it is affecting my life as I would
like to see it unfold. 

PPS. Thank for the many response, both private and public. I learned a
great deal of the many steps involved in applying for government
funding.