Should I accept a PhD studentship in a topic I'm not in love with?
Hi, I've been offered a PhD studentship at UCL that focuses on survey data analysis. I'm currently a researcher at a research organisation and whilst I enjoy it, my job has been rather mundane because it's so admin based. Ideally I would like to be a sociology lecturer, focusing on topics that receive little funding like tribal communities or identity, but I am worried about whether this is likely to happen after hearing so many post doc horror stories. I applied for this PhD thinking that it would build skills to move my career forward or prepare me for post doc life, either analysing data in the private sector or going into academia.
What would you advise? What would be the job prospects of doing a quantitative PhD that will build data skills vs doing something I love but doesn't receive much funding? Would I still be able to teach on qualitative modules / work in this field as well as in quantitative research?
What would you advise? What would be the job prospects of doing a quantitative PhD that will build data skills vs doing something I love but doesn't receive much funding? Would I still be able to teach on qualitative modules / work in this field as well as in quantitative research?
Original post by MimsyLeeds
Hi, I've been offered a PhD studentship at UCL that focuses on survey data analysis. I'm currently a researcher at a research organisation and whilst I enjoy it, my job has been rather mundane because it's so admin based. Ideally I would like to be a sociology lecturer, focusing on topics that receive little funding like tribal communities or identity, but I am worried about whether this is likely to happen after hearing so many post doc horror stories. I applied for this PhD thinking that it would build skills to move my career forward or prepare me for post doc life, either analysing data in the private sector or going into academia.
What would you advise? What would be the job prospects of doing a quantitative PhD that will build data skills vs doing something I love but doesn't receive much funding? Would I still be able to teach on qualitative modules / work in this field as well as in quantitative research?
What would you advise? What would be the job prospects of doing a quantitative PhD that will build data skills vs doing something I love but doesn't receive much funding? Would I still be able to teach on qualitative modules / work in this field as well as in quantitative research?
Three years and 80,000 words for something which you are ambivalent about at the start is hugely risky. There is, of course, a chance that you'll grow to love it, but equally (and more likely in my opinion) you could grow to hate it, and it would become a millstone around your neck - the writing up just doesn't bear thinking about.
How do you feel about data analysis generally? Is this something you can genuinely see yourself doing 7-8 hours a day for 3+ years?
Original post by Reality Check
Three years and 80,000 words for something which you are ambivalent about at the start is hugely risky. There is, of course, a chance that you'll grow to love it, but equally (and more likely in my opinion) you could grow to hate it, and it would become a millstone around your neck - the writing up just doesn't bear thinking about.
How do you feel about data analysis generally? Is this something you can genuinely see yourself doing 7-8 hours a day for 3+ years?
How do you feel about data analysis generally? Is this something you can genuinely see yourself doing 7-8 hours a day for 3+ years?
I naturally enjoy data analysis and have found myself creating projects around this that interest me in several job roles. But I'm far from a statistician and it would be a learning curve.
Did you also apply for studentships in "tribal communities and identity"? And is "survey data analysis" within the Sociology department?
Your PhD doesn't ultimately limit what you can research afterwards (within reason) but there has to be some sort of link that can take you from one area to another. Since Sociology is a particularly multi-disciplinary subject, I don't think it's an implausible route to your area of academia. It's not uncommon for those in very niche, under-funded areas struggling to get a studentship to apply for a more general PhD, but your success in becoming a lecturer depends on how many post-docs there are available through which you could make the transition. Have you taken a look at what the lecturers in your research area are publishing? Is there much cross-over with your particular interest in Sociology?
As for actually doing the PhD, it will certainly be more of a challenge if you are not strongly interested in your work, if only for the reason that the main obstacle in completing a PhD is the constant self-motivation required. It's three years of battling to be productive (and creative) through self-direction, which is notably more difficult than an office job you dislike in which your work is delegated to you. However, since you clearly have some level of interest in the area and "naturally enjoy data analysis", it seems very much doable. The more pressing concern appears to be whether you can direct your career towards the area of research you prefer, and how long this would take. It might be the case that you would be doing pure data analysis for longer than the three years. I would do some extensive research into the professors of your field and look for similarities with your own plans.
Your PhD doesn't ultimately limit what you can research afterwards (within reason) but there has to be some sort of link that can take you from one area to another. Since Sociology is a particularly multi-disciplinary subject, I don't think it's an implausible route to your area of academia. It's not uncommon for those in very niche, under-funded areas struggling to get a studentship to apply for a more general PhD, but your success in becoming a lecturer depends on how many post-docs there are available through which you could make the transition. Have you taken a look at what the lecturers in your research area are publishing? Is there much cross-over with your particular interest in Sociology?
As for actually doing the PhD, it will certainly be more of a challenge if you are not strongly interested in your work, if only for the reason that the main obstacle in completing a PhD is the constant self-motivation required. It's three years of battling to be productive (and creative) through self-direction, which is notably more difficult than an office job you dislike in which your work is delegated to you. However, since you clearly have some level of interest in the area and "naturally enjoy data analysis", it seems very much doable. The more pressing concern appears to be whether you can direct your career towards the area of research you prefer, and how long this would take. It might be the case that you would be doing pure data analysis for longer than the three years. I would do some extensive research into the professors of your field and look for similarities with your own plans.
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