| Student Spotlight

Return of the postbac: Pursuing a second undergrad degree

By: Niamh Owen-McLaughlin

Only a small number of postbaccalaureate (postbac) students are admitted to the University of Washington each quarter, however it’s a common inquiry received by us here at Marine Biology: “Can I get my second undergrad degree at UW studying Marine Biology?” We spoke to two postbac students – Walker Hobson and Kylie West – about their journey to becoming postbac students, some of the benefits and the challenges, and what they would share with others considering the same route.

Read about Walker’s experience below, and check out Kylie’s experience too!

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be a postbac student at UW.

I’m originally from San Antonio, Texas, and I graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2018. After that, I was commissioned into the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, and after five years, I got out and came to UW in 2023. I had always been interested in Marine Biology and had no interest in going back to engineering, so I took the opportunity to come back to school for a career change. I was already living in Seattle and didn’t want to move, so UW was an easy choice. It also helped that the Marine Biology program is so highly regarded. I’m in my second year and will be graduating this Spring.

Two people sit on a boat, one wearing a blue life jacket, the other a black wetsuit.
Walker Hobson is a postbac student in his final year studying Marine Biology.

As a postbac student, what are some of the strengths that come with pursuing an undergraduate degree for the second time?

It’s certainly much easier studying and preparing for classes this time around. During my first degree I felt like I had just started to figure out how to successfully get through school when I graduated, so it’s definitely nice to be able to apply that for a second degree.

Walker Hobson is pictured underwater with scuba diving gear on, holding a crab.
Pursuing a scientific scuba diving certification was one of the reasons Walker chose to study Marine Biology at UW.

Any challenges?

Making friends was something I was initially worried about, since I’m around 8-10 years older than most of my peers. Luckily though, everyone has been really nice, so it ended up not really being an issue.

If you could tell someone considering doing a postbac one thing, what would it be?

A man holds a long piece of green seaweed.
From Mechanical Engineering to Marine Biology.

The UW accepts very few postbacs, and nearly everything during the application process will remind you of that. Don’t let it discourage you though, and make sure to apply as early as you can! In that same vein, make sure to find multiple schools to apply to, just in case you don’t get your first choice.

What have been some highlights of your time studying Marine Biology?

The absolute highlight for me has been studying at Friday Harbor Labs and getting my Scientific Scuba Diving certification. That class and the opportunity to go to FHL was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go to UW.

Any plans for the future after graduating with a Marine Biology degree?

I recently got accepted for a Masters program at the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA), so I’ll be starting that in the Fall!