• Question: What qualifications did you need to become a scientist?

    Asked by emzilies to Gioia, Iain, Jo, Leo, Mariam on 21 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by helen1, 1sunshine.
    • Photo: Gioia Cherubini

      Gioia Cherubini answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      I got a Science Degree and then I did a PhD.
      If you like science, but you are not interested in doing research (for example you want to be a science teacher), then you don’t need a PhD, but if what you want to do is being in a lab doing your research, then only a PhD can prepare you for that. It’s really hard, but it is one of the most rewarding thing I have done!

    • Photo: Joanna Watson

      Joanna Watson answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Hi emzilies.

      I have GCSEs, A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and Maths, a degree, a masters and hopefully soon (if the university approve it) a doctorate (mine will be a DPhil, which is just another name for a PhD).

      I needed to get all of these qualifications to get the job that I have in a university, but there are *loads* of scientists who don’t have so many qualifications – and some that have even more!

    • Photo: Mariam Orme

      Mariam Orme answered on 19 Jun 2010:

      I did science A levels, then went to University and did a science degree. At that point I could have got a job in science but I chose to do a PhD – to go far in a career as a scientist you have to do a PhD at some point, whether it’s straight after university or after you’ve been working for a while.

    • Photo: Iain Moal

      Iain Moal answered on 19 Jun 2010:

      A university degree in a scientific subject is widely regarded as the minimum requirement to enter a career as a scientist. Usually, a scientists career starts by doing a PhD. A PhD isn’t like other qualifications because instead of learning what is already known and doing exams, you do original research.

    • Photo: Leo Garcia

      Leo Garcia answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      To work in, say, a university research team – you need A-levels, a good science degree, maybe a masters and, preferably, a PhD in the subject you are interested in. And then you can start changing the world!

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