Let $f:X\longrightarrow \mathbf{P}^1$ be a finite morphism of schemes. If $f$ is etale and $X$ is connected, we can show that $f$ is an isomorphism. That is, the projective line is simply connected. I would like to know if something more general can be said about $f$ if it is not assumed to be etale. 


In this generality, it seems quite hard. But what if we assume $X$ to be also the projective line for example? Is it true that $f$ is then of the form $[x:y]\mapsto [x^n:y^n]$ in some sense?



What is known about finite morphisms from X to the projective line
No because $f$ can be ramified pretty much anywhere. Just think of a random rational function $f=p(x)/q(x)$ with $p,q$ coprime polynomials, $p$ non-constant and $q$ non-zero. That gives a finite morphism from the projective line to itself that is in general much more complicated than the map you suggest.


