how many qualifications do you need to become a scientist

Question: how many qualifications do you need to become a scientist
- Keywords:
  qualifications
Asked by tabzy1997 to David, James, Mike, Suze, Will on 13 Jun 2011.
- William Eborall answered on 13 Jun 2011:
  
  Hi tabzy1997. It depends really what sort of scientist you want to become.
  
  To work in a hospital running tests on things like blood samples, you probably only need GCSEs or A-levels.
  
  If you want to work in a factory making things like chemicals or medicines I think you’d need a degree in a related science.
  
  If you want to work as a researcher, finding new things out, in either a university or a company, you really need a science degree and sometimes even more like a masters degree, or a PhD.
  
  I think very few people though decide from the beginning what they want to become and more often find out after each level of qualifications whether they want to continue and do more, or whether they’re happy and that level and want to find a job that they can do with what they have. So don’t think you have to decide now whether you want to do a PhD or not!
- David Ingram answered on 13 Jun 2011:
  
  To be a research scientist in a University you would normally need a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and a bachelors (Undergraduate) degree in Mathematics, one of the Sciences or Engineering.
  
  Some of our laboratory technicians (particularly in Engineering) have vocational qualifications in machining, welding, electronics, etc. and we could not work without them.
  
  The main qualification needed by all scientists is a burning desire to find out about things and how they work. We all came on a journey to get here and very few of us set out with the aim to get a PhD, when we left school.
  
  I wanted to do something with computers which was not databases [I hate them], ended up doing a maths degree [and loved it], and then worked for a year [as a student] in a research lab doing computer modelling of fluids. After that all I wanted to do was more research in computational fluid dynamics…. My mum says she wasn’t surprised as I spent all my time as a child in the sink playing with water!! My school teachers were shocked!!
- Suze Kundu answered on 13 Jun 2011:
  
  To satisfy your curiosity, all you need is a good book or some great web references to get you on your way!
  
  Formally, it is common for most researchers to have an undergraduate degree, and some postgraduate qualifications. I have a BSc (undergraduate), an MSc (postgraduate) and will hopeully have a PhD soon (again, postgraduate). With an undergraduate degree, you can still work in a research lab, and make a valuable contribution to science.
  
  Work experience is a good way of expanding your knowledge base, and also gives you an idea of whether you will enjoy the different types of science jobs that are available. I am actually doing some work experience at the moment, so you’re never too old!
- James Marrow answered on 13 Jun 2011:
  
  You don’t need qualifications to be a scientist, but if you want to get paid for doing scientific work then qualifications are essential!
  
  Thinking about things and wondering how they happen is being a scientist. You can do that as a job at many levels, depending on your interests and skills.
- Mike Dodd answered on 13 Jun 2011:
  
  I agree with James and Suze, all it takes to be a scientist is to be curious and want to know more about the world around you. If you want to get paid to do that, then you need a least some qualifications. Such as maths and science at GSCE.

Question: how many qualifications do you need to become a scientist

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