Is it a good idea to do a course in clinical research after I complete my M.Sc in microbiology in 2015?
Subhash Iyer, Chennai
There’s a great future in clinical research in India, the second most preferred destination after China for outsourcing clinical trials. A rising number of international biotech and pharma companies are beginning to outsource clinical trials to India or are starting greenfield projects here to reduce costs. Besides data management of clinical trials, other areas of work include stability studies and toxicity slides preparation and evaluation. These subset activities are also being offshored to India, as are IT, payroll, logistics and HR etc. However, the two major areas in clinical research with tremendous potential are contract and clinical research.
The clinical research industry requires a large number of trained professionals, including medical/dental investigators in charge of administering new formulations, and graduates in pharmacy, life sciences and biotechnology who can facilitate studies by managing clinical sites. Clinical trial coordinators for procuring patients, clinical research associates — essentially data and site monitors — and clinical data managers are also in high demand.
I am a final year commerce student, half-way through my chartered accountancy programme. I’m now keen on a career in psychology. Please advise.
Nalini Kulkarni, Pune
To pursue a career in psychology, it’s essential that you acquire a bachelor’s degree in psychology and specialise at the Masters level. Overall, this would become a five-year career path for you. Certain specialisations in psychology — organisational, clinical, behavioural — are popular options. Start-up pay packages for psychologists are not great, but once you establish a reputation, it can transform into a satisfying and remunerative career.
In case you don’t want to spend another five years studying, but want to utilise psychology, another option worth considering is a career in human resources, marketing, public relations, and events, hotel and media management.
What are my career prospects after completing my BA (literature) degree next year?
Sheila D’Souza, Panjim
You could follow the traditional path of pressing on for a Masters in literature followed by a Ph D, and then work in academia. Alternatively, you can sign up for a B.Ed degree and go into teaching. A BA in literature also offers a good platform for careers in advertising, public relations, media, publishing or journalism. Another option is to sign up for an MBA programme in marketing or human resources management.
I’m interested in teaching after I graduate in commerce next year. What qualifications do I need to teach in a school/college?
Raj Diwan, Mumbai
The eligibility requirement to qualify as a school teacher varies according to the level/age of students you teach. The minimum qualification for any school teacher is a B.Ed degree. However, to teach senior secondary school students, a postgraduate qualification together with a B.Ed is required. Moreover, you need to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) before you can teach in any school.
To qualify as a college/university lecturer, you need a postgraduate degree (with a minimum 55 percent), clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) and enroll in an M.Phil or Ph D programme. Under UGC regulations, only those who have cleared NET are eligible to teach undergraduates. The best option is to sign up for a full-time B.Ed degree and start teaching in a school. You can pursue your M.Com subsequently via distance learning.
After completing my computer engineering degree programme next year, I want to enroll in a reputed university in the US/Canada for further study. Please advise.
Rajan Narayan, Bangalore
Several highly reputed universities in the US offer computer engineering postgraduate programmes. Among the top-rated are Carnegie Mellon, Pennsylvania; UC Berkeley, California; and University of Washington, Seattle. In Canada, the universities of Toronto, Waterloo, British Columbia and McGill also offer excellent computer engineering programmes. The criteria for admission are excellent grades and GRE scores, work and research experience, essays, and recommendations. It’s advisable to match your choice with your academic profile through extensive research. This will ensure you enroll in a programme most suited to you.
I’m interested in a career in sports psychology. Which colleges offer degrees in sports psychology at the undergraduate level?
Raul D’Souza, Panjim
In India, sports psychology is a specialisation available only at the postgraduate level. However apart from sports, there are other specialisations you could consider including clinical, counseling, industrial and social psychology. If you are keen on a career in sports, sports management is another option. Sports management study programmes are offered in India by the International Institute of Sports Management; Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science; and Alagappa University.