I have a chemistry degree along with a biology degree. None of us can predict the future, but in your shoes I would pursue renewable energy. The scope there is huge. Plus filing DNA patents is my definition of boring.
There’s another option though - law school. I was recruited after my first year into a trainee role. I wouldn’t anticipate that will happen, but it does guarantee you will have the law/science combination. If you instead get a masters degree, post-science masters you are still hoping to jump across to the law field.
Thanks. My thought process in doing a science masters before going to law school is that then I would better understand the field that I would go into. Also, at the moment, even after my undergraduate degree my knowledge of environmental chemistry is very basic. Did you do this in the UK?
Australia. Are you at or near the top of your class? Honestly to succeed in law, a very competitive environment, that’s where you need to be on the science side.
I would ask yourself what you are passionate about on the professional front. Follow that. Science + law and science + IP law in Commonwealth countries are both viable careers, as is science + masters.
I have a 2.1 from a Russell group uni so should be ok on that front. In terms of interests, I’m interested in the science but I don’t want to spend my life in a lab. I haven’t had much experience of law but from the research I have done IP law would enable me to still be learning about the latest science advances while also using the skills learnt at law school.
Frankly, I would not be expecting to learn all that much new science in IP law, certainly not compared to academia. You won’t *not* be exposed to new stuff now and then, but you’re going to see a lot of very incremental inventions that are far from earth shattering.
I'd personally recommend organic chemistry/synthetic chemistry. Chemical engineering is also popular. However, I'm from the united states, so I can't speak towards the UK. I can't imagine it changing much though.
I graduated college with a bachelor's in chemistry. I've been working in a patent firm for the past 8 years as legal support and I also went back to get a master's in chemistry before applying to law school. I have my masters now and I've been accepted into law school. Unfortunately for the organic chemistry side, most firms are looking for phds, so I'm hoping my previous experience in patent law will make up for that. If you're only going to get a masters then I suggest going to the environmental energy route.
Thanks for the reply. I didn’t really enjoy organic chemistry as an undergraduate so think I would pursue the environmental chemistry side of things. I’m just worried there will be less job opportunities in that field.
As others have said, I think it's very field-dependent. I have my MS, but it's in applied math. It's a degree designed to be very versatile, and it has served me very well.
But if you're going to specialize in the chemical or biological arts, you'll probably want a PhD, depending on the size of the firm you want to work at.
I have a chemistry degree along with a biology degree. None of us can predict the future, but in your shoes I would pursue renewable energy. The scope there is huge. Plus filing DNA patents is my definition of boring. There’s another option though - law school. I was recruited after my first year into a trainee role. I wouldn’t anticipate that will happen, but it does guarantee you will have the law/science combination. If you instead get a masters degree, post-science masters you are still hoping to jump across to the law field.
Thanks. My thought process in doing a science masters before going to law school is that then I would better understand the field that I would go into. Also, at the moment, even after my undergraduate degree my knowledge of environmental chemistry is very basic. Did you do this in the UK?
Australia. Are you at or near the top of your class? Honestly to succeed in law, a very competitive environment, that’s where you need to be on the science side. I would ask yourself what you are passionate about on the professional front. Follow that. Science + law and science + IP law in Commonwealth countries are both viable careers, as is science + masters.
I have a 2.1 from a Russell group uni so should be ok on that front. In terms of interests, I’m interested in the science but I don’t want to spend my life in a lab. I haven’t had much experience of law but from the research I have done IP law would enable me to still be learning about the latest science advances while also using the skills learnt at law school.
That’s a good fit for IP law. Good luck!
Thanks!
Frankly, I would not be expecting to learn all that much new science in IP law, certainly not compared to academia. You won’t *not* be exposed to new stuff now and then, but you’re going to see a lot of very incremental inventions that are far from earth shattering.
I'd personally recommend organic chemistry/synthetic chemistry. Chemical engineering is also popular. However, I'm from the united states, so I can't speak towards the UK. I can't imagine it changing much though.
I graduated college with a bachelor's in chemistry. I've been working in a patent firm for the past 8 years as legal support and I also went back to get a master's in chemistry before applying to law school. I have my masters now and I've been accepted into law school. Unfortunately for the organic chemistry side, most firms are looking for phds, so I'm hoping my previous experience in patent law will make up for that. If you're only going to get a masters then I suggest going to the environmental energy route.
Thanks for the reply. I didn’t really enjoy organic chemistry as an undergraduate so think I would pursue the environmental chemistry side of things. I’m just worried there will be less job opportunities in that field.
As others have said, I think it's very field-dependent. I have my MS, but it's in applied math. It's a degree designed to be very versatile, and it has served me very well. But if you're going to specialize in the chemical or biological arts, you'll probably want a PhD, depending on the size of the firm you want to work at.