Hi guys,

I'm currently on a Masters studying psychological research methods and i'm looking to study a PhD. I'm currently in the process of applying for PhD studentships in mental health but I know they are highly competitive and i'm considering a part-time distance learning PhD as a fall back option. However, I'm wondering if a distance learning course will give me the same opportunities as a full-time course and if it would look as impressive to employers? Any thoughts?

I think the problem with distance learning PhDs are not that employers look down on them, but rather that it becomes more difficult to access the kind of opportunities that then help on the job market (especially if you are interested in an academic career). You would I suspect have to be extremely proactive. I got a lot from being around other PhD students, particularly the more advanced ones, who were a great source of advice on associations to join, which conferences were worthwhile attending etc and just have sounding boards to talk about my project with. I suppose it's the 'socialisation' into the profession. I also found it valuable to be able to go to research seminars in my dept, see candidates doing job talks for lectureships, and get to know members of staff who weren't on my supervisory team but who still were helpful to me. It's not having a PhD that gets you a job, and the institution that awards it is in general (so long as it's recognised) is less important, than what you put on your cv during your PhD; the skills you've learnt, the papers you've presented, your publications, teaching experience etc. My gut feeling is that all that would be harder to manage on a distance-learning basis. I also think I, personally, would have felt very isolated had I done it that way.
All that said, if you are working in a mental health practitioner environment while doing the PhD, I would think that would be a different matter. That's a scenario where I could imagine it working well. Have you considered registering part-time at a local university but not distance learning? That might work well.

I agree with Bewildered. A degree program done completely via distance learning is okay if you're already working in your profession. Otherwise, it's very challenging to access the types of networking experiences available to students on campus. A few years ago, I was involved in a project interviewing students who had experienced both on campus and distance programs, and Bewildered's response is similar to the feedback we got from those students. Consider studying part time on campus, or begin your distance program with the intention of eventually transitioning to an on campus program.

The best course I did, the one I enjoyed the most and the one I learnt most from was my MSc which was by distance learning. However, the other posters raise very valid points and a PhD only contributes its part to your CV. It depends what you want really and what your end goals are.