What degree do you need to be a botanist?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

You need a bachelor's degree in botany or biology to be a botanist. A bachelor's degree in botany, for example, provides prospective botanists with a comprehensive overview of not just the history and life of plants and environmental conservation but also training on how to conduct research and analyze results.

Those interested in working in academia or overseeing a research team will need a master's or, in most cases, a doctorate degree in botany. While botanists with a master's degree can find opportunities, including work in applied research, a Ph.D. conducts independent research or leads research teams in addition to finding teaching positions with university botany departments.

While in school, prospective botanists should study various aspects of plants such as their physiological processes such as photosynthesis at the molecular level, the evolutionary history, and relationships of plants, or their current relationships with their environments. It's also important to focus on the agricultural applications of plants used for food, fiber, fuel, turf, and cover crops, studying their responses to stresses from pests, disease, and climate variations.