How Long Does it Take to Become a…. [Infographic]

Do you think that once you finish university you will start earning big cash? Or that you will be qualified in your chosen profession? Do you think you’ve done the hard part?

Thats what myself and lots of my friends though when we graduated 14 years ago.

If you want to be recognised by a professional body, i.e. Law, Accounting, Medicine, etc, school and university is the easy part!

Lots of my friends did tough degrees like medicine and law only to find out that there was multiple exams and years of work experience ahead of them.

I know loads of people who failed exams and dropped out because working as a lawyer or as a doctor was gruelling work and completely different to what they studied at university.

How long does it take to become a …Doctor (10-16 Years)

Currently, Doctors in the UK must do a 5year degree in medicine (6 if you choose to do a one year add on course i.e. history of medicine)

Then they must do 2 years foundation training, where they complete approx. 5 rotations in different parts of the hospital i.e. paediatrics, geriatrics, A&E, psychiatry, etc

After this, they must choose their speciality. i.e. cardiology, radiology, GP, etc. Depending on what they pick, it can take them a further 3-7 years to fully qualify.

GP takes the least time to qualify i.e. 3 years, Paediatrics is one of the longest.

How long does it take to become a …Psychiatrist (13 Years)

Psychiatrists in the UK first need to complete medicine degree (5-6 years)

They will also need to take on paid work placements to complete their psychiatrist training.

Then there is a foundation programme of general training (2 years)

This is followed by finishing the core training programme (3 years)

Lastly, they must complete the higher training programme (3 years) 

How long does it take to become a …Psychologist (8 Years)

Psychologists in the UK must first complete a degree accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society).

Then in order to become a Clinical Psychologist, they need to do three years of post-graduate study leading to a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Technically, you will also need at least a year of relevant clinical work experience.

However, as there is often a lot of competition for places on the Doctorate, candidates will usually have spent years trying to add relevant work experience to their CVs to set themselves apart.

How long does it take to become a …Architect (7-8 Years)

Architects in the UK must first complete a BA in Architecture (3 years)

Then they need to spend 12 months gaining practical experience, usually under a qualified architect.

They then need to complete a B.Arch or M.Arch degree which are more advanced degrees where you can get more in depth knowledge in specific areas of architecture (2 years)

To be fully recognised by the RIBA, students must then complete another 12 months of work experience and a ‘Part 3 Qualification – the Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture (ADPPA)’. This is an online course which includes a comprehensive three day final exam

*The University of Bath believes around 10-15 per cent of its students do not continue in their studies past its BSc level programme.

How long does it take to become a …Lawyer (6-7 years)

Lawyers in the UK need to complete the following:

A qualifying law degree i.e. LLB (3 years)

(If you do a different degree you will need to do a one-year conversion course)

Legal Practice Course (LPC) (1-2 years depending on what degree you hold)

Trainee contract with a law firm (2 years)

How long does it take to become a …Dentist (6-7 Years)

Dentists in the UK need to complete a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (5 Years)

Then you must do one to two years of on the job training under the supervision of an experienced dentist.

How long does it take to become a …Barrister (5-6 years)

Barristers in the UK need to complete the following:

A qualifying law degree i.e. LLB (3 years)

(If you do a different degree you will need to do a one-year conversion course)

Bar Professional Training Course (LPC) (1 year)

‘Pupillage’ i.e. practical experience in barristers’ chambers (1 year)

How long does it take to become a …Pharmacist (5 Years)

To qualify as a pharmacist in the UK, you need to complete a qualifying Pharmacy degree (4 years)

Then you will need a year of practical training before you can fully register as a Pharmacist.

Some Pharmacy schools now run 5 year undergraduate courses incorporating that 1 year of practical training.

How long does it take to become a …Vet (5-6 Years)

A Vet in the UK must complete a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) approved degree which will mean you are qualified to work in any veterinary practice in the UK.

How long does it take to become a …Teacher (4 Years)

Teachers in the UK first need to complete a higher education qualification, specifically a bachelor’s degree (3-4 years)

(If you want to teach at a secondary school, your degree should relevant to the subject you want to teach)

To teach in England and Wales you need to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by following a Initial Teacher Training programme (1 year)

How long does it take to become an … Engineer; Civil, Mechanical, Electrical (3-4 Years)

Engineers in the UK must complete a bachelor of engineering degree (BEng) (3 years) or a master of engineering degree (Meng) (four years).

They usually spend the first year doing general engineering, and then choose their specialism which they will focus on for the remaining years i.e. Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc

How long it takes to become an … Accountant (3-4 Years)

To be a qualified accountant in the UK, the two main qualifications are:

• CIMA:

There are 14 papers in total. Many CIMA candidates choose to sit more than one paper at a time, so it takes approx. 4 years to complete in full.

• ACA:

The ACA qualification usually takes three years to complete. You must complete at least three years of a training contract supervised by an approved training firm.

(To see the big differences between the CIMA and ACA qualifications, check out my infographic blog post)

(See below for the career paths of two very successful qualified ACA accountants:

Mark, 33, Financial Controller of Global Construction Company

Paul, 35, Finance Director of Multinational Media Company

Mary, 32, Internal Auditor of Global Airline Company

How long it takes to become a … Software Engineer (3-4 Years)

There are no prerequisite degrees or work experience needed to become a Software Engineer in the UK.

However, applicants will be expected to have some technical ability. Many of the big employers will expect you to have studied:

• computer science
• computer software/computer systems engineering
• information systems
• mathematics
• physics

(To read about the career path of Niall, 33, Software Engineer, check out my post here)

How long it takes to become a …Counselor (2-3 Years)

To become a registered psychotherapeutic counsellor in the UK, you will need to complete training recognised by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

This will either be a relevant university undergraduate or postgraduate degree course in counselling or psychotherapy or relevant college courses:

Stage 1: Introduction to counselling

These courses are usually run at local Further Education (FE) colleges or adult education centres and last from eight to 12 weeks.

Stage 2: Certificate in counselling skills (Level 3)

These courses run at local colleges and are generally one year part-time.

Stage 3: Core practitioner training

Your course should be at least one year full-time or two years’ part-time classroom-based tuition. It should also include an integral, supervised placements of at least 100 hours, allowing you to work within an organisation and practise your skills with clients under supervision.

How long it takes to become a … Social Worker: (2-3 Years)

To become a social worker in the UK, you will need to study an undergraduate degree (3 years) or a postgraduate degree (2 years) in social work that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).