England

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Accessibility statement
Science is about creativity, discovery and problem-solving and offers the chance to improve our world's future. Studying science with the OU will enhance your understanding of the world and enrich your intellectual and personal development.
For science students, the employability skills you will develop include the ability to:
At present, many employers of graduate scientists report difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified professionals, so opportunities do exist for those with the right skills.
Careers in science might involve:
Opportunities are also available as clinical scientists in hospital laboratories, environmental monitoring (e.g., food and water quality), clinical trials management, and forensic science laboratories.
Most science careers require a specific degree, and it is important to keep up to date with scientific developments. This is one reason why membership of professional bodies such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics can help build your professional network and make you more attractive to employers.
It is becoming increasingly common for scientists to take a second degree, such as an MSc or PhD, before entering employment. Unlike many other graduate careers, higher salaries are usually paid to those with such qualifications. Opportunities do exist for graduates who choose to start work after their BSc and many employers encourage scientists to pursue additional study and professional qualifications throughout their working lives.
Employment opportunities for those who wish to follow a career in chemistry can be found mainly within the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, which make a major contribution to the UK economy. Example job titles include:
Within the chemical industry, research chemists develop new products, such as drugs and coatings. Development chemists take these ideas and design pilot plants that eventually lead to large-scale production; analytical chemists play a crucial part in quality control.
Science is currently a shortage subject at the secondary school level, and extra funding and incentives are potentially available for those wishing to teach physics, chemistry or maths in England, Scotland and Wales. The Department for Education and the Institute of Physics (IOP) have run an IOP Teacher Training Scholarships programme to attract the best graduates to become physics teachers to help address a shortage of specialist teachers in this subject area. Details are on the IOP website. Teach First is also keen to recruit and train Science teachers through its graduate leadership programme.
Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates have been drawn together into multidisciplinary teams by an industry that now employs 800,000 professionals. The National STEM Centre provides information on STEM in different regions in England. The Confederation of British Industry predicts growth areas requiring STEM skills to be:
Campaigns such as WISE (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) have emerged to tackle the low rates of women in engineering and technology and the growing skills shortage in these disciplines. Several large companies and professional organisations also have mentoring schemes for women. The Women’s Engineering Society is another source of information and encouragement for women entering scientific careers.
With our BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences (Q64), you can specialise in one of six branches of science:
You can also pick and choose from across the science curriculum. We offer an even broader choice in our BSc (Hons) Combined STEM (R28) degree.
If you're interested in health sciences, you can study at undergraduate or postgraduate level with our BSc (Hons) Health Sciences (Q71) and MSc in Mental Health Science (F78).
Other postgraduate degrees in the sciences include our MSc in Space Science and Technology (F77).
If you’re not quite ready for degree-level study, our Science, technology and maths Access module (Y033) could be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s designed to build your confidence and study skills while introducing subject knowledge in the disciplines of science, engineering and design, environment, mathematics, and computing and ICT. By the end of the module, you’ll be well prepared to begin your first full OU course.
Level info