PHd Query

[hissyfit]

Okay - lots of questions from a very ignorant person re: PHds!

I work full time as a teacher which I love and obtained my Honours
degree 3 years ago. I got a First Class degree and at the time, was actually encouraged to go further academically although teaching was my aim.

As I've said, I do currently love teaching and find that combining this with a family is enough.

However I can see in a few years that I might want to continue in education but am unsure how I would go about it:

Do people tend to go on to a masters first?
How much does it cost?
Can it be done full time and part time?
Has anyone ever combined it with working?
Is it best to continue sooner rather than later after completing a degree?
Has it bettered anybody's career?
Quite seriously - has it been worth it?!

I would anybodys experiences/advice on this subject. Thanking you all in advance!

Hi

I'm in the throes of wrapping up my PhD. I'll see if I can help!

Do people tend to go on to a masters first?

I think this can help if you want to get funding as it shows you can complete graduate work. Not essential though. I did an LLM before my PhD

How much does it cost?

I got an AHRC grant. They are very competitive. They pay fees and you get a maintenance grant of about £12,500 a year for three years. They don't pay you in your writing up year

Fees are £3-4000 a year. Lots of unis run their own PhD studentships/grants too.

Can it be done full time and part time?

Both or either. Full-time is 3 years and one to write up. Part-time is double. I started full-time but swirched to part-time after my grant ended.

Has anyone ever combined it with working?

Yes, I do freelance work too. Otherwise it gets too monotonous.

Is it best to continue sooner rather than later after completing a degree?

I had a 15 year gap! I trained and qualified as lawyer before going back to do an LLM and then did a PhD after.

Has it bettered anybody's career?

I'm hoping it will put in a better position so I cna be considered an 'expert' in the field

Quite seriously - has it been worth it?!

Very tough one! Very personal. For me, I have had two kids while completing it and it has helped me keep my sense of worth and perspective. I've felt like I was still me!

It is VERY hard and lonely though. You can easily get bored/tired of your topic and it seems endless.

Even now I want to jack sometimes but when I think of one day being a PhD and how I did it, I know I have to complete this!!

Im not an expert but have many old uni friends who are postdoctral graduates so just stating from my experience. I know several people who didn't really find it useful, it's more of a personal thing as in the end it limits your prospects because you are so specialised, unless you are seeking a particular role which requires one. Two people I know with PhD's say they probably aren't making as much money as they could and get fed up of applying for grants for on going research, 2 others have done very well but they both published many many papers, 2 others actually left the field of their PhD and went to other fields. One other person had a nervous breakdown because of the stress of writing it up. 2 gave up and didn't complete writing it, one got a MPhil, the other I don't know what happened. All the others did them to get specific jobs in which they are now trapped as at that level promotion is hard as everyone has the same qualifications. The best bit is you are respected in your field and are called Doctor. I'm personally glad I didn't start one, but glad to have done a Master's as that seems to open more doors not that it matters now. In education it maybe different, nearly all the people I have mentioned did science ones but the lady I know who was a head of department left work to concentrate on her PhD, but still didn't finish it. I would start with a Masters, progress to MPhil and then continue if you want, that way you can drop out and still get something for the effort put in.

Hi hissyfit! Like debs40, I'm finishing up my PhD. Not in the UK though, so I'm not sure how much help some of my answers will be!!

1. Do people tend to go on to a masters first?
   I have no masters - first class honours like you. I think that is different here though - honours means a fourth year of uni, during which you do research and a thesis. I would recommend if you can to have some research experience before you start (even if only a few weeks). It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea and it's hard to know before you try. For e.g., in my honours class of 40, at the start of the year virtually everyone intended to do a PhD, but at the end only about 8 of us actually did.

2. How much does it cost?
   Sorry, can't help much with the fee costs, but I have found there are fewer hidden costs than with undergrad. No text books and paper etc. Most people I know have scholarships or grants that cover fees & personal allowance. Their supervisors apply for grants that cover research costs.

3. Can it be done full time and part time?
   Depends on your area of research. My area (biological science) would be nearly impossible part time - cells just keep growing! But i know a history student who finds part time works very well for her.

4. Has anyone ever combined it with working?
   Not personally, but a couple of friends do this successfully, so it can certainly be done!

5. Is it best to continue sooner rather than later after a degree?
   Tough one... sooner because you haven't got used to not studying at night/weekends, but doing it later can give you all the advantageous experience of working in your field of interest. Weighing it all up though, personally I'd say sooner.

6. Has it bettered anyone's career?
   Tell you in a few years! It's practially impossible to get the sort of job I want in my field without a PhD though, so I imagine (hope!) so.

7. was it worth it?
   On the whole, yes. It's taught me to how to really think and analyze things. I also developed a lot of problem solving skills, and feel like I could give almost anything a reasonable go now, whether it was statistics or fixing the toilet. But, it was far more challenging than I'd expected, and I wish I'd been prepared for the overwhelming frustration sometimes when your research seems to be stuck in a rut.

Hope that helps a little!

Hi there another teacher here.

20 years ago did a B.Ed and two years after qualifying I did a M.Ed..now this did open up doors which were shut previously eg all the allowance jobs. Paid for this myself and did it whilst working full time - pre child!

Then when I turned 30 decided to start an EdD. Still plodding on and facing 40 in the face. Self funded and started whilst working full time,then when DD arrived worked for OU for a bit and now 'stuck' in cyprus with DH so do it around some volunteering. Am due back in UK in summer so hope to have it done by then and hope that it helps with careers

Cost for EdD is now approaching £12K and self funded

Is it worth it???? I hope and pray so as its required alot of dedication

I did my masters nearly 20 years after graduating and I was definitely a better student after all that time. I'm now finishing a PhD - I have a university scholarship but I couldn't have got it without my masters. I've also moved diagonally away from my original area.

I started full-time then went part-time after a year off for maternity. If I hadn't got funding I was planning to work part-time and go part-time. I can't see how I personally, with this project and a young child, could have worked full-time and gone part-time but I know of people who have done that. Must depend a lot on the project - espeically if it is relavant to your work.

It's been very tough and it is a total career change for me. It's been worth it - but only because I did it mostly just for the love of it - which is just as well as it will be a major struggle to get a related job.

I think you have to really want to do it. It's like marraige. If there is no passion at the start, it surely won't be there in the middle. If you take 5-6 yrs (or more) like most of us here - the middle to end years can get tediuos. As Debs said: ''It is VERY hard and lonely though. You can easily get bored/tired of your topic and it seems endless.''

At least if you do it in Ed and work in Ed you might ahve some sensible conversations about it though.

I did a masters first but is was 15 years ago so it doesn't really count. I am doing my PHd part time and the fees are £1650 per year for 6 years then £900 for write up year. I work full time and have three kids 7, 6 and 3 so its a bit of a juggling situation but I get there.

Will it better my career well I think so in the long run but at the moment I see people round about me without one getting promoted so thats hardly inspiring