• Question from:Aneliese

I am currently 23 years of aged and working as a qualified nurse. Unfortunately i have chosen the wrong career, knowing deep down i want to work with/study animals.
I have always been interested in animals since i was young and have a range of experience with them.
I would love to be able to change my career and do something i would love getting up for every morning. I want to know what i can do next? i.e. courses i can take, what qualifications i need. i currently have 9 GCSEs which include maths, english and sience and 3 Alevels at design, history and media.
I would eventually like to become a zoologist then study birds further.

please help.

  • University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • Posts: 307

Hi Aneliese,

All scientists begin their careers with an undergraduate degree from a reputable university. Find a Bachelor's degree in science and talk to a guidance counselor about which papers to take. Sometimes you can find discipline-specific degrees, for example in Marine Biology, but that is heavily institution dependent. Depending on what kind of work you want to do, you will probably need a graduate degree as well, but those decisions can be made much later:)

Good luck!

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  • QMUL, London
  • Posts: 1,022

There are lots of way of getting into science without necessarily becoming a pure researcher. I imagine you could relatively easily do a quick conversion course of some kind if you wanted to become a verterinary nurse for example. There are all kinds of animal-related jobs in science that do not ne cessarily require huge experience or graduate degrees (lab technicians, photographers, fossil preparators, educator etc.). I suggest you go and find a career guidance councillor and have a good discussion about what is available or what you could do or what you might be interested in. Try to get along to your nearest university and chat to people there too and see what is available.

A friend of mine decided in her late 50s to go back to school and got A-levels a degree and completed her PhD as a pensioner, so this is not an impossible dream. Work hard and good luck!