Anyone doing a PhD?

[Klio]

I'm six months pregnant with first baby, work part time and trying to do a PhD (early church theology) part time (no funding as arts based grrr) as well so all feels a bit of an uphill struggle at moment!! Have major guilt feelings all the time as not done any research for ages now as always too exhausted to even contemplate opening my books. Just wondering if anyone has any good tips, especially for once baby arrives on scene, or just fancies a general rant about the whole thing!!

Doing an EdD but already on yr 8. Started whilst working full time, had DD and then seriously ill so took a break from studies, finally completed coursework in 2006, did defence in Dec 06 and now have just one bit of data collection to do and busy on write up. Am SAHM but until Oct did pt OU tutoring as well. Now moved overseas and no chance of employment so I'm using the time now DD at school to do it, but its still hard work. Have just done Chap 1 and have Ch2 to whip into shape. Tutor wants Chaps 1-3 by 1 March. Thesis is only??? 40-50K .Motivation now is to avoid having to pay another year of fees as I don't work and so can't fund it myself... Luckily DH is generous!!

Find myself thinking of distractions but as long as I keep forcing myself to write its ok.

Any other doctoral students out there???

hello all! i'm starting a part-time phd very soon, and i have a 8mo dd. just wanted to say hello really and see how others out there have managed to combine studying for a doctorate and bringing up a family. i'm looking forward to starting but a bit nervous after being off work for so many months, i'm worried that my brain has totally decomposed, it feels like it has anyway!

Good luck with starting the Phd. I'm sure you will quickly get in the swing of it and zip along. I used to make the most of LO's nap time even if it was just to read half a chapter of a book. My lovely Hb decided when DD was 6 months old to fund 1 day a week at nursery so I could study which really helped. The only trouble is that doctoral study can sort of take over your life a bit. I 'm now on the last leg, which is brill, but I have to say at times that my get up and go has gone!! I started with an ambition to do it in 4 yrs P/T.... and I'm still on it at 8 yrs so I guess you have to be realistic on time scales

Good luck!!

Hi lostandfound - I think part-time is a good option if it's available. It wasn't for me but by taking time out I made it sort of part-time.

Dd started 2 afternoons/week at nursery when she was 7.5 mo. She didn't sleep through until 9 mo and I really needed some daytime, alert time.

It is hard to switch gears sometimes and now I feel I'm trying to cram 6 days work into 3 days/week (and short days if I'm dropping off and pickking up which I generally am).

Sunny - when are you hoping to submit? My deadline is end 2008 and it is a bit stressful this year after my more leasurely couple of years. OTOH I relaly need to do something like this and would go totally bananas 24/7 with dd (adorable as she is) but OTOH it's more stressful and demanding than I would like ideally.

hiya sunny and acinonyx, great to hear your experiences

good for you sunny using naptimes for work, i am still using them for sleep at the moment as my LO wakes so early i have to catch up a bit! i'm sure that's soon going to have to change though and i'll have to cram in a bit of work. luckily i have funding for my place, so i can just about cover a couple of days at nursery for her, which will help a lot as i tend to be quite useless in the evenings these days.

i must admit, my motivation is a bit low at the moment as well, i have a proposal to write and i'm finding it hard to settle down and just do it. i'm sure once i get back into that frame of mind i'll be fine, but i think it's going to take a bit of time!

I find the evenings really hard still and dd's now 2.5. It's OK when you're really in the think of something but otherwise I'm hopeless. Dd went up to 2 days/week at 15 mo (then 3 days last Oct) and actually I think the whole days were easier for her - more routine and less disjointed - and definitely better for me to get anything done. Dh has suggested going full time to get finished but she's a rather shy, sensitive flower and I have instead suggested he save his leave to make up the extra childcare towards the end (not sure how thrilled he is about that!).

What is your topic area?

I know what you mean about your dd going ft in nursery, i'm not brave enough for that yet...not sure i ever will be! I'm hoping my lo will cope ok with the whole days, it really helps if you can get stuck in for such a good block of time doesn't it? I find with half days, by the time i get my head back into it, it's over and onto the next thing so wouldn't really work for me in the long run. I'm studying psychology by the way, how about you?

I'm in biological anthropology but my project is based in psycology and genetics. Wrt psycology, my area is social cognition, especially empathy, theory of mind and behavioural inhibition. What area of psychology are you in?

Half days are better than nothing but once you've had a cup of tea and put in some laundry it's just about all over.

that sounds really interesting, i've done some work in social cognition in the past too and it's one of my main interests. i actually started a phd in that area quite a few years ago, then cut it short because i wanted to move to where i live now and couldn't face commuting so wrote it up as a masters. would love to hear more about it...what genetic aspect are you investigating?

i'm now going to be looking at affective processing and frontal lobe functioning in a particular psychosomatic disorder, but still trying to iron out all the details at the moment for the proposal. it's crazy, i have to have pretty much designed every single study in the minutest detail, before i even start!

I'm comparing maternal and paternal heritablity for some of these traits by testing full and half-sib pairs. The data collection is a total nightmare! What was your masters area (mine was totally completely different - not psychology at all but behvioural ecology).

The details have changed quite a bit since the proposal - I guess that's normal. Are you testing face to face? I'm using questionnaires - it's like trying to flog a used car...

Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone can help. I'm currently doing a MSc in environmental science, I would love to to a PhD but i'm not sure where to start. I have a couple of pieces of research that I would like to do. My degree classification was rubbish as I am a single mum, had to work aswell and had a few other problems (employment tribunal etc) throughout my degree. Do you have to approach universities and beg? I'm not sure where to start so would really appreciate any help. Thanks.

Juliet - there are two issues - admittance and funding. The first is consideraby easier than the latter. If you can self-fund, full or part time, then you should approach potential supervisors directly and see if they like your project ideas. Although there is generally a minimum entrance requirement (and you imply you are below that - if not then it should be straight forward) you may be OK if you come across well and impress with your proposal.

If you need funding then there are two options. Apply for an advertised, funded position, or apply directly to one of the research councils (not sure which but NERC for example in your field) for funding, with the support of a potential supervisor. The requirements for funding, expecially when aplying directly as an indiviual, are very stringent, however.

Also - be clear about any costs that your research might entail - many depts don't have spare cash for planned projects (as I have found to my literal cost!).

Good luck!

'unplanned' duh!

I agree with Acionyx- if you can self-fund your chances are very much higher. Research Councils generally want at least a 2.1, but if you have an MSc then that would over-ride your degree result to some extent. I have taken someone on to do a PhD in the past with a 2.2 and then an MSc with Distinction. Convincing a supervisor to take you on is probably the first line of attack though. Good luck

Thanks. I know the EC have some grants for research. You've been really helpful.

Hello everyone
Just found this thread. I am considering applying for a PhD in museum studies/education. Need advice, please!!!

My DD is 1 year old. We want another child as well. But right now we are financially ok, and hubby has agreed that we can afford for me to do the PhD... and I feel like I should jump at the opportunity. Been thinking about it for years now.

Problems are- we've no family close by, and my hubby's a barrister. Great for money, but his workload is insane and he often works at home in the eves and weekends. I may be able to sort out a couple of days with a childminder. Not sure if I'll go part time or full time.

Anyone have any words of wisdom on how I can make this work? Anything I need to take into consideration before I decide to go for it?

I'm in a similar position in that my dh works long hours, evenings and weekends and travels - and we have no family here. Dd (2.8) is now in nursery 3 days/week. I really think you are going to need some organised childcare at least 2 days/week even to go part time. I guess it varies but I struggle being full-time with only 3 days/week and I will be asking dh to look after dd a lot at weekends and to save his annual leave in order to help my submit later this year.

If you try full time then keep part-time as an option. The only problem with part-time is the project just goes on for so long you get tired of it!

Hi knittingmama

I was/am in a similar position. I undertook my doctorate when I was working full time and pre DD. When she was born and i became a SAHM DH paid for a nursery for 1 day a week so I could study. I later dropped this in favour of 3 sessions a week with a childminder I knew and liked and then when DD was 3 she went to Montssori part time. I had no family nearby so had to do it this way. I am now on yr8 and on final writing up. DH job moved to Cyprus and DD has started school so I study in the mornings until she comes home at 1pm.

Things I've found....it always takes longer than you think it will. Sometimes its easier to study in small bursts rather than one intense go....seeing Mummy studying is a good role model for DD....My DH has had to go away to unpleasant places at times and so then my studies have to take a back seat, which is probably why its taken so long but then thats life I guess!!

Museum studies and education sounds really interesting. My doctorate is in education and I'm doing an EdD rather than a PHd as I wanted to achieve bits along the way rather than have all my eggs in one basket with the final thesis.

Hope all goes well

Hi,

I'm currently doing a Phd in Education - my ds is 14 weeks old and I'm about halfway through and saw maternity leave as an 'opportunity' to get more work done... My dh is working full time and also doing a Phd (in archaeology/history) so we parent together and study together. I am also breastfeeding. I would say that it is challenging, but that when they are small you can read while feeding and do other stuff while they sleep (and they do sleep a lot when little). It all depends on your motivation, and given that we are both self funding (ie NO grants etc) that is pretty good motivation to complete!!
Happy to chat/grumble etc to others.

Gillian.

Hi - Sunnylabsmum - I'm also doing an EdD rather than a Phd for the same reasons - I am specialising in the new 14-19 diplomas...

Thanks everyone. I keep thinking full time would be too much, but maybe it's not? I'm so used to thinking of 'full time' as 9 - 5 Monday through Friday and we definitely cannot afford full time child care. Acinonyx-if you had 4 days a week child care would that make it easier to do FT? I know what you mean about the project going on and on- I don't know if I can commit myself to the same thing for 6 + years! I really want to do this now, I'm really set on it!

Well as it is I work Saturdays and dh looks after dd - and this year I am having to increase the evening work. 4 days/week would be a big help. We could afford it - but I'm not comfortable with dd being in nursery 4 days - she's very shy and I feel she is at her limit. I might reconsider later in the year if she seems settled though. If you can into a routine of working in after dc's bedtime that helps a lot (I'm working on it).

I am under considerable time pressure because I am funded - that is one of the drawbacks of funding - and also the dept is very keen for me not to over-run (which they tend to be if you are funded because they are held accountable by the funding body). I took 2 years out for dd and so it will be 5 years in the end - and it really feels a bit too long.

Don't know about PT - but FT the pressure of the final year is intense and that's when time is really at a premuim.

Acinonyx, Have you worked Saturdays all throughout, or just this year?

I've worked them sometimes before (when I have deadlines of some sort) but only routinely this year. I probably would have been more sensible to go PT but I wasn't sure how my funding would be affected. I have been basically unofficially PT by taking time out. Being officially PT would have given me an extra year altogether - but then again I'm not sure I could stand to go another year!

My 'full time' PhD states you have to work 4 days a week. I do have 4 days a week childcare (and 5 days a week about half the time) but can only generally work part time during school hols.

I work in the evenings as well to make up.

Depends on the area I think. This PhD is in the Social Sciences; I can do lots from home. My previous PhD (gained pre-children) in Biology was lab based and would have been impossible to do without at least 5 days a week in the lab.

I chose full time as I needed funding. If you're not funded I think part time is easier to juggle with kids.