Hi all,
I am considering applying for a Psychology PhD but I am really struggling to weigh up the pros and cons as there are lots of factors at play.
Pros:
- I love academic research and know I could hack it. I completed my MA whilst simultaneously teaching full-time.
- I have clear areas of interest and know the vague topic that my research will fall into. The faculty person who shares my areas of interest was one of my tutors from my undergraduate days.
- I enjoy teaching but I have never wanted to pursue a career in it. I feel like I need a way out and this seems like the best next step for me.
- I currently teach at a National Teaching school and the head has said that some funding would be available for me, an amount which the university could potentially match.
- My parents have also said that they would be willing to maybe cover any financial short-fall in order to allow me to pursue this.
- On a practical/timing note, my dd2 will start school in September 2017 so I will hopefully be able to squeeze part-time hours into the school day and still do drop-off and pick-up.
Cons:
- My employer would (I imagine) still require me to work the current 1 day-a-week contract that I currently hold with them. This may be one too many commitments to juggle. Also, would they have any right to dictate the content of my research proposal?
- I have been out of academia for a significant amount of time so not sure how meaningful my academic references will be.
- My subject knowledge is very out-of-date. I know it would take ages (years??) to get my research proposal together.
- I have no idea what the long-term purpose of doing a PhD would be. No idea what sort of career it would lead to. Or what sort of career I would want from it.
- Finally (and this is the biggest one for me), we are not sure whether we have 'finished' our family yet. I would like more dc, dh is less convinced, but I am concerned about taking maternity leave during what is already going to be a lengthy time commitment (probably 6 years part-time).
Sorry, that was lengthy. Any thoughts?