High School

To prepare for a career in botany, high school students can explore their interests by taking biology, doing science projects involving plants, and working during summers or school holidays for a nursery, park, or similar operation. College prep courses in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, English, and foreign language are a good idea because educational requirements for professional botanists are high. Nonresearch jobs (test and inspection professionals, lab technicians, technical assistants) require at least a bachelor's degree in a biological science or botany; research and teaching positions usually require at least a master's degree or even a doctorate.

Postsecondary Training

At the undergraduate level, there are numerous programs for degrees in botany or biology. The master's level and above usually involves a specialized degree. One degree option is conservation biology, which focuses on the conservation of specific plant and animal communities.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/about/index.php) has one of the biggest programs in the United States. Another key school is Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (https://environment.yale.edu), which offers degrees in areas such as natural resource management.

Other Education or Training

Keeping up with industry developments is key to success as a botanist. Professional associations at the national, state, and local levels often provide continuing education (CE) opportunities. For example, the Botanical Society of America offers CE sessions at its annual meeting on topics such as genomics, taxonomy, ecology and conservation, molecular biology, biodiversity, and climate change. Here are a few other organizations that provide CE classes, seminars, webinars, and workshops: American Institute of Biological Sciences, American Society of Plant Biologists, and the Ecological Society of America. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

The Ecological Society of America offers several voluntary certification designations. Contact the society for more information.

Any experience one can obtain in the field of botany—such as an internship, volunteering, or a part-time job—will be useful for aspiring botanists.

As scientists, botanists need to be focused, patient, and determined. A botanist needs to believe in what he or she is doing and keep at a project until it's completed satisfactorily. The ability to work on one's own is important, but few scientists work in a vacuum. They cooperate with others, share the results of their work orally and in writing, and, particularly in private industry, may need to explain what they're doing in layman's terms.

Educational requirements for botanists are high and so much of the work involves research. Therefore it is important to be a good scholar and enjoy digging for answers.