Hi,

I want to complete a PhD in 2 years. Let me explain first, lol. Here, in Australia, there is no course work for the PhD, it is free, and the word count is only 60,000 words, we only need to submit a disertation.

Now, let's say that I don't have much of a social life, I am debt free, I won't bother with publishing papers until after my disertation (I have reasons for this), I won't bother with teaching in tutorials, I will only work 6 hours a week for income (I will also rely on government AUSstudy - yes, I can do that), and I am able to carry on a topic that I will use for my Masters thesis. Also, the PhD thesis is under the humanities department.

Do you reckon I could complete the PhD in 2 years if I am very self-motivated, and have these conditions? Also, keep in mind that I have written - and I am aware that it is quite a different thing - a fantasy manuscript in under a month, which consisted of around 90,000 words. I can write very fast, and I'm good at research.

...Actually, even less? lol.

Cheers.

It might be possible, but depends which of the humanities you're doing. For history, for example, as my PhD was in, it's necessary to do a very substantial amount of research in primary sources before writing up. A few people manage to complete within 3 years, but they're in the minority. Here in the UK we don't have course work either, and are basically thrown straight into doing research and then thesis writing. But it does take a certain amount of time, and unless you do the required amount of good research first your thesis may be a load of rubbish ;-)

It is possible, but as Bilbo has said, it will depend how much research time you will have to put in. It will also depend on your supervisors and what their expectations of you as their research student are. I am in Australia and know a few people who have managed to complete in 2.5 years, and they worked like crazy and ended with no social life - so I guess that's the trade off.

I would also check the Ausstudy rules. As far as I am aware there is no Ausstudy for PhD students, you would be better off looking into a scholarship for funding if you don't want to work.

The other thing, is that in my experience, a PhD is not easy, it takes time, lots of thought, lots of time mulling over ideas and thinking about what you are actually contributing to your area of research. But in saying that, anything is possible.

Ah, thanks fpor the posts, guys. I didn't realise about the payments from centrelink. I better get a scholarship, then. My topic might be in political philosophy.

======= Date Modified 14 Jan 2011 12:31:10 =======
============= Edited by a Moderator =============
======= Date Modified 14 Jan 2011 08:13:04 =======
======= Date Modified 14 Jan 2011 08:12:04 =======
======= Date Modified 14 Jan 2011 08:11:11 =======
Hi TPK

I am in ppaln of doing PhD,looking for a right university in Australia.Thanks for sharing the information,would look forward working with you.


*edited for advertising*

I would also agree with previous comments but would add that you may be delayed by other factors, ie university paperwork, supervisors commitment to you etc. These will affect your study duration despite your best efforts to complete in two years. I would have a time goal but be flexible about the submission date.

======= Date Modified 14 Jan 2011 08:43:15 =======
Two years is tight, probably too tight a timeframe. I'm desperately hoping to get mine submitted this summer which would be making it in three years. A lot would depend on your fieldwork I think. If it is spread out over a long period I can't see it being possible. Possibly if you get going and complete it in a concentrated period of time, you could start writing. However a lot of the PhD process is about reflection and reflection so the actual time is part of that process. One of the lecturers in my deparment, according to department lore, did his [a hundred years ago!!] in two years but it was science-based, not humanities. Mine is in the social sciences, I did all my fieldwork during second year and have had the head down towards completion all through third year. I'm not sure if I'll make though.

When you're doing a PhD it's not totally under your control compared to undergrad or even Master's level. You have to submit drafts and get them approved. There is also an onus of responsibility on your supervisor to sign off on it so it's not totally up to you to submit. Even if you think it's good to go in two years, your supervisor and associated committee may not.

Don't get hung up on a two year submission. It sounds like you're fast so why not secretly harbour that two year goal but see how the process unfolds.

A(up)

It might be different in Australia, but at my Uni in Scotland you have to have completed 36 Months registered as a PhD before you can get it, regardless of everything else, hence they would not allow you to complete in two years. It does seem a bit arbitrary to be honest but them's the rules...

TPK, things are a bit different here in the UK and you may not have the same system as us:

The first year of your PhD is technically an MPhill year. You will have to meet some certain criteria towards upgrading to a PhD by the way of submitting an 'evaluation report'. The evaluation report comprises your literature review, a structure of how you intend to progress with your PhD; a timetable for completion, what you are planning on doing; what you have done so far and how you would visit other possibilities. This report is at least 6,000 words and if things go smoothly, you will be invited for a 'viva'. Decisions will then be made as to whether or not you should upgrade.

Sometimes this upgrading takes time depending on how long it took you to establish a first study ( which could sometimes mean carrying out experiment, surveys etc. It could also be a pilot work you have already presented in any conference), how long it took the department to find your report reviewers and the time it may take to arrange your preliminary viva. As a typical example, in my own case, I didn't get to my upgrade stage until the 21st month after my initial registration. This is because I passed my initial upgrade pending a major revision and finally got to 'upgrade' following restructuring of my initial evaluation report.

Mind you, as rightly said on this thread, you should create time for reflexion. Again in my case, I had initially planned on doing 3 studies, but after a good few months of reflection, I realised that to actually make sense of what I am proposing in my field, I would need more than the initial three studies. I have now ended up with 6 studies. Although I can make do with the 6th one and finish at 5.

In a nutshell, it is a good thing that you want to finish within two years, this is do-able! HOWEVER, there are other factors that may stand as constraints which are worth putting into consideration.

Good luck with the optimism, it is no doubt the right attitude to have.

DG x

Just for the record, the Phd parameters you have described TPK are not true for all universities in Australia. In fact most of the one's I've checked out insist on 3 years minimum and a word minimum of 70,000 words or so. Some have an 80,000 minimum, but the thesis can be a bit less provided that other papers bring the word limit up.Many have now introduced the coursework aspect as well (my local state university has, for example as of 2011 and has also introduced the viva voce as well).

No comment about the other aspects and good for you if you can do it in this way. Just making sure that people realise that this one example does not necessarily generalise to all or indeed most universities in Australia. BTW forumites-spare some positive thoughts for all of your fellow postgrads and students attending University of Queensland and others-St Lucia was in the flood zone (main UQ campus is situated there) and of course for all involved in the floods (goes without saying).

Sorry, TPK, I might have seemed a bit negative on my post on your thread. I'm suffering from being a really organised and quick writer who wanted to complete her master's thesis in two straight semesters, to a person who (after all the hoops and checks and supervisor issues) will finally graduate two plus years after having completed the thesis part of the Master's degree (let's not even think of the course work done prior!). So it has made me a bit cranky about this topic in general.

It is true that not all universities in Aust. will let you complete within two years, but a few will and if your uni does and you can do this-you go for it! Just be prepared though for the actual process taking longer than you anticipate-not your part necessarily but the whole part. Remembering that you are not in total control-to some extent you share all of this with your supervisor as well.

Hi there TPK. I'm curious as to how you're getting on. I know someone who has just started a PhD in International Relations and is also hoping to complete it within 2 years (in Australia), but I strongly doubt they'll manage it!

hey tpk,

yes, i think it's possible to get ur phd done in 2 years, insyaAllah.

the key does NOT lie in how little social life u have (LOL).
u just gotta change the way u do research ie u cant really do research the old fashion way.

in which field do u intend to do ur phd?