To do a PHD just to be able to use Dr?

[Confortableorwhat]

Unfortunately, I don't really think that's an option for me, but I need a title to use.

I currently use Mrs, have done for 30+ years, alongside late DH's surname. I married very young and TBH it never crossed my mind not to take his name and use the title, although I wouldn't do it now.

Anyway, I've been a widow for several years, I don't like using Mrs because I'm not married, I'm not a "Miss" and whilst I understand Ms is a solution for some, I don't actually know anyone who uses it IRL and find it awkward.

Is there a good option?

You can call yourself anything you like as long as you don't use your name for fraudulemt purposes. For example, you can call yourself lady docker, doctor docker, princess docker if you want, just don't try and do it for materialbgain, such as an upgrade.
Don't even have to do this through deed poll
But of course you can always spend £1000s woking for a degree you may fail

To those who say Ms can't actually be pronounced . . . try Miz. There, that wasn't so hard, was it?
I seem to live in a different universe from many of you; the norm among my female colleagues and friends is Ms. And if anyone tried to call me Mrs, they'd get the Pedantic Deathglare. Thing about Ms is that is doesn't just cover married or unmarried--it also covers widowed, divorced, separated, whatever . . .

Get ordained?

I've always fancied "Lord" myself. Lady at a push.

Lord BaconCozzers is.....fabulous.

I can't believe the number of people on here who thought the OP was being serious about the PhD

I'm a visiting lecturer at uni, thry asked me to do a PhD so I could become a professor. I'd love too but as a self employed 58 yo with 2 ND kids and 4 dogs between them I have a hard time finding time to clean up after then let alone do a research doctorate.... still Prof sounds like a good prefix to me ;)

There are loads of qualifications you can buy online. Ben Goldacre's cat is a qualified Reiki Master.*

*Disclaimer-may not be Reiki-but something along those lines.

You could always just use Ms.

Where are you that you that doesn't see Ms?

I am in Ireland work in an education organisation (third level) 90% of the women use Ms. All my peers do mixture of married, widowed and single.

A PhD in the sciences is not easy but just about anyone could get one in some humanities subject if they've got the time and money to waste.

I know of one person who had a long and productive career on a series of part time research assistant contracts - really important work. Eventually she was given an honorary doctorate and shortly after a chair. I'm not sure I ever heard her referred to by any title though.

I have always used Ms and dont find it particularly awkward, rarely get asked "Is it Miss or Mrs" anymore, its more usually "What is your title?" probably because so many women doctors gots pissed off with saying "Its DOCTOR actually!".

That said, I have never worked in a school but I know several teachers and they all say that regardless of title they are all "Miss" So and So.

Maybe come to peace with the Miss/Mrs thing at work and use Ms out of work?

Its weird to post asking what the solution is and include the solution (a word specifically created so you don’t have to use Mrs or Miss!) in your answer, but you’ve just…decided it’s awkward? Would you like society to create ANOTHER title for a woman that isn’t based on her marital status?

(I also find it quite weird you don’t know anyone who uses Ms IRL but I don’t know, maybe that’s generational?)

This thread is nuts.

They call the female teachers Ma'am in DCs school for this reason. It's not telling anyone you're married or not. Like Sir.

I have never taught in a school only at university where we are all on first name terms (apart from some international students who find it difficult and disrespectful) but I did teach the foundation chemistry course for a few years at my previous university and the students kept calling me Miss which was hilarious at my age!

I use Ms because it's nobody's business whether I'm married or not. More and more people use it nowadays I think, I have several colleagues that use it, whether married, divorced or single. Do a PhD if you are passionate about your subject and are willing and able to put in all that time and effort, but nor just for the title!

I heard thay at a school open evening, it sounded so weird, it reminded me of the queen!

I teach in a university and the students all call me Saffron to my face and in emails. Though some of the first years in the first few weeks will email me with "Dear Professor Saffron" until they settle in, and the international students never stop referring to me (and other colleagues) like that.