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Original poster

PhD advice

75 replies

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 13:28

Posting on here for traffic.
Interested in doing a PhD in English literature, can anyone tell me about their experiences and cost and time during it? How you prepared? Did you work, how much savings did you need. I believe I might be able to do a study ship with the university I attend and get funding from the government which would be 25000 for three years to cover tuition and such. Does anyone know anything about this?
I will be working during my PhD but I'm looking for what hours people could cope with.
Thanks

OP posts:

whippetwoman · 11/06/2017 13:41

I'm watching this with interest as I have literally started a part-time humanities PhD this week. I work part-time at the University already in a non-academic role and have three children. I am already feeling snowed under by the amount of reading I have to do...

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 13:50

whippetwoman Hope you don't mind me asking but are you self funded or getting help from the government as I'm so unsure of how I can fund myself

OP posts:

Booboostwo · 11/06/2017 13:55

Your University should have a department dealing with supporting student finances which should be able to advise you on all funding opportunities.

titchy · 11/06/2017 14:08

You do realise the 'funding from the Government' is a loan....

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 14:13

Yeah titchy I know it's a loan! Hence why I want to work as much as possible to take out the smallest loan possible from the government.

OP posts:

flumpybear · 11/06/2017 14:18

See if you can work or get a job at the university, preferably the department. Often you can do a PhD when there. I had a stipend and fees paid but still needed to work so be careful - my stipend was £8k per year but that was back in early 2000's and like I said fees were paid for.
You need a good sound base if you're needing finances so take your time and also ask yo self why you're doing a PhD - is it for future employment , if so what's the chances in that field (mine was in medical research which is very easy to find directly linked work)

spinassienne · 11/06/2017 14:51

It doesn't have to be a loan, there are paid opprtu ities out there (few and far between in Eng Lit thogh). OP take yourself off to Academics' Corner on here.

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 14:57

Thanks will do! There are students Ship that will pay for part of the course which I'm looking at applying for. Did any of you manage to work? How did you find the work load?

OP posts:

whippetwoman · 11/06/2017 15:17

I am funded by the University - they are paying the fees because they are my employer. It wasn't easy getting funding though and I still had to apply via proposal and in competition with others in the normal way. Good luck with your PhD

Niminy · 11/06/2017 15:32

Studentships are very competitive. Some pay fees (part or whole), some pay maintenance as well (these are like gold dust). They aren't loans, but they are hard to get. The department you are applying to should be able to advise you if you are eligible to apply and help you with the process.

A part-time PhD is a hard road. You will need to clear regular time for study - one day plus one or two evenings, and commit to spending those working. Going to seminars and conferences is an important part of the process and you need to factor them in. You should expect to take five years at the least for a p/t PhD (though they can take much longer). Holidays will often need to be dedicated to working, especially as you approach completion.

PhDs are very hard work indeed, but they can also be immensely satisfying. (I've supervised five part-time PhDs in English literature to completion so I know what I'm talking about.)

flumpybear · 11/06/2017 15:34

I worked on Sundays and did occasional login shifts as a scientist (qualified though so you couldn't do that). But receptionist on Sundays paid ok

flumpybear · 11/06/2017 15:34

Plus it wasn't busy so they were happy for me to read my work scientific papers and do some things on the computer

dinosaursandtea · 11/06/2017 15:40

What do you want to get out of it? There are very, very few jobs available in English Lit for academics.

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 15:41

I am looking at getting a job at the uni but it doesn't look hopeful but I'm going to go to careers as soon as I go back to uni.
Is the general consensus it is better to do part time then full time? I was looking to do full time as I think I would prefer the more intense study as I really like that type of thing

OP posts:

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 11/06/2017 15:44

I really enjoy my subject ! And personally it's more because I enjoy it then job wise. But I do think a PhD in English is adaptable to varies things

OP posts:

Hefzi · 11/06/2017 15:56

The number of part-time funded studentships is extremely small - if you want/need to be part-time, you will find it hard to have many possibilities to even apply for.

I really, really, really wouldn't take on further debt to do a docotorate: there's more funding than ever before for PhD's, but not a similar number of additional academic jobs, and though someone has to be lucky, certainly at my (post-92) institution, having had a fully funded PhD scores your more highly in the struggle for employment. Rightly or wrongly, it's seen as an indicator of future funding potential.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but being part-time often makes the difficult job of doing a PhD at all even harder. The drop out rate of part-time students is often much higher as a result. I expect my p/t students to put in a minimum of 20 hours of solid work per week for 10 months per year. So far, I have 4 p/t completions- I suspect the two things are connected: I'm the only person in my department of 20ish to have any p/t completions in the time frame permitted. (8 years for us: I expect p/t to complete in 6 though, and so far,all of mine have done so between 4.2 and 5.10) When you're choosing a supervisor and a department, check the completion and drop out rates for p/t students.

But do think carefully before taking on debt to do it- I can't think of many jobs apart from academia where a PhD in English is a pre-requisite.

Hefzi · 11/06/2017 15:59

Ah,cross post, OP - if you've got existing student debt, and are just doing it because you think you'll "enjoy" it, really don't borrow more. If you can get a fully funded studentship, then go for it.

LaurieMarlow · 11/06/2017 16:08

I did a PhD in English 10 years ago and to put it bluntly, I wouldn't recommend it.

It's an enormous undertaking and will require huge amounts of your mental energy, severely impact your finances and take its toll on your family and friends. I was a good two years in before I realised the true magnitude of what I'd taken on. At that point, I was in too deep to quit.

As it happens, I had very generous funding. The last two years were still excrutiating. And it nearly finished my relationship with my DP.

While I agree a PhD in English is adaptable, there are many easier, pleasanter, cheaper ways to equip yourself for a job you'll enjoy. I don't mean to piss on your chips, I loved my subject too when I started out, but I wish someone (anyone) had been more honest about the reality of it.

I wouldn't advise anyone to embark upon one without a crystal clear view on why they were doing it and what they wanted from it.

bridgetreilly · 11/06/2017 18:48

My main advice is find a better, more specialist forum to ask about this. Think of it as your first research task...

Niminy · 11/06/2017 19:30

Um, within the space of 20 posts you have two people who have supervised PhDs, one in the subject area concerned. The advice given here is very good and very knowledgeable.

Booboostwo · 11/06/2017 19:58

There are a lot of studenships, some at a national level, some tied to specific universities, some tied to specific projects and some set aside for specific applicants, e.g. women, minorities etc. In my discipline you need a first class BA and a distinction at MA level to have a chance of getting one, but requirements vary from discipline to discipline.

I have supervised FT and PT PhDs, the PT are by far the most challenging. The students who did well with PT PhDs were academics who were used to doing research and could use work time to study. Students who held down full time jobs plus had family commitments struggled enormously to study and in many cases gave up which was really awful for them personally and financially. If you take on a PhD FT realistically you can only hold a part time job for a bit of financial support, your main task will be the PhD.

The academic market is terrible at the moment and likely to get worse with Brexit. This is in addition to existing difficulties with academic careers, e.g. short term contracts, moving up and down the country every year, immense pressure to publish and gain research grants. While there may be other career options with an English Lit PhD I am not sure any of them really require the PhD in the first place.

Where are you with your thesis proposal? Do you have some firm ideas in place and know who you would like to work with?

Original poster

Singyourheartout · 12/06/2017 01:17

I have a thesis idea and a general outline of texts and the direction I want to go down. I think it need to focus it more academically and narrow it down but it's early days as I am only just starting my masters. My master dissertation sort of links with what I want to do with my PhD thesis. Not sure if that's best yet.
I want to work with a couple of my lecturers ATM but as Im not 100% sure I'm still up in the air. But I know who would be best for each area.
I know many jobs don't need a PhD I feel like I need the area I want to work in it will show my employer I have the skills needed.

OP posts:

RenaissanceBunny · 12/06/2017 01:35

I'm currently doing a PhD in literature. You need fees + living costs (£1000 or more per month) + £1000+ for books/conferences/library visits. Re. getting work form uni as a tutor it is completely unreliable, very competitive, and you only find out the week before if you have teaching for the term (usually paid at around £13 per hour of teaching + 1hr of prep per course per week). I am doing full time and as well as teaching for the uni I work as a part time nanny roughly 12 hrs a week (fits really well around uni). I also have my parents paying rent. ATM funding in arts is extremely competitive, unless you have a 1st, distinction at masters + amazing project funding is not very likely I'm afraid. For supervisors, mine is not a great specialist in my area but I got on really well with him during my ug dissertation. The ability to work well with them is far more important than them being a 'big name' in the field (often big names don't have the time to really focus on your project). Also hop over to the postgraduate forum (google it) for a very helpful community of PhDs.

erinaceus · 12/06/2017 02:24

How far into your Masters are you?

If you have not done so yet, one option could be to focus on your Masters thesis for now. If you enjoy the process of writing your Masters thesis this could indicate that PhD-level research could be for you.

orangeglove · 12/06/2017 03:05

I am in science, but when people ask me about a PhD, my rule is: Only do a PhD if you are offered full funding (tuition + stipend). Never self-fund.

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