Who can help Onebat with advice about PhDs or MAs? (Wanker's Corner 101 AND long)

[onebatmother]

Can any mother help me?

I am at a career crossroads, and floundering somewhat .

I'm fantasizing about completely re-training, but I'm uncertain which way to go. I resemble, more than anything, a 41yr old large-arsed Easter Bunny, paralyzed in the glare of The Headlights Of The Future.

But a vague memory has resurfaced from university days and I'd like you to tell me what you think. My degree was in English Lit from a University of London college, and I got a first. I seem to remember that one of my tutors told me that because of the first, I could bypass an MA and go straight to a PhD.

Does this sound right? And if so, might that still be the case? And if so, would it have to be an English literature erm... thesis thingy, or could it be in some other discipline which required critical thinking? My career so far has been in making (directing/producing) documentaries about "Society".

And if it could be in anything.. what can you think of? Anything, anything at all! It's quite likely that it will not be poss to go back to university bcs of finances, but if it is, I would really like to think that I had considered every option.

As a starter, I am interested in how and why people think. I've considered training as a psychotherapist, but I think it's a v v long process. Also not sure that I'm patient enough.

And that;s poss too literal an interpretation of 'how and why people think' iyswim. For example, I am also interested in the process of things, in culture, and how it is constructed; and why groups believe what they do. How the things that people produce reflect and disseminate the political necessities of their world - the power structures which underpin societies, etc, etc.

So people, politics with small p, power, pornography - all the p's really. Oh and cultures and what they express, erm, you know the kind of thing.

Obv v unlikely to be all of these - but I'd be really interested if anyone thought that they had, or knew of, a career where one gets to consider this kind of stuff (which -CRUCIALLY - pays a small mortgage)

I'm not sure that I want to continue being freelance: I'm a bit shit at it and there's an inbuilt anxiety which does me know favours. But it's not a deal-breaker.

Thank you, my dearies, for your attention to this matter.

Clovis how interesting re your shift from crit theory to visual - can you be more specific or would that be too revealing?

"If you've got ideas about pornography maybe they deserve a wider audience."

Well yes D, you'd think so, wouldn't you? . How does one go about that then? And would a publ really fund you a living wage? Am prepared for a year of potato soup, but can't work for free.

Sorry probably built it up, but did lots of critical theory in a BA - which formed the basis of the work I do which ends up in galleries and museums. So skipped the fine art BA completely and just went from theory ba to MA and quickly learnt the necessary techniques I needed to explore it visually. In this instance paint (! sorry bit boring, but was good for dealing with issues of authenticity / history / male vs female authorship etc) but could EASILY be explored in any medium. Film etc. As could surveillance issues and pornography, very topical.

Your interests and talents could easily lend themselves to this, but I have to admit I just wouldn't have the same oomph required to get this career off the ground now I have a ds and want another, and hate to say am coasting a bit. Plus I realise now what a risk it was to go down this path.

But I would say be careful to look after your obvious talents, whether it be by writing a book or otherwise and that you are happy to work for the organisation you chose.

On the flip side I did an economics degree too and half of me wishes I had chosen a good safe economic based career instead! split personality issues. Anyway have waffled on, probably not much help but making documentaries is no small fry....

No, very interesting, all food for thought - esp the riskiness of the path. Feel rather similarly, and am very determined not to make that mistake again. I need a clear picture I think.

As much as I love it and it's going well at the moment I wouldn't recommend it to anyone - too much of a risk. Looking back with parental eyes I'm surprised anyone does do it really.

yes, precisely. But actually, it's not parental eyes, it's maternal eyes. There are plenty of male parents still making docs, I think!

Oh yes, they can deal with long hours and focus solely on their work and have back up at home?

For me, hours are ridiculously flexible, just float around working whenever, and the financial side can be great or not... but it's the selfless devotion that I see in other people who are single doing the same thing. I can't match that right now. I look at them and they seem to have a crazed glint of ambition.. I used to have that! (probably)

but - if you're doing okay - perhaps, in the end, the glint is just crazed, rather than authentic, energized and irreplaceable ?

Anyway - must to bed. Gosh, huge amounts of brilliant advice and info here. Genuine and heartfelt thanks to all of you.

yeah or the drugs - them not me. Anyway stayed up to watch a Christian Bale movie looks vair depressing. am to bed

Dittany, just thinking about your 'go straight to the book' idea, and wondering if you or anyone knows about pitching a non-fiction, fairly but not entirely academic book idea? Is it like fiction, I wonder, where one needs an agent to stand any realistic chance?
Thanks again everyone.

Well, from POV of doing a PhD, it can be worth doing because it's simply not often you get the chance to just explore the subject, and the impetus to sit down and write properly and in detail about it. I did PhD then a couple of postdoc jobs before I realised that I really don't have the temperament for academia - DH is a brilliant historian, and it is v. obvious where our relative strengths and weaknesses lie.

I'll never regret having done mine, though in practical terms it's not a huge amount of use to me now (anyone got a 15th century manuscript they can't read? No takers? Thought not); the time to just think and learn and develop was invaluable, and unlike anything I'd done before, or since.

However, if I'd really thought about it, I'd have gone down the modern English route, rather than historical (that said, I'd never have met DH, and that makes it all worth it!) - I'm kind of half-dreaming of doing a PhD on medical literacy in the internet-using population some day - but then I'm planning on retraining to become a midwife some day!

Practicalities: as was pointed out above, AHRC funding now goes to institutions first, not individuals, and is tied to research grant income, which effectively means that the more research-intensive universities get more PhD places. So if you were to apply for funding, you'd have to be quite pragmatic about your choices of institution. PhD places now get advertised sometimes - look in the Times Higher or jobs.ac.uk. A first almost always improves your chances of funding, particularly in Arts and Humanities.

Bear in mind that you don't need to be on campus that much, so you could broaden your horizons to universities within reasonable travelling distance for a supervision - esp as you're in London, so have access to the BL, etc.

If you did want to be an academic, it is brutally competitive right now, I have to say. You will need a completed PhD, and DH's dept recently had 60 applications for 2 temporary jobs in two quite specific areas of medieval history. You don't need any teaching qualifications, though more and more in-house training is becoming compulsory.

In terms of applying, approach potential supervisors directly, but don't always trust what they say re the practicalities! Always check with postgrad/research offices for the facts... Writing a decent proposal takes time, so don't rush it.

I'm not sure how helpful this has been - will post this now, and try to post something more thoughtful when I've read the thread properly!

And re different subjects - yes, this is possible, and some really good people I've known have done this - one of DH's PhD students right now has switched subject (within humanities).

Brilliantly helpful Habbibu. Thank you.

With, as you say, such brutal competition for academic posts, and given that my overarching aim is at least to have a stab at a stimulating but non 3am-in-the-morning career, I'm beginning to wonder whether my question should in fact have been

What career options are there available to someone who has a good undergrad degree, whose subsequent career shows the capacity to get quickly up to speed in a variety of academic disciplines (which I think is prob equiv to MA-level thinking) but who has no actual post-grad quals or experience.

Because ultimately, although I would LOVE to go back to academic work, I can't just do it for pleasure - it must be with a view to a second career. And I'm just not going to be able to compete with people who can move around the country etc etc for academic posts. It seems foolish to go for this - out of the competitive -tv documentary-making frying-pan, and into the slightly-shorter-hours-but-v-competitive academic fire.

So does anyone have any thoughts about the CAREER that I should be aiming for?

I feel very guilty asking, as so many of you have spent so much time on this already - but v grateful because as you can see, what you've all said so far has genuinely moved my thinking along.

What else could I do with a PHD in something psycho/sociological or cultural theory-ish?

(for eg. - what is a 'researcher'? I've got an acquaintaince who does this, and she seems to interview people who've been the intended audience for Local Authority or Charity initiatives, to see what the actual impact of said initiatives has been. Not entirely sure that I have the ordered and calm brain for this work - but use is as an example of THINGS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT)

Well, I've kind of wibbled my way into HE policy and planning, and may use that to get into NHS NGO policy/planning/information/research.

A Research masters may suit you very well - PhD really not necessary for most jobs, and would maybe open research/policy doors in NGOs, etc.

How about scouting job sites for things that look appealing, downloading FPs where possible, and see what they're looking for, and comparing to what appeals to you? I'm kind of doing that right now - I really would like to be a midwife, but am a bit chicken over the paycut/shifts/childcare malarkey, and want to have another baby, so am exploring other options.

I can make my PhD sound useful - doesn't mean it was, and in most cases a decent masters with good research element is a better option, and you can always do a PhD later, or even upgrade if you love it.

Also, while you're thinking, another option is to get one or two OU courses under your belt - might get you credit transfer for a Masters, and give you a better idea of how much you like the subject.

May not be necessary, if the area you're interested you know pretty well, but for me it's really good - am very impressed with the OU.

But Habbs - WTF is 'Research'?!! What does it meeeeaaan in real terms?

hello onebat-how are you?

Sorry I dont have any good ideas but being a brainy kind of fish, I'm sure an academic career would suit you.

Was wondering if you did English Lit at UCL? If so, we might have been there at the same time.

Hello charlie!! I'm v well - are you?
No, I was at KCL
Also by the looks of your dewy skin you are somewhat junior .

Research a really broad term, I'm afraid! Means different things to different people, and the best way to get a general idea is to look at FPs of jobs. Let me have a hunt.

What's the mumbling about KCL? DH did his PhD there...

OK - here's an example for NHS quality improvement Scotland:

Health Services Researcher/s to support a range of activities including: production of systematic reviews and summaries of clinical effectiveness literature; support for implementation of evidence-based advice (including NICE guidance) within NHSScotland; development of methods for effective evaluation of quality improvement activity; and support for research activity across NHS QIS.

In other words, this is critical analysis of current literature, some social science development of research methodology - devising evaluation methods, as it says, and some senior admin support.

Justa, I was wondering about Habbs' "A Research masters may suit you very well - PhD really not necessary for most jobs, and would maybe open research/policy doors in NGOs, etc."

So research with a capital R, I think Habbs means?

My problem is also that I'm not, if the bitter and hugely embarrassing truth be told (can hardly believe I'm being honest about this) interested in actually working in the Real World.

So for example, Dittany posted that were she to be applying for a phd in pornography, she'd apply www.londonmet.ac.uk/depts/dass/research/cwasu/here

and she mentions, as an alternative, the 'detached academic thing'. Truth is, I would be infinitely more interesting in a detached career than an engaged one.

I'm just not a campaigning kind of gal.