Scroll to see replies
Biggest thing that will hold you back (assuming you work hard and do well at uni) will be funding your PhD especially in a field like psychology which is incredibly competitive with relatively few funding opportunities.
You need to chill out a bit m8.
Original post by Wisefire
What do you want to do/what kind of a life do you want to live with your PhD?
I currently do a PhD in Meteorology, and I either want to work in research, for the Met Office or potentially go into Consultancy. I'm fairly early in my research so I haven't thought that far
Honestly, so many people go into a degree saying that they want to go on to do further education after. About 80% of my biology friends said they were at least going onto masters after their BSc. Out of them, I'm the only one who's gone onto masters and phd.
Basically, what I'm saying, is that you don't know whether you're suited for postgrad education until at least 3rd year of uni. You can be as enthusiastic beforehand as possible, but you may just suck at academia.
Basically, what I'm saying, is that you don't know whether you're suited for postgrad education until at least 3rd year of uni. You can be as enthusiastic beforehand as possible, but you may just suck at academia.
Original post by Wisefire
Well, I'm able to start anew doing an Access to HE course in Psychology from September.
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
Your reflections are deep and interesting. You sound like an intellectually minded person with strong analytical capacities!
I think you career plan sounds very interesting. Of course, we cannot plan everything in our lives (it would be insane to try, no?), but having some clear ideas is very helpful when it comes to making decisions. The university sector is one that is changing fast these day - drowning in a neoliberalist sea whilst the sharks of privatisation snap their jaws beneath it. Who knows how things will play out; just thought I'd mention that universities do not, sadly, exist outside of the factors you have identified. However, there is still plenty of good work to be done in them with many good people!
Don't give on your dream! Here is a story of long ago (relatively, lol): my father started life in a working-class part of Leeds. After grammar school, having done okish in his A Levels, he went study Biology at Univ. of Leeds. Afterwards, he got a PhD scholarship. Now he's a Professor of Eduction! It's possible to pursue your interests and talents in life - you 'just' need some luck, imagination, help from others, and persistance.
In short: no, I do not think your plans are delusional. Maybe you will be one of the first researchers to conceptualize within field of phycology, better define its object of study, or bring its behaviouralist techniques to service of the study of human nature! So little time, so much to do, right?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by SophieSmall
Biggest thing that will hold you back (assuming you work hard and do well at uni) will be funding your PhD especially in a field like psychology which is incredibly competitive with relatively few funding opportunities.
Too true... Personally, I look on that as one of those 'deal with it when you get to it hurdles' - although this doesn't stop me from being prepared for a stretch of teaching if I can't get PhD funding in my field. It's a jungle out there!
It's good to aim high, but for now, focus on your short-term goals: Access to HE, undergrad, then possibly postgrad study. And practise rigorous discipline in your thought processes and communication.
Good luck for September.
Good luck for September.
Original post by Wisefire
Well, I'm able to start anew doing an Access to HE course in Psychology from September.
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
You are asking "can I aim for a PhD" in terms of "am I good enough"?
In which case, yes, you are. You just need the passion (with the assumption that you are not totally inept at something you have a passion for).
Original post by Wisefire
I see. I'm not that knowledgeable on this. Could you please tell me a bit more about this and other things which might limit or stop me from actually getting all the way there to a PhD? There's my ability, lol, the costs of PG study...
You should probably research things you plan to do...
But as it stands student finance only funds a bachelors (undergrad) degree and then up to £10k for postgraduate study.
Generally speaking you often need to achieve a Master's before you can pursue a PhD (though some courses are Masters + PhD). Masters in this country generally take 1 year to complete, sometimes 2. PhDs then require an additional 3 years of education though they can sometimes take up to 5 years to complete. So as you can imagine 10k in student finance for Postgraduate study is not enough to cover all these years.
Generally people fund their PhDs by either being very well off and being able to afford it or by being funded. This can be in a number of ways, sometimes the university will fund you, sometimes charities and sometimes organisations and companies. But funding is very difficult and competitive to get.
The cost of postrgrad study also varies a lot per course and uni, so it's difficult to say how much this will cost you.
It's fine to have that as a long-term plan, but you shouldn't be set on it now, because statistically, your chances of achieving it are tiny, and you are at an early stage of education to have such a definite goal.
Instead, focus mostly on your next step, and the various potential paths than can open up.
So you're next step after access sounds like doing a psychology degree at university. Why do you want to do that? If it's just to pursue being an academic, I would think again. The vast majority of psychology undergraduates will not do PhDs. The vast majority that do will not get permanent academic jobs. But a psychology degree does open up other avenues. Would those interest you enough?
If you go to university, work very hard, still find it fascinating after 3 years and have excellent marks, then you can think about applying for a PhD.
Do not pursue a postgraduate degree "just to remain in education as long as [you can]". That is a recipe for unhappiness.
Instead, focus mostly on your next step, and the various potential paths than can open up.
So you're next step after access sounds like doing a psychology degree at university. Why do you want to do that? If it's just to pursue being an academic, I would think again. The vast majority of psychology undergraduates will not do PhDs. The vast majority that do will not get permanent academic jobs. But a psychology degree does open up other avenues. Would those interest you enough?
If you go to university, work very hard, still find it fascinating after 3 years and have excellent marks, then you can think about applying for a PhD.
Do not pursue a postgraduate degree "just to remain in education as long as [you can]". That is a recipe for unhappiness.
Original post by SophieSmall
You should probably research things you plan to do...
But as it stands student finance only funds a bachelors (undergrad) degree and then up to £10k for postgraduate study.
Generally speaking you often need to achieve a Master's before you can pursue a PhD (though some courses are Masters + PhD). Masters in this country generally take 1 year to complete, sometimes 2. PhDs then require an additional 3 years of education though they can sometimes take up to 5 years to complete. So as you can imagine 10k in student finance for Postgraduate study is not enough to cover all these years.
Generally people fund their PhDs by either being very well off and being able to afford it or by being funded. This can be in a number of ways, sometimes the university will fund you, sometimes charities and sometimes organisations and companies. But funding is very difficult and competitive to get.
The cost of postrgrad study also varies a lot per course and uni, so it's difficult to say how much this will cost you.
But as it stands student finance only funds a bachelors (undergrad) degree and then up to £10k for postgraduate study.
Generally speaking you often need to achieve a Master's before you can pursue a PhD (though some courses are Masters + PhD). Masters in this country generally take 1 year to complete, sometimes 2. PhDs then require an additional 3 years of education though they can sometimes take up to 5 years to complete. So as you can imagine 10k in student finance for Postgraduate study is not enough to cover all these years.
Generally people fund their PhDs by either being very well off and being able to afford it or by being funded. This can be in a number of ways, sometimes the university will fund you, sometimes charities and sometimes organisations and companies. But funding is very difficult and competitive to get.
The cost of postrgrad study also varies a lot per course and uni, so it's difficult to say how much this will cost you.
I know, it's just crazy expensive!
You could also look into undergraduate degrees with integrated Master's, such as those you can study for at Scottish universities. This might be a good route for you for progressing slightly more quickly to doctoral work. Also might be worth considering a PhD in another European country, where fees can be much cheaper - of course, you would often have to speak the native language to a very high level but if you have some aptitude for languages it is totally worth going for!
There are options, few and far between, so don't be discouraged. Things might change for the better too in the coming years... (not crossing my finger though!). Think they are introducing a post-grad loan though, right?
Original post by chazwomaq
It's fine to have that as a long-term plan, but you shouldn't be set on it now, because statistically, your chances of achieving it are tiny, and you are at an early stage of education to have such a definite goal.
Instead, focus mostly on your next step, and the various potential paths than can open up.
So you're next step after access sounds like doing a psychology degree at university. Why do you want to do that? If it's just to pursue being an academic, I would think again. The vast majority of psychology undergraduates will not do PhDs. The vast majority that do will not get permanent academic jobs. But a psychology degree does open up other avenues. Would those interest you enough?
If you go to university, work very hard, still find it fascinating after 3 years and have excellent marks, then you can think about applying for a PhD.
Do not pursue a postgraduate degree "just to remain in education as long as [you can]". That is a recipe for unhappiness.
Instead, focus mostly on your next step, and the various potential paths than can open up.
So you're next step after access sounds like doing a psychology degree at university. Why do you want to do that? If it's just to pursue being an academic, I would think again. The vast majority of psychology undergraduates will not do PhDs. The vast majority that do will not get permanent academic jobs. But a psychology degree does open up other avenues. Would those interest you enough?
If you go to university, work very hard, still find it fascinating after 3 years and have excellent marks, then you can think about applying for a PhD.
Do not pursue a postgraduate degree "just to remain in education as long as [you can]". That is a recipe for unhappiness.
True, there need to be other factors at play but liking the milieu is not a reason against - it's another perfectly good pull factor.
Original post by Wisefire
Well, I'm able to start anew doing an Access to HE course in Psychology from September.
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
I've gone through a lot of overwhelming over thinking on if I can put it natural differences between people across social classes, and correlations I find between people at certain levels of wealth or at certain institutions, which means I only have GCSEs and AS-levels at this moment. I couldn't sit my A2s last year nor this year because of this.
I had a craze for wealth once. Having had a lot of time to think about what I actually want, I'm clear with the thought now that I don't want to just have a normal job, to just be a more random, passing, fleeting piece of human capital who came and went to feed a business owner's income lol... I don't really want to enter the working, slavish world. I'd like to remain within education for as long as I'm able to.
It's a dream at this stage, postgraduate study. I haven't for a lot of my life been that studious. I had a bursary to go to a private school and I didn't take the opportunities I had.
I only have 1A*, 4As, 5Bs and 1C at GCSE and ABDE at AS-level. I didn't work hard when I did them.
I have a lot of drive in me today to aim high with Psychology, a subject I know I'll find interesting, and go for a PhD eventually, if I'm able to do it.
I don't know whether it's a bit delusional of me or if it's a pipe dream to think I can stay in education for a long time and not enter any sort of rat race by becoming a PhD student, what with my middling achievements and efforts up till now.
Not that anybody knows me well here on TSR, but should I rightly be slightly skeptical about this desire I've now come to?
Difficult and requiring a lot of hard work? Yes!
Impossible? No!
My tutor studied dance and drama at undergraduate and 10+ years later went on to do an MBA and found himself becoming a tutor in the subject he found most interesting and he was good at (thus teaching me) and now is getting his Ph.D. in that subject which has nothing to do with his undergraduate subject and he could find himself allocated to a professorship but likely because of his age that he will only get to senior lecturer or associate professor, who knows, things change, things happen.
Another lecturer did his undergraduate and said he took some years to decide to pursue a career in academia and now has become a professor, but it wasn't in his career vision at the age of 18, it was something he choose at the age of 28.
You would be deluded to think you could become a professor at Oxford and live the dream in the ivory tower but you could get a Ph.D. and work in academia at low ranked universities which no one cares about like London Met as all that matters is that you are teaching which should be at the heart of what you want to do and after 15 years of teaching and networking with others in your subject you might find yourself working at Queen Mary, University of London etc., so like chasing a degree, going after university prestige will make this dream more difficult for thinking or worrying about what other people think of you for the university that you teach at, but if you are realistic then you can do well.
Another lecturer did his undergraduate and said he took some years to decide to pursue a career in academia and now has become a professor, but it wasn't in his career vision at the age of 18, it was something he choose at the age of 28.
You would be deluded to think you could become a professor at Oxford and live the dream in the ivory tower but you could get a Ph.D. and work in academia at low ranked universities which no one cares about like London Met as all that matters is that you are teaching which should be at the heart of what you want to do and after 15 years of teaching and networking with others in your subject you might find yourself working at Queen Mary, University of London etc., so like chasing a degree, going after university prestige will make this dream more difficult for thinking or worrying about what other people think of you for the university that you teach at, but if you are realistic then you can do well.
There is a high probability of failure for anyone attempting to get a permanent job in academia. There are a lot of candidates and few jobs. It is very much a rat race, in many fields more of one than in the private sector.
Your performance thus far is good but not exceptional. You will need to do better consistently over several years to be competitive.
Generally past performance is a good predictor of future performance.
My advice would be to proceed cautiously and be wary of exploitation. In particular never work for free on the promise of advancement in academia.
Your performance thus far is good but not exceptional. You will need to do better consistently over several years to be competitive.
Generally past performance is a good predictor of future performance.
My advice would be to proceed cautiously and be wary of exploitation. In particular never work for free on the promise of advancement in academia.
Original post by Wisefire
What do PhD students who don't get jobs in academia or research do if that's what is in the main?
All sorts of things.
In STEM subjects you might into industry where a PhD is actually valued (engineering, biomedical, other technical fields). Otherwise it's probably the same as what an undergraduate in that subject might do.
If you're passionate about it, then go for it!
You don't have to have spectacular grades to do a PHD. You just need the drive and commitment to keep going, and sustain it for a good 3/4 years. I knew a guy who took 12 years to get a degree, but now he's got a PHD. So, just ignore the naysayers and do your best.
You don't have to have spectacular grades to do a PHD. You just need the drive and commitment to keep going, and sustain it for a good 3/4 years. I knew a guy who took 12 years to get a degree, but now he's got a PHD. So, just ignore the naysayers and do your best.
Original post by Wisefire
What do PhD students who don't get jobs in academia or research do if that's what is in the main?
Following as PhD it's possible to be a researcher for research centres, various non-gov. organisations, take civil service examinations, work free-lance in some fields (amongst other things) besides working for universities. Some go into school teaching for a while before returning to universities owing to the need for....
publications!
What counts when trying to land a job in a university is your publications. This is because universities are graded on their research output; as an academic you will be required to write a certain number of papers a year (which will be graded) and this will reflect on the institution. Not surprisingly, they are therefore interested above all else in your ability to write and research. The best thing you can do is seek out collaborations whilst working and your PhD and aim to make the thesis itself of such a standard and reaching relevance that it can be later published in paper/ book form.
Anyway, this is what I have seen play out countless times for my father's PhD students.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- PhD in Classics/Ancient History help... Where to do it?
- PhD applications
- Msc Management or MBA ?
- why are UK professors so anti research students ?
- Should I do PHD in physics
- Neuroscience then GEM?? how does research work??
- Use the dissertation title selection list or submit a proposal to get a first class?
- Funding for accomodation during a PHD
- Pivoting into other subject for masters.
- Career in science and research
- Physics or Engineering Degree?
- Is LSE teaching bad?
- Part-time PhD – good idea?
- How do you do a PhD in an area of research with very little published work?
- Help with A Level choices?
- Medicine or Research Scientist?
- Doing a PhD (TESOL field) with no relevant undergrad or postgrad experience
- PhD history of art : Courtauld or Cambridge?
- Philosophy at university!!!
- Choosing between KCL and Imperial
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 hours ago
UCL (University College London) Postgraduate Applicants 2024-25Last reply 1 week ago
University of Edinburgh 2024-25 Postgraduate ApplicantsLast reply 2 weeks ago
MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience at Uni of CambridgeLast reply 2 weeks ago
Cambridge University MPhil in Management (2024-2025)Trending
Last reply 3 hours ago
UCL (University College London) Postgraduate Applicants 2024-25Last reply 1 week ago
University of Edinburgh 2024-25 Postgraduate ApplicantsLast reply 2 weeks ago
MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience at Uni of CambridgeLast reply 2 weeks ago
Cambridge University MPhil in Management (2024-2025)
