What do you think of those with PhD?

[whyyyyyisitmonddayy]

Particularly those in non-stem fields. Just curious!

I'm sure it is. I just don't know much about how it works.

With science PhDs (not that I've done one!) you can have a situation where you don't get the results to prove your hypothesis, but you still have to write up the thesis. In my 1st job there was a girl in that situation. A colleague would say 'Jane's supposed to be really bright, how come her thesis is going so badly...'

I've just googled 'Jane' - she's a ceo of a biotech firm - high flying career, so she was bright..

Odd question. Cant say I’ve ever thought about it. Maybe they are really clever. Maybe they are very interested in a subject. Maybe they prefer studying to getting a job and can afford to do so 🤷‍♀️.

So long as they didn’t pay to do it I admire their commitment and academic ability. If they paid to do it I just think it’s a vanity project.

Lots of us worked while doing our PhDs!

Without meeting them I’d assume they were motivated, intelligent in their field, focused.

I met a particular PhD student (science based) and he was the strangest person. Almost… emotionally empty? His partner was the loveliest woman, so full of empathy and thoughtful. She cried a lot.

Do you also cringe a bit when women use Mrs in their everyday life?

why is using an earned title cringe, yet using a title defined by your relationship with a male not?

I use Dr when I need to use my title as I find Mrs very cringe. So you found a man to marry you, why do I need to know that?

The business world pays good money, if you've done the right degree.

https://www.ft.com/content/fb1b2d32-3f47-455e-8f6d-1ea848c83057

I think attitudes like this are pretty sad tbh. Admittedly I work in a university and obviously know bucketloads of people with PhDs, but education is hugely valuable at all levels and I don’t it’s superior at all to value it.

I don't think much other than maybe speculate they have a lot of money to be able to afford to get to that level, particularly if they have never worked.

I got paid while doing mine 🤷‍♀️no partner, and no parental support needed.

many PhD’s are funded. Stipends can be equivalent to a decent wage as they’re usually tax free.

I did one and I think it was an enormous privilege to have the opportunity to go deeply into a subject I love and get to create new knowledge in the area.
If I meet someone else with one I know there is a good chance I will be able to have an interesting conversation with them because they will generally have a passion and great depth of knowledge about something and I love people like that. (People who have that depth of knowledge without formal education are also wonderful and in some ways more so.)
I also know that they are unlikely to be someone who only cares about money because although I know quite a few people with PhDs who are rich and often as a result of something related to their research, it’s not the easiest or quickest path to wealth.

Why would they have a lot of money?

I got paid to do mine. Stipends are a thing and often equivalent to a decent wage. It is effectively a full time job, with writing up added in.

Lots of people work while completing their PhD part time.

To be honest I don't really know what it means.
It's a qualification you get by doing more study after university isn't it?
Is it different to a "Masters"? I'm not even sure what that means either.

in general they dont, not unless your putting in 80+ hours etc. even if you get the right degree it still depends on the company itself

I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about it. It’s not something that comes up a lot in my life. I know people who’ve done stem PHDs but no one that’s done one that isn’t.

It shows huge tenacity and self discipline, both of which are great attributes in life and work, and way more marketable & useful than just being clever.

Dr is gender neutral, agnostic to marriage status and easier to say and discern than "Ms". As a woman I'd sure as hell use it if I'd earned it.

I work for a team of 8 with PhDs. I have the greatest admiration for them but they make me laugh so much as they have brains coming out of their ears and yet can hardly tie their own shoe laces

Some have no interpersonal skills, others are just awesome.

I have a PhD in a non-STEM subject. I earned money by working and from several awards for results along the way. I came from poverty. I was exceptionally good at that subject. My life is shit now. Happy?

I suppose that is why I would speculate, rather than know. The person who always talks about his was reliant on his wife to work and look after the kids, whereas not many people I know who have kids could even consider a Masters without it being paid for by work.

AMAZING - and I haven’t got one. Don’t care what the subject is either. I know a lot of people who have done a professional doctorate (EdD and ClinD) - often self-funded and working PT and FT. Many 40+.

I salute every single one of them - and the argument for doing it in the ‘right’ subject (aka neo-liberal education agenda) - bore off. Wouldn’t have thousands of years of art, culture and human expression - being human - without people able and willing to go deeper.

As someone currently doing one, I am full of admiration for anyone who completes a PhD because it is just damn hard (it would be - it's the highest qualification anyone can achieve).

It’s the highest academic qualification you can get. It requires a person to contribute new knowledge to their particular subject.

It’s a research degree, so rather than do exams that test you on a defined set of knowledge you write a thesis which is a new contribution to knowledge in your field.
A Masters is usually one or two years, a PhD generally takes a minimum of 3.