to want to do a PhD?

[fcekinghell]

I'm currently studying a Masters paid for by my employer. It involves a research dissertation and I hope to submit this summer. I'm really enjoying the research and the topic. I've always liked to learn and build up my qualifications and the topic is something I've had a long term interest in and work experience in. My tutor is confident I'll obtain a distinction and is encouraging me to consider going on to do a PhD.

I'm in two minds about whether to do one though, and I'm weighing up the pros and cons. I wanted to know what others would do in my circumstances?

Pros:
Getting further qualifications
Getting to call myself 'doctor'
Potentially moving into an academic job (there is little scope for progression with my current employer, most people just move side ways)
Continuing to study something that really interests me
Potentially getting a higher salary if entering an academic role
I'm about to finish paying off my car so the monthly payments could maybe go towards study instead and no worse off
DH is supportive

Cons:
I work full time, earning £35,000 a year. DH earns about the same. I cannot afford to give up this salary to do a full time PhD as we have mortgage and bills to pay
I have no savings nor would I be eligible for any loans/grants - the new £25k loan is not applicable in Scotland it seems
I could do the OU and pay instalments but it's still over 2 thou a year, going up each year
It would be 6 years of study and take up most of my free time
We want to start putting some money away for our DD's future and I also want a new kitchen!
I'm disabled which could make travelling for interview etc difficult
My DM says spend the money on my house, holidays, and DD's future and further study is not needed.
Would I even get into academia and would it be better paid/benefits etc than the public sector which I'm currently in?

So my questions is basically WWYD?

Placemarking

@Slightlyperturbedowlagain

It’s an ‘interesting’ environment to work in, in both a good and a bad way. Some of the variety and autonomy that make it a great job also make it hideous at times as these translate into ridiculous and competing workload, deadlines and isolation. It’s certainly not easy.

I really agree with this. The OP needs to decide how much she wants to go through it all to get there. In my view it wasn't worth it but experiences differ widely.

I did a PhD and found it not bad at all, then started on 35k (London) and got a permanent job with only one move. Five years later I'm pushing 50k and love my job, I don't recognise a lot of posts here (BUT I'm in research institute not university)

So, I've had the easiest ride it's possible to have. And I wouldn't do a PhD now, age 35 with two children. I did mine at 23 with no ties, and loved it but had to work every weekend to collect data. I went to lots of conferences and late night collaborative meetings etc. It is too much to do with children and a job. I think it would be utterly miserable.

It's expensive, time-consuming and INCREDIBLY stressful. You absolutely cannot do a PhD, a full-time job, and expect to see your family ever. Six years part-time is very unlikely for completion. The reality is that doing it part-time is much slower because of not being immersed in the research and the rest of the field developing much more as you go on for twice as long.

I'm not saying don't do it, but you have to be completely sure you want to, and your DP needs to be 100% supportive and able to pick up a LOT of slack otherwise you'll be working at the pace of a very arthritic snail.

Don't worry about the application. Talk to your Masters' supervisor and they'll help you through the process. Also there are some great books out there on How To Get A PhD which start with the application process.

What field? You’d get around £30k if you got a postdoc position after your PhD, out of London universit ies anyway.
It depends how good you are as to how you escalate and it’s hard work getting all your decent research papers, teaching commitments etc .... very long hours and travelling to conferences which is tI as fun as it sounds. You’re judged all the time too.
See s ohd as an apprenticeship in research methodology which is essentially what it is

Finishing and writing is super hard, it’s very easy to get bogged down with everything.

Fees are 4k per annum home/eu but if you’re funding yourself don’t forget you’ll need money to get the work done, e.g. if you’re doing molecular biology you’ll need around £2k plus per month just to do experiments, in viva work is seriously expensive and things such as MRI facilties are hugely expensive so unless you chose a supervisor who has responses to pay for the work to be done you’ll need to get funding - lots of decent supervisors would have money though or could get it

If you get a stipend it’ll be tax free (we’ll it was in my day but that was 200-2004 but we were on £7k lol) .... it’s more like £15k these days per annum plus you can make extra money doing extra work.

I won’t lie, it’s a huge slog, really hard work and troublesome, not like a masters, far more involved and higher level. Honestly I’d only do one now if you wanted to stay in HE or your career pathway requires a PhD to get up the ladder
FWIW I went into HE management and my salary scale goes up to £75k so it’s not peanuts and I love it (medical research and faculty/school etc management )

‘Scuse spelling mistakes ... and it’s in vivo ..... iykwim

Lots of honest opinions, really appreciate it all

I know so many people who do hate working in academia but it's easy to get stuck in it somehow particularly if you end up within a very niche field.

This is how I feel in the public sector. My job is very niche. There are very few comparable jobs on a similar salary so I do feel very stuck.

I think I'll sit on it for now, like a PP suggested. I haven't yet got my MSc grade anyway.

And yes, my DD is the most important thing. I've felt guilty that my MSc has taken up a lot of my spare time. She's a pre teen, so there may be more time for study when she's older but by then it might be more for personal reasons than for career prospects as I'll be mid 40s by then!

Thanks all.

I have never regretted doing my PhD. I would really have regretted not doing it. However, although I have acquired work that, perhaps, I would not have acquired if I had not got a PhD, it has not led to a full time, academic career.