Offered a PhD - should I take it?

Hi

I am currently in my fourth year at Durham University studying for an MSci in Geoscience. My supervisor has just offered me a funded PhD placement to start as soon as I finish my MSci. I was always planning on finding a job once I finished my degree but now I dont know. I don't really want to go into academia long term and would still like to go into the industry.

How much will a PhD help me when I am looking for a job? Is it worth the 3/4 years? I could really do with some advice as I need to make a decision soon if I want to go for it.

If you had the choice between a job offer or a fully funded PhD which would you take?

Many thanks

Reply 1

bhurruts

The fully funded phd! It's not everyday someone gets it fully funded :smile:

it's fate, go for it!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 2

Philbert

A PhD is a massive commitment, and definitely not something to take on if you're uncertain. What sort of jobs/graduate schemes would you be applying for if you don't go for this PhD?

I don't think you're going to find many people on this site with subject-specific knowledge. I think your best bet is to have a chat with the academic who offered you the placement, tell him what you've told us and ask what sort of career progression there is, that sort of thing. There must be people in your department you can speak to who know more about the industries you are considering going into.

Reply 3

Klix88

It very much depends on your personal focus and aims, together with a working knowledge of your target industry.

For example, *if* it was for a topic in my field that genuinely fascinated me, then I'd bite his hand off, but that's because I want to know more about my field and would dearly love to do a PhD to continue my learning experience. In reality, a PhD in my specialism is usually more of a hinderance than a help - I've known people who've had to leave the PhD off their CVs in order to get any work at all (mainly low-level). My industry is shrinking and poorly-paid, with practical experience more valued than qualifications above Masters level (and sometimes even a Masters is a problem).

Do you understand the geoscience industry well enough to know whether a PhD will actually be of benefit in finding the sort of job you want? Generally in science-based subjects, doctorates are rather better received by employers, but I suspect it will depend on the specific specialism. It sounds like you need more information about your planned profession before you could make the decision. Maybe trawl some specialist employment websites to check for their required qualifications vs. work experience? Do you have any industry contacts whom you could ask?

Plus with the economic conditions, there may not be the job opportunities out there. Even if your focus is more on getting into the profession, a PhD might be a good way of spending three years riding out the recession. However there are still no guarantees at the end of it and if the topic doesn't particularly interest you, it could be a very hard slog.

Reply 4

Nasher and Basher

Original post by sunnydale6

Yes its fully funded, but at the end of the day your the one that needs to complete the work, and is there any point in putting yourself through further stress and years of research to complete something you would not use effectively- the fact that you do not want to go into academia for the long term

Reply 5

returnmigrant

If its a topic that *really* interests you, then this is an amazing opportunity. However, if your heart isnt really in it, then decline it. Funding for science & technology is easier to find than for other areas and therefore you could still return to the idea of a PhD further down the track.

Reply 6

username848676

Give it some serious thought - it's not everyday you just get offered a PHD fully funded like that.

Reply 7

snozzle

What exactly is your conception of 'the industry'?

I did a Geo degree over 10 years ago and worked in oil and gas for a decade. There is no 'geology industry' per se. 90% of jobs which geo grads go into which prima facia 'use' geology only use it at a very low level. I knew people mudlogging with PhD's.

Reply 8

Inkerman

Original post by sunnydale6

In my experience, a PhD is more of a lifestyle than a job. There's a lot of freedom in it but also a lot of personal responsibility. The only gripe I have is that the money isn't great. At least it's tax-free I guess.

FYI, I'm doing a PhD in chemical engineering and I have absolutely no intention of going into academia.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9

ThisIsTheLife

Original post by sunnydale6

The way the jobs market is now, most people who graduate with PhDs are no better off INITIALLY than people with undergraduate degrees. They usually go on the same graduate programmes with the same starting salary.

The advantage comes later as promotion and pay rises will normally be faster paced.

Consider, however, that a fully funded PhD isn't too far off what you would get in industry anyway. Most graduates find a job somewhere between 20k and 25k starting salary.

The minimum ERC recommended stipend for a PhD student is almost 14k, but that's tax free. You also don't have to pay council tax as you will remain a student. Plus you often make quite a lot of additional income from teaching/tutoring/lab demonstrations/invigilations/exam marking/coursework marking which is tax free up to around £8k - i.e. the national tax free allowance.

So income wise, you will probably be about the same level as you would be in industry, possibly even better off. I think I'm better off in my PhD than I would be in industry as I get my £14k stipend, no council tax, probably about £1k-£2k per year in teaching duties, and I also earn nearly £1k per month from private tutoring in the evenings.

Reply 10

ThisIsTheLife

Original post by Inkerman

I don't think the money is too bad at all. ERC minimum rate is almost £14k. You can add on about £1.5k for council tax. So that's £15.5k. Add on at least £1k for teaching duties, and that's £16.5k. You can probably add on about another £500 - £1k for student discounts, etc, bringing us up to say £17k.

£17k tax free is equivalent to a salary of about £22k, which I think is greater than the average graduate salary in the UK.

Plus you can still earn up to £8k on top of that tax free from other activities (I do private tutoring myself) since everybody gets a £8k tax free allowance on their "taxable income".

Plus the stipend goes up by £300 every year (last year was the only year it has been frozen). That's a greater than inflation wage rage - where else can you guarantee that in the jobs market?

Plus I'm on my way to a conference this month in the states for a week, all expenses paid through my PhD funder... can't complain.

Okay, I could probably earn more in certain jobs in industry in my field, but in general, a PhD can be a lot more lucrative immediately than going into the jobs market.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

snozzle

Original post by ThisIsTheLife

The advantage comes later as promotion and pay rises will normally be faster paced.

.

I don't see why that would be the case.

Don't forget also that by studying a further three years you will be three years behind in terms of pay and promotions....that is assuming once conceives of ones career as being some roadmap which it isn't generally.

Reply 12

ThisIsTheLife

Original post by snozzle

I don't see why that would be the case.

Well when you start on a graduate program you're pretty much useful to the company regardless of how qualified you are, so everybody gets the same salary. But generally, PhD students handle the training better and become an asset to the company far more quickly than their undergraduate counterparts - they have better skills in time-management, quick assimilation to new fields, creative minds, etc, etc.

So generally, they're more worthy of wage rises and promotions at a faster rate just based on the fact that their inherent skill set provides them with the tools to become an asset to the company at a faster rate.

Also, being a Dr. commands a respect and higher salary just on its own. Although it may seem superficial - it's true.

Don't forget also that by studying a further three years you will be three years behind in terms of pay and promotions....that is assuming once conceives of ones career as being some roadmap which it isn't generally.

Hmm, yes, perhaps. But like I said, the pay scales for graduates isn't too much more than what PhD students get anyway, and in many cases the PhD student is better off than their workforce counterparts. Yes, it delays promotions by 3 years, but promotions are generally accelerated at a faster rate than you delay them.