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What are the benefits of having a PhD

I'm looking into the possibility of doing a PhD next year and I just want to know what are real benefits of having one apart from having Dr as your title...

I'm doing on MSc this year and over the past couple of weeks a loads of people were telling me to do now as I rejected the opportunity this year as my final year project supervisor offered me one this year.

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Reply 1
Avatar for GraveMentor
GraveMentor
You get the freedom to choose which 20 hours a day you want to work :biggrin:
Reply 2
Avatar for Undisputed
Undisputed
3
opens up doors in industry, dont go into academia tho, they treat you like poo.
Undisputed
opens up doors in industry, dont go into academia tho, they treat you like poo.


Really? How so?
Reply 4
Avatar for the_alba
the_alba
12
little_red_sox
Really? How so?


Ignore him, he's a troll who has created about eight duplicate accounts in the last two weeks and keeps getting banned for, well, being a troll.

There are good and bad sides to academia, like any job, but the good generally outweighs the bad, which is why it's so bloody difficult to get an academic job these days.
I think it depends in what area you are in. In science a PhD, in my experience, sets you up as a proper specialist, which opens up jobs in academia and gets you paid more in industry. It gives you a host of vital skills that you don't have fully developed after a first degree, such as self-management in non-structured situations, project development, fact finding and analysis, teamwork, report writing, etc., etc. Also, you tend to get taken more seriously by people in professional situations if you are called Dr, this is very useful in making advances within a company when you are young.
PhD means Doctor of Philosophy and it isnt a diploma and is higher than a MPhil and a Masters some postgraduates go straight from doing a BSC skip a Msc and go straight onto a PHD
Having a Phd does open doors for you both academically and industry,My cousin did his PHD a few years back and is now head of a department at some reaserch facility:biggrin: :yep:
Reply 7
Avatar for hobnob
hobnob
14
ZakBrannigan
PhD means Doctor of Philosophy and it isnt a diploma and is higher than a MPhil and a Masters some postgraduates go straight from doing a BSC skip a Msc and go straight onto a PHD
Having a Phd does open doors for you both academically and industry,My cousin did his PHD a few years back and is now head of a department at some reaserch facility:biggrin: :yep:

Depends on the subject and the type of industry you're planning to work in, though, doesn't it?

Edit: Bleh, changed the highlighting tags.:rolleyes:
hobnob
Depends on the subject and the type of industry you're planning to work in, though, doesn't it?

Edit: Bleh, changed the highlighting tags.:rolleyes:

PHD is always being called Doctor of Philosophy i think,for example you could have a Phd in Chemistry,Biology,Genetics and so forth.I cant comment on the type of industry you are planning to work in.However my Cousin who has his PHD works in the Pharmacology or pharmacy related field.:yep: :biggrin:
Reply 9
Avatar for hobnob
hobnob
14
ZakBrannigan
PHD is always being called Doctor of Philosophy i think,for example you could have a Phd in Chemistry,Biology,Genetics and so forth.I cant comment on the type of industry you are planning to work in.However my Cousin who has his PHD works in the Pharmacology or pharmacy related field.:yep: :biggrin:

Yes... but that's not what I meant. What I meant was that you can't really categorically say "a PhD opens doors", because it's a bit misleading. Whether a PhD opens any doors or not depends on a number of factors, such as the subject and the sector you're seeking to work in. Some PhDs will open some specific doors.
hobnob
Yes... but that's not what I meant. What I meant was that you can't really categorically say "a PhD opens doors", because it's a bit misleading. Whether a PhD opens any doors or not depends on a number of factors, such as the subject and the sector you're seeking to work in. Some PhDs will open some specific doors.

Oh i see i think it all depends on what subject you are research for your PHD and what particular sector you are seeking to work in as you have said,There is a lot of numerous factors to consider one of which is whether or not you would be able to attract and get research funding for your PHD from one of the research councils and if the pHD thesis was viabable for funding.Sorry that i couldnt be of any further assistance.I am not up to PHD study anyway.:yep: :biggrin:
ZakBrannigan
Oh i see i think it all depends on what subject you are research for your PHD and what particular sector you are seeking to work in as you have said,There is a lot of numerous factors to consider one of which is whether or not you would be able to attract and get research funding for your PHD from one of the research councils and if the pHD thesis was viabable for funding.Sorry that i couldnt be of any further assistance.I am not up to PHD study anyway.:yep: :biggrin:


Indeed, and hobnob is, so knows all this. :wink:
hobnob
Yes... but that's not what I meant. What I meant was that you can't really categorically say "a PhD opens doors", because it's a bit misleading. Whether a PhD opens any doors or not depends on a number of factors, such as the subject and the sector you're seeking to work in. Some PhDs will open some specific doors.


This is disheartening :frown: You mean I might spend 3/4 years doing my PhD to find it's no more beneficial to me than my BSc??
Reply 13
Avatar for hobnob
hobnob
14
little_red_sox
This is disheartening :frown: You mean I might spend 3/4 years doing my PhD to find it's no more beneficial to me than my BSc??

Well, it really depends on your subject, what you plan to do afterwards, and what you consider "beneficial".:dontknow:
little_red_sox
This is disheartening :frown: You mean I might spend 3/4 years doing my PhD to find it's no more beneficial to me than my BSc??


Nothing is without risk. You might have spent 3/4 years learning the business in a certain sector only to get made redundant and have to start all-over again - things happen, life isn't fair all the time. However the stats say that a PhD is more beneficial than it isn't and it can help you make your own luck.
Reply 15
Avatar for gunner1986
gunner1986
OP
Quality replies guys, so thus-far we can concede a PhD does open some doors more in research/academia I suppose.

Do any of you guys think it will improve your chances of getting onto a grad scheme or a decent job?
gunner1986

Do any of you guys think it will improve your chances of getting onto a grad scheme or a decent job?


It's a very time-consuming and costly way of trying to get a leg up on schemes that only require a bachelors degree!!
Reply 17
Avatar for MrShifty
MrShifty
9
The main reason I'm doing a PhD is for the opportunity to wear a silly tudor style hat in public, everything else is a bonus.
MrShifty
The main reason I'm doing a PhD is for the opportunity to wear a silly tudor style hat in public, everything else is a bonus.


The hat is seriously over-rated. Although I did manage to spark of an argument between a helicopter parent and her precious little darling whilst I was posing for photos with my parents at graduation. The mother didn't seem to get that a PhD was a higher degree and so her little cherub couldn't have done it straight out of university and got the nice gown and floppy hat. It was the highlight of the day.
Reply 19
Avatar for MrShifty
MrShifty
9
You got a nice gown? Most of the PhD gowns I've seen are minging clown pants things in orange and purple, I had hoped that the hat would make up for it, but apparently not.

Well that's my ambition crushed. Plan B - Life of crime, here I come!

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