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PhDs & funding: how relevant is work experience?

I want to do a PhD in political theory in a few years time. In the mean time I have the option of pursuing relevant work experience in, for instance, think tanks (e.g. Demos) and/or public policy research jobs & internships.

My questions are:
1. How relevant would this be to in terms of getting onto a good PhD programme?
2. How relevant would this be in an application for PhD funding? (i.e would it demonstrate commitment)

Basically I want to know whether relevant work experience would set me above competing candidates.

Any answers/comments would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: not sure if it matters for the purposes of this post, but I got a 2.1 for my undergrad (PPE at Durham) and a Distinction in my MA (Sussex).

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

Foxius

Any more responses/ideas?

Reply 2

username396452

It would mostly depend on if any prospective supervisor reading it would see work experience as an added-value in how you will conduct your research (as specified in your research proposal). Some may think policy/industry experience might lead to mental-stumbling blocks as you adjust to more academic ways of thinking. Others may think that technical knowledge may boost your research skills (Archival work; knowledge of technical software). It would be seen more as icing on the cake rather than something that can supercede sub-par academic results in relation to other candidates you will be competing against.

Policy and advocacy writing/research is quite different from the quality benchmarks in an academic setting. It may not mean much when it comes down to the actual research you'll be doing unless you used some high-level research skills, but even then it must be placed in the context of academic language. It could indirectly make you appear as an attractive "person" if that's what the department is looking for (which you may never have the knowledge of, it's mostly insider-politics stuff). By all means place it in your application, but the selling point will foremost be the relevant literature, methods and topics used in your proposal. If you can spin it well in interviews it would be worth it. Just don't assume that someone with relevant work experience can outshine one without in the applications process.

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