-
Asked by bolajii to Sarah, Murray, Caspar, Alan on 23 Mar 2011.
-
Murray Collins answered on 21 Mar 2011:
No. I know scientists working now with MSc and BSc degrees. But It depends on what you want to do. A PhD gives you training in how to frame larger research questions yourself, justify the value of the research and so on, so ultimately you may have more freedom to explore your own interests, rather than working for someone.
I would be interested to see what the other scientists perspectives are on this too !
-
-
Caspar Addyman answered on 21 Mar 2011:
Usually but not always.. a PhD in science is a bit like an apprenticeship and an initiation ceremony for being an scientist. You learn all the skills for doing research and you get to do your first bit of research of your very own. Although you will have a professor or two supervising you and guiding you through it. At the end of the three years you have to write everything up in a long book-length report called a thesis. And you are examined on this.
Once you’ve been through all that you get to call yourself doctor and other scientists welcome you to the club more readily because they know that you have passed the same test they have.
However, it is certainly not essential to have a phd. Some people come into science by different routes so they might have spent time as a computer programmer, an engineer, a technician or even as a teacher.. They might get a job as research assistant on a big science project and then get so involved in it that they never have time to do a phd of their own.
I also know a few scientists who have a phd in one area and then completely change direction and do something completely different later on.
-
Sarah Thomas answered on 21 Mar 2011:
No! You would need to go to uni and study a science for about 4 years and then you are qualified enough to work in a lab anywhere. I think people should only do PhDs if research is what they are really interested in. If you want a job as a research scientist then you need a PhD because you need experience of what doing research is like.
-
Alan Winfield answered on 23 Mar 2011:
Although it’s not absolutely necessary it helps alot if you do have a PhD. Some science jobs need a PhD more than others but I would say that if you are very serious about doing science then you should aim for a PhD.
Comments