• Question: How do you become a scientist?

    Asked by anon-357541 on 15 Mar 2023. This question was also asked by anon-357526.
    • Photo: Andrew Wood

      Andrew Wood answered on 15 Mar 2023:

      Great question! The traditional route to becoming a scientist is to get the best grades you can, and then go to University and do science, and then perhaps a masters degree, and finally a PhD. As soon as you join university though you can start to get involved in the research that is going on, and start to conduct your own science too!

    • Photo: Alexandra Milliken

      Alexandra Milliken answered on 15 Mar 2023:

      General routes are GCSEs, A-levels, undergraduate degree and then postgraduate degree (as Andrew has mentioned). Although I did not do a masters (they are not always required for a PhD).

      But there are a lot of other routes into science including apprenticeships (RHS offer quite a few plant based ones) and working your way up through a company (a friend of mine volunteered at a local wildlife trust to gain skill and was then hired as one of their conservational scientists).

    • Photo: Martin Vickers

      Martin Vickers answered on 15 Mar 2023:

      There are so many ways to become a scientist because there are so many types of scientists. A common route is to complete a lot of courses and gain qualifications, such as A-Levels, Degree and then PhD. However this really isn’t the only way and sometimes it’s possible to do those courses whilst working.

      The most important part, I think, of becoming a scientist is being willing to learn. This is why you’ll find a lot of scientists have lots of qualifications. If you’re interested in becoming a scientist, pursue subjects that you find interesting and gradually you’ll be come an expert.

    • Photo: Annis Richardson

      Annis Richardson answered on 16 Mar 2023:

      There are lots of different types of scientist. Most scientist jobs require at least science A levels. If you want to be a professor then you need A levels, a degree, a PhD and lots of experience. Technical scientists often have science degrees and then lots of on-the-job experience in specific areas.

    • Photo: Ian Adams

      Ian Adams answered on 20 Mar 2023:

      It’s also possible to become a scientist through less traditional routes. We have apprentiship schemes for people with GCSEs or Alevels and they work (and get paid) while studying for higher qualifications NVQs, even eventually degrees part time. It takes longer but can and does work. All depends what you want to do and how high up you want to get. We also have quite a few people who have studied for PhDs while working.

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