The Student Room Group

Work experience during a PhD

Hi
I'm starting a PhD at Cambridge in January, after completing my MSc in Canada in August 2019. Since then I have been working within my field, and have been offered a position next summer when work starts up again.
I'm here to ask if it is unheard of for PhD students to take time off during their PhD for internships or to gain work experience within their field - and how accepted this practice is. I'd want to take 4-5 months off, which wouldn't be spent working the entire time, but I would be out of the country working within my field.
Any advice would be great
Original post by Geoapp
Hi
I'm starting a PhD at Cambridge in January, after completing my MSc in Canada in August 2019. Since then I have been working within my field, and have been offered a position next summer when work starts up again.
I'm here to ask if it is unheard of for PhD students to take time off during their PhD for internships or to gain work experience within their field - and how accepted this practice is. I'd want to take 4-5 months off, which wouldn't be spent working the entire time, but I would be out of the country working within my field.
Any advice would be great


You'd have to ask your Supervisor. It's unusual, and it would depend on the subject and your funding mechanism. In general, if you are funded, then it's not usually possible, because your funders are funding the PhD not a general period of life, and have a strict cycle of 3/4 year.

Cambridge also have a general rule that doesn't permit working.

4-5 months out of the country would also mean you weren't keeping term, which is an obscure but real Cambridge issue.

If you are starting in Jan 20, then by summer 20 you wouldn't have done your upgrade, which would also be seen as a problem.

In my experience of Cam PhDs, it's not likely to be allowed, but ultimately, whatever the rules and conventions are, it will come down to your Supervisor.

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