Home  >  Making your Shortlist  >  Qualifying for a profession

If you are thinking of qualifying for a particular profession you need to check out what's required direct with the professional body (or bodies). Most professions are graduate entry only. A degree in itself is seldom sufficient qualification to practice - but some degrees will help towards the final qualification whilst others will not.

The websites and information packs of the professional bodies are usually excellent and tell you what is required, which degree courses they recognise, what you need to do to qualify and how long it takes. Contact details for the main professional bodies are listed below.

Accountants, chartered

England & Wales. Student Recruitment, Learning & Professional Development, ICAEW, Metropolitan House, 321 Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2FZ. Tel: +44 (0)1908 248250; Email careers@icaew.com; Website www.icaew.com/careers. Publications: How to Become a Chartered Accountant, ICAEW Guide to Training Vacancies.

Scotland. Marketing Administrator, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, CA House, 21 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH; Tel 0131 347 0100; Email caeducation@icas.org.uk; Website www.icas.org.uk. Publications: Free brochure.

Accountants, chartered certified

Careers Department, The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA UK, 29 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3EE; Tel 020 7059 5000; Email info@accaglobal.com; Website www.accaglobal.com.

Accountants, public finance

Education & Training, Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA), 3 Robert Street, London WC2N 6RL; Tel 020 7543 5656; Email students@cipfa.org; Website www.cipfa.org.uk.

Acoustics

Chief Executive, Institute of Acoustics, 77A St Peter's Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3BN; Tel 01727 848195; Email ioa@ioa.org.uk; Website www.ioa.org.uk. Publications: Acoustics Bulletin; Register of Members; Buyers' Guide.

Actuaries

Careers Department, The Actuarial Profession, Napier House, 4 Worcester Street, Oxford OX1 2AW; Tel 01865 268211; Email careers@actuaries.org.uk; Website www.actuaries.org.uk. Publications: List of Actuarial Employers; Risky Business.

Advocates (Scotland)

Dean’s Secretariat, Faculty of Advocates, Parliament House, Edinburgh EH1 1RF; Tel 0131 260 5795; Email admissions@advocates.org.uk; Website www.advocates.org.uk.

Air force

RAF Careers; Tel 0845 605 5555; Website www.raf.mod.uk/careers.

Air pilots & air navigators

The Clerk, The Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators (GAPAN), Cobham House, 9 Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London WC1R 5DJ; Tel 020 7404 4032; Email gapan@gapan.org; Website www.gapan.org. Publications: So You Want to Be A Pilot?.

Architects

Careers Department, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD; Tel 020 7580 5533; Email info@inst.riba.org; Website www.architecture.com. Publications include: Architecture and Design Illustrated, Building a Better Tomorrow and The Royal Institute of British Architects: A Guide to its Archive and History.

Scotland. Membership, Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh EH1 2BE; Tel 0131 229 7545; Email info@rias.org.uk; Website www.rias.org.uk. Publications: RIAS Quarterly.

Army

Joining the Army; Tel 0845 600 8080 Website www.army.mod.uk/join.

Barristers

England & Wales. Careers & Information, Bar Standards Board, 289-293 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HZ; Tel 020 7611 1444; Email contactus@barstandardsboard.org.uk; Website www.barstandardsboard.org.uk.

Northern Ireland. Careers Department, Council of Legal Education (Northern Ireland), Institute of Professional Legal Studies, 10 Lennoxvale, Belfast BT9 5BY; Tel 028 9097 5567; Email iplsenquiries@qub.ac.uk; Website www.qub.ac.uk/ipls/.

Chiropractors

The General Chiropractic Council, 44 Wicklow Street, London WC1X 9HL; Tel 020 7713 5155; Email education@gcc-uk.org; Website www.gcc-uk.org. Publications: Becoming a Chiropractor; Becoming a chiropractor − A guide for disabled people (online from GCC website).

Curators

Museums Association, 24 Calvin Street, London E1 6NW; Tel 020 7426 6910; Email info@museumsassociation.org; Website www.museumsasociation.org. Publications: Museums Journal and Museum Practice.

Dentists

Education Department, British Dental Association, 64 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS; Tel 020 7935 0875; Email enquiries@bda.org; Website www.bda.org. Publications: Careers in Dentistry.

Dietitians

Education & Training Officer, The British Dietetic Association, 5th Floor, Charles House, 148/9 Great Charles Street, Queensway, Birmingham B3 3HT; Tel 0121 200 8080; Email info@bda.uk.com; Website www.bda.uk.com. Publications: The Work of Registered Dietitians.

Doctors

Education & Development Policy Officer, General Medical Council, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AW; Tel 0161 923 6602; Email gmc@gmc-uk.org; Website www.gmc-uk.org. Publications: Tomorrow's Doctors; The New Doctor; GMC Today.

Ecologists

The British Ecological Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU; Tel 020 7685 2500; Email education@britishecologicalsociety.org; Website www.britishecologicalsociety.org. Publications: Journal of Ecology, Journal of Animal Ecology, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Ecological Reviews, Ecological Issues, Journal of Applied Ecology and Functional Ecology.

Economists

Information Officer, The Royal Economic Society, School of Economics and Finance, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL. Tel 01334 462 479; Email royaleconsoc@st-andrews.ac.uk; Website www.res.org.uk. Publications: The Economic Journal, The Econometrics Journal.

Engineers

Communications Manager, Engineering Council, 246 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EX; Tel 020 3206 0500; Email info@engc.org.uk; Website www.engc.org.uk. Publications: Engineering: Turning Ideas into Reality; ECUK Brochure.

Journalists

The National Council for the Training of Journalists, The New Granary, Station Road, Newport, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3PL; Tel 01799 544 014; Email info@nctj.com; Website www.nctj.com.

Logistics & transport

Membership Services, The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (UK), Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants NN17 4AX; Tel 01536 740100; Email enquiry@ciltuk.org.uk; Website www.ciltuk.org.uk. Publications: Inside Careers Guide to Logistics & Transport Management.

Management accountants

Student Services Centre, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), 26 Chapter Street, London SW1P 4NP; Tel 020 8849 2251; Email cima.contact@cimaglobal.com; Website www.cimaglobal.com. Publications: Financial Management magazine.

Marketers

The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Moor Hall, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 9QH; Tel 01628 427 120; Email via the website www.cim.co.uk. Publications: Extensive range of journals.

Mathematicians

Education Officer, The Institute of Mathematics & Its Applications, Catherine Richards House, 16 Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1EF; Tel 01702 354020; Email mathscareers@ima.org.uk; Website www.mathscareers.org.uk.

Merchant navy

Careers Department, Merchant Navy Training Board, Carthusian Court, 12 Carthusian Street, London EC1M 6EZ; Tel 0800 085 0973; Email enquiry@careersatsea.org; Website www.careersatsea.org.

Navy (Royal)

Royal Navy Careers; Tel 08456 07 55 55; Website www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers.

Nurses & midwives

Nursing & Midwifery Council, 23 Portland Place, London W1B 1PZ; Tel 020 7333 9333; Email advice@nmc-uk.org; Website www.nmc-uk.org

Occupational Therapy

Education Department, College of Occupational Therapists, 106-114 Borough High Street, Southwark, London SE1 1LB; Tel 020 7357 6480; Email careers@cot.co.uk; Website www.cot.org.uk. Publications: Occupational Therapy Career Handbook.

Opticians

Registrar, General Optical Council, 41 Harley Street, London W1G 8DJ; Tel 020 7580 3898; Email goc@optical.org; Website www.optical.org. Publications: A Career in Vision Care.

Osteopaths

The General Osteopathic Council, 176 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LU; Tel 020 7357 6655; Email info@osteopathy.org.uk; Website www.osteopathy.org.uk. Publications include: The Osteopath, The Code of Practice.

Pharmacists

Careers Department, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN; Tel 0845 257 2570; Email support@rpharms.com; Website www.rpharms.com. Publications: Interested in Pharmacy?

Physiotherapists

Learning & Development, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 14 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4ED; Tel 020 7306 6666; Email enquiries@csp.org.uk; Website www.csp.org.uk. Publications: Guide to Becoming a Chartered Physiotherapist.

Podiatrists & chiropodists

Education Department, The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, 1 Fellmongers Path, Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LY; Tel 020 7234 8620; Email ah@scpod.org; Website www.feetforlife.org. Publications: Podiatry Now (monthly); JFAR – Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (online at www.jfootankleres.com).

Psychologists

The British Psychological Society (BPS), St Andrew's House, 48 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7DR; Tel 0116 254 9568; Email enquiries@bps.org.uk; Website www.bps.org.uk. Publications: So you want to be a psychologist?

Psychoanalysts

The International Psychoanalytical Association, Broomhills, Woodside Lane, London N12 8UD; Tel 020 8446 8324; Email ipa@ipa.org.uk; Website www.ipa.org.uk. Publications include: Good Feelings, The Analysing Situation, On Freud’s ‘Splitting of the Ego in the Process of Defence’.

Radiographers

Director of Professional Policy, The Society of Radiographers, 207 Providence Square, Mill Street, London SE1 2EW; Tel 020 7740 7200; Email info@sor.org; Website www.sor.org. Publications: Radiography Education & Training Directory of Courses.

Social workers

Information Services, General Social Care Council (GSCC), Myson House, Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HT; Tel 0845 070 0630; Email info@gscc.org.uk; Website www.gscc.org.uk.

Solicitors

England & Wales. Information Services, Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 0TD; Tel 0870 606 2555; Email via the website www.sra.org.uk. Publications: Becoming a Solicitor.

Northern Ireland. Careers Department, Council of Legal Education (Northern Ireland), Institute of Professional Legal Studies, 10 Lennoxvale, Belfast BT9 5BY; Tel 028 9097 5567; Email iplsenquiries@qub.ac.uk; Website www.qub.ac.uk/ipls/.

Scotland. Education & Training Department, The Law Society of Scotland, 26 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7YR; Tel 0131 226 7411; Email legaleduc@lawscot.org.uk; Website www.lawscot.org.uk. Publications: Becoming a Solicitor; Qualifying as a Solicitor, Pre-Diploma Training; Career Opportunities for LLB Graduates (all available on the website or in hard copies on request).

Speech & language therapists

Information Department, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, 2 White Hart Yard, London SE1 1NX; Tel 020 7378 1200; Email info@rcslt.org; Website www.rcslt.org. Publications: A Career in Speech & Language Therapy.

Stockbrokers

The Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers, 22 City Road, Finsbury Square, London EC1Y 2AJ; Tel 020 7448 7100; Email info@apcims.co.uk; Website www.apcims.co.uk.

Surveyors

Careers Information, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD; Tel 0870 333 1600; Email contactrics@rics.org; Website www.rics.org.

Teachers

The Training & Development Agency for Schools (TDA); Tel 0800 389 2500 (0800 085 0971 for Welsh speakers); Website www.tda.gov.uk.

Town planners

Membership Officer, The Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL; Tel 020 7929 9494; Email membership@rtpi.org.uk; Website www.rtpi.org.uk.

Toxicologists

British Toxicology Society Administrative Office, PO Box 10371, Colchester CO1 9GL; Tel 01206 226 057; Email secretariat@thebts.org; Website www.thebts.org. Publications: Careers in Toxicology.

Translators & interpreters

Office Administrator, Institute of Translation & Interpreting, Fortuna House, South Fifth Street, Milton Keynes MK9 2PQ; Tel 01908 325250; Email info@iti.org.uk; Website www.iti.org.uk. Publications: ITI Bulletin (bi-monthly).

Veterinary surgeons

Education Department, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF; Tel 020 7202 0791; Email education@rcvs.org.uk; Website www.rcvs.org.uk. Publications: Training to be a Veterinary Surgeon.