Education · 1 of 5
The path
A bachelor's degree is genuinely enough to start. Graduate school is for research and leadership.
- 1
High school
Grades 11 and 12
Chemistry, calculus and physics. Chemistry programs will not admit you without senior chemistry and math.
- 2
Bachelor of Science in chemistry
4 years
Four years split between organic, analytical, physical and inorganic chemistry, with heavy lab hours. Take a co-op stream if your school has one.
- 3
First lab job
1 to 2 years
Analytical or quality control work. Expect to spend a year learning the instruments and the paperwork that goes with them.
- 4
Master's or PhD, if you want research
2 to 6 years
Needed to design chemistry rather than run it. Funded through assistantships.
- 5
Register as a Professional Chemist, if you are in a province that offers it
After about 2 years of work
Alberta and British Columbia both grant the title after a degree plus supervised experience.