What motivated you to pursue a PhD?
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Original post by flying plum
Well, I wouldn't say there is 'no' money in academia. not the same as being a investment banker, but certainly enough to be comfortable. if you can get a permanent post, that is.
As for worrying about the money while you're doing a PhD...well, if you want to be an academic, there isn't a lot of choice in the matter. I worked as an RA, realised I wanted to work in research permanently, knew i could only go so far up the ladder without a PhD and so here I am....
As for worrying about the money while you're doing a PhD...well, if you want to be an academic, there isn't a lot of choice in the matter. I worked as an RA, realised I wanted to work in research permanently, knew i could only go so far up the ladder without a PhD and so here I am....
Ditto here.
I can't handle reality.
I had the exact same question when I joined the forum to ask!
I have an ESRC recognised master degree and the facts that I am considering to make my decision are the following:
fact 1: I want to do research to earn my living. I love it.
fact 2: Although I have applied for scolarships I have not been short-listed for one yet, so... I guess self-funded.
fact 3: A PhD does not assure a research career. I know a Dr (his research needed honestly a lot of work to do and he was self-funded) that is sweeping to survive...
fact 4: I have met PhD candidates with full-funding with really funny projects
The story behind fact 3 is the following: Professor needs research assistants, he chooses specific people to be his assistants at his research. This friend of mine was not selected. He does his research self-funded anyway. Four years later, the research assistants became lecturers and my friend cannot find a job due to the lack of experience (his project was too demanding in time to do anything else but his research). The Professor got some publications from each student that he was supervising, a couple more from my friend, since he was not lecturing or being a research assistant he had more data/findings to publish.
What I am trying to say is that a PhD is a transaction that can leave you with gains (the experience, the journey of the discovery, some skills, etc.) but at the same time with less gains than others to compete in an academic environment.
Sometimes significantly less...
Although I think of this http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 as one-sided, it still speaks the truth for some issues.
I have an ESRC recognised master degree and the facts that I am considering to make my decision are the following:
fact 1: I want to do research to earn my living. I love it.
fact 2: Although I have applied for scolarships I have not been short-listed for one yet, so... I guess self-funded.
fact 3: A PhD does not assure a research career. I know a Dr (his research needed honestly a lot of work to do and he was self-funded) that is sweeping to survive...
fact 4: I have met PhD candidates with full-funding with really funny projects
The story behind fact 3 is the following: Professor needs research assistants, he chooses specific people to be his assistants at his research. This friend of mine was not selected. He does his research self-funded anyway. Four years later, the research assistants became lecturers and my friend cannot find a job due to the lack of experience (his project was too demanding in time to do anything else but his research). The Professor got some publications from each student that he was supervising, a couple more from my friend, since he was not lecturing or being a research assistant he had more data/findings to publish.
What I am trying to say is that a PhD is a transaction that can leave you with gains (the experience, the journey of the discovery, some skills, etc.) but at the same time with less gains than others to compete in an academic environment.
Sometimes significantly less...
Although I think of this http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 as one-sided, it still speaks the truth for some issues.
Original post by bmqib
Just wondering, I've been thinking I'd like doing academic research as a profession, but there's no money in it. What are your personal motivations for pursuing a PhD?
I can't think of anything I would hate more than being in finance/banking etc. No amount of money could ever make that life worth living for me.
It's basically four or more years of academic work for not much money, when you could be earning a lot more doing something else, there has to be some solid motivation to go down that path...
Either I want to be an academic researcher, or I'd like to research for a think tank, NGO, or for the government. To do any of these things I need to have a PhD.
Also I want to have a lot of autonomy in my job, and a lot of control over the projects I work in and how they're done. The best way of ensuring this is to become an expert on something.
Plus I enjoy studying and I'd far rather be paid to research for three years (which I am) than do any normal job. That's three years of studying what I want, being 100% in control of my project, its design, how its done. I have 100% flexibility. I can work whenever I like. If I want to sleep till noon and work at night, nobody stops me from doing that. I can work anywhere I like. And I can work on my own, rather than having to deal with people stress constantly.
Another important issue is that I want to work in a field that is concerned with making the world a better place and solving important humanitarian issues. Most of the stereotypical high paid jobs do the complete opposite. Academic research isn't always very hands-on, but a large amount of social science research does directly address these issues, and generate the information needed for appropriate policy.
Once again I don't know why you assume that people think that pay is the most important question in life. The fact that I could be in some other job that pays more really seems rather irrelevant to me since I'd absolutely hate any of those jobs.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by mary.g
I had the exact same question when I joined the forum to ask!
I have an ESRC recognised master degree and the facts that I am considering to make my decision are the following:
fact 1: I want to do research to earn my living. I love it.
fact 2: Although I have applied for scolarships I have not been short-listed for one yet, so... I guess self-funded.
fact 3: A PhD does not assure a research career. I know a Dr (his research needed honestly a lot of work to do and he was self-funded) that is sweeping to survive...
fact 4: I have met PhD candidates with full-funding with really funny projects
The story behind fact 3 is the following: Professor needs research assistants, he chooses specific people to be his assistants at his research. This friend of mine was not selected. He does his research self-funded anyway. Four years later, the research assistants became lecturers and my friend cannot find a job due to the lack of experience (his project was too demanding in time to do anything else but his research). The Professor got some publications from each student that he was supervising, a couple more from my friend, since he was not lecturing or being a research assistant he had more data/findings to publish.
What I am trying to say is that a PhD is a transaction that can leave you with gains (the experience, the journey of the discovery, some skills, etc.) but at the same time with less gains than others to compete in an academic environment.
Sometimes significantly less...
Although I think of this http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 as one-sided, it still speaks the truth for some issues.
I have an ESRC recognised master degree and the facts that I am considering to make my decision are the following:
fact 1: I want to do research to earn my living. I love it.
fact 2: Although I have applied for scolarships I have not been short-listed for one yet, so... I guess self-funded.
fact 3: A PhD does not assure a research career. I know a Dr (his research needed honestly a lot of work to do and he was self-funded) that is sweeping to survive...
fact 4: I have met PhD candidates with full-funding with really funny projects
The story behind fact 3 is the following: Professor needs research assistants, he chooses specific people to be his assistants at his research. This friend of mine was not selected. He does his research self-funded anyway. Four years later, the research assistants became lecturers and my friend cannot find a job due to the lack of experience (his project was too demanding in time to do anything else but his research). The Professor got some publications from each student that he was supervising, a couple more from my friend, since he was not lecturing or being a research assistant he had more data/findings to publish.
What I am trying to say is that a PhD is a transaction that can leave you with gains (the experience, the journey of the discovery, some skills, etc.) but at the same time with less gains than others to compete in an academic environment.
Sometimes significantly less...
Although I think of this http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 as one-sided, it still speaks the truth for some issues.
sounds like networking could work in academia too
Original post by Craghyrax
Why does everyone on TSR assume that everyone wants to be rich?
I can't think of anything I would hate more than being in finance/banking etc. No amount of money could ever make that life worth living for me.
I can't think of anything I would hate more than being in finance/banking etc. No amount of money could ever make that life worth living for me.
Either I want to be an academic researcher, or I'd like to research for a think tank, NGO, or for the government. To do any of these things I need to have a PhD.
Also I want to have a lot of autonomy in my job, and a lot of control over the projects I work in and how they're done. The best way of ensuring this is to become an expert on something.
Plus I enjoy studying and I'd far rather be paid to research for three years (which I am) than do any normal job. That's three years of studying what I want, being 100% in control of my project, its design, how its done. I have 100% flexibility. I can work whenever I like. If I want to sleep till noon and work at night, nobody stops me from doing that. I can work anywhere I like. And I can work on my own, rather than having to deal with people stress constantly.
Once again I don't know why you assume that people think that pay is the most important question in life. The fact that I could be in some other job that pays more really seems rather irrelevant to me since I'd absolutely hate any of those jobs.
Nice, if I fail to get in finance now I can be happy and be an academic researcher instead.
Original post by bmqib
sounds like networking could work in academia too
Networking is vital in academia, curse it.
Original post by bmqib
Any idea what engineering PhDs earn on average? I guess it's just the minimum stipend to live on...?
Unless you're doing a DEng or are sponsored by a company, you can expect the EPSRC minimum recommended stipend, which this year is £13,590, and usually increases by £300 pa.
That's all tax free though, and when you tot up all the student benefits like no council tax, student discounts everywhere, etc, then it's probably more equivalent to a normal salary of £17,000 +.
In addition to that, there's opportunities to earn more by taking on teaching, tutoring, lab demonstration, invigilation and exam marking duties, which generally pay quite well. Again, all tax free. A few PhD students I know take on enough work to earn them in excess of £300 on top of their stipend each month, so around £3,500 - £4,000 extra a year.
But, as others have said, even that is all more handsome on the continent.
It's difficult because in the current economic climate it seems very hard to find a balance between doing what you enjoy and doing what will make money. You might enjoy the studying for now but you have to consider how practical it is for yourself, if you want a house, children, etc etc. Money isn't at the heart of happiness but you do need it just to live on a basic level really. If you're happy living like that then go for it.
Original post by oo00oo
Unless you're doing a DEng or are sponsored by a company, you can expect the EPSRC minimum recommended stipend, which this year is £13,590, and usually increases by £300 pa.
That's all tax free though, and when you tot up all the student benefits like no council tax, student discounts everywhere, etc, then it's probably more equivalent to a normal salary of £17,000 +.
In addition to that, there's opportunities to earn more by taking on teaching, tutoring, lab demonstration, invigilation and exam marking duties, which generally pay quite well. Again, all tax free. A few PhD students I know take on enough work to earn them in excess of £300 on top of their stipend each month, so around £3,500 - £4,000 extra a year.
But, as others have said, even that is all more handsome on the continent.
That's all tax free though, and when you tot up all the student benefits like no council tax, student discounts everywhere, etc, then it's probably more equivalent to a normal salary of £17,000 +.
In addition to that, there's opportunities to earn more by taking on teaching, tutoring, lab demonstration, invigilation and exam marking duties, which generally pay quite well. Again, all tax free. A few PhD students I know take on enough work to earn them in excess of £300 on top of their stipend each month, so around £3,500 - £4,000 extra a year.
But, as others have said, even that is all more handsome on the continent.
It's fun, I want to make a contribution to society and I'm not crazy about extra money. I'm alright living in a cheap flat eating cheap food. If I ever make any extra money, it goes to charity or to my mum.
Original post by Craghyrax
Why does everyone on TSR assume that everyone wants to be rich?
I can't think of anything I would hate more than being in finance/banking etc. No amount of money could ever make that life worth living for me.
I can't think of anything I would hate more than being in finance/banking etc. No amount of money could ever make that life worth living for me.
Either I want to be an academic researcher, or I'd like to research for a think tank, NGO, or for the government. To do any of these things I need to have a PhD.
Also I want to have a lot of autonomy in my job, and a lot of control over the projects I work in and how they're done. The best way of ensuring this is to become an expert on something.
Plus I enjoy studying and I'd far rather be paid to research for three years (which I am) than do any normal job. That's three years of studying what I want, being 100% in control of my project, its design, how its done. I have 100% flexibility. I can work whenever I like. If I want to sleep till noon and work at night, nobody stops me from doing that. I can work anywhere I like. And I can work on my own, rather than having to deal with people stress constantly.
Another important issue is that I want to work in a field that is concerned with making the world a better place and solving important humanitarian issues. Most of the stereotypical high paid jobs do the complete opposite. Academic research isn't always very hands-on, but a large amount of social science research does directly address these issues, and generate the information needed for appropriate policy.
Once again I don't know why you assume that people think that pay is the most important question in life. The fact that I could be in some other job that pays more really seems rather irrelevant to me since I'd absolutely hate any of those jobs.
This is the best post on TSR.
Everybody knows bitches love doctors 
Original post by HighestKungFu
Everybody knows bitches love doctors
Well that's nice for you. Unfortunately everybody also knows that men don't like women more qualified than them
Original post by Craghyrax
Another important issue is that I want to work in a field that is concerned with making the world a better place and solving important humanitarian issues. Most of the stereotypical high paid jobs do the complete opposite. Academic research isn't always very hands-on, but a large amount of social science research does directly address these issues, and generate the information needed for appropriate policy.
Another important issue is that I want to work in a field that is concerned with making the world a better place and solving important humanitarian issues. Most of the stereotypical high paid jobs do the complete opposite. Academic research isn't always very hands-on, but a large amount of social science research does directly address these issues, and generate the information needed for appropriate policy.
I will disagree with the adjective of the "amount"; also with the word "directly"
Don't take me wrong, I like to see people who believe in research, I used to be one.
Now I am quite certain that there is too much corruption in Academia that affects the quality of research and I am not sure if I would like to participate in it or I am willing to search across institutions in order to find which research group has the same ethical concerns as me.
I will never forget Researcher/Academic telling me with a smile on her face that they have to re-write the report to "please the new government". No second thoughts or remorse. This is business, not research.
Original post by Craghyrax
Well that's nice for you. Unfortunately everybody also knows that men don't like women more qualified than them
Lol there is a lot of truth in that. I just couldn't resist a play on words with the whole doctor/lawyer cliche. I'm not even studying a PhD (but perhaps one day lol).
Original post by HighestKungFu
Lol there is a lot of truth in that. I just couldn't resist a play on words with the whole doctor/lawyer cliche. I'm not even studying a PhD (but perhaps one day lol).
Fair enough, although if its success with women you're after I wouldn't use the word 'bitch' in front of them. That's just insulting.
Original post by Craghyrax
Fair enough, although if its success with women you're after I wouldn't use the word 'bitch' in front of them. That's just insulting.
Lol you're taking it too literally. It was just a joke!
Original post by sevendaughters
I can't handle reality.
Owh, how I so agree with this =/
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