======= Date Modified 01 Feb 2011 23:08:23 =======
It's 6 /7 years since I got my own Science / Engineering-based Ph.D. A close friend is edging towards the idea of a PhD. My friend would be aiming at humanities (Economics, though possibly Education), that to become clear if he starts enquiring. However, he's saying it would be an option should he be made redundant from his current job.

In the past, if he's started something he generally sticks in and sees things through, so he seems to have a firm basis for following the PhD route. He's also a teaching qualification and seems to cope well with difficult situations, the teaching qualification could during the PhD could provide a basis for a little lecturing and hence a little money. A big plus is his sociability means he's less likely to suffer the problems of isolation others feel as he likes meeting new people. The right stuff seems to be there if you follow my meaning and if motivated he could do it.

My doubt is he may be taking up the idea simply as something to do if made redundant and because he sees I have one he may as well follow suit (he wants to do one because I have one). I'm not sure he's considering it for the right reasons and eventual mid-term blues might overwhelm him and he may drift out.

I've told him before he decides to go ahead, he needs a good chat with me about his plans and it's not until then I'll know whether its because he fancies the idea or he's a clear picture of what he wants do & why. That to me is important as I don't know if the desire I had to do one (my reasoning at the time being I wanted to do one for the challenge of doing original research) is currently within him. I know the chat is coming and I know I can describe how I felt before, during and after, but are pressures somewhat different in his subject area? He'd do more bookwork / paperwork if Economics-based, might that be more 'narrowly focussed' (if the right words) than my lab / experiment-based PhD?

Taking a slightly different angle, in Humanities and Economics what are the possible funding options I could suggest to him. For me, it was the University bunging an application for funding into the EPSRC. I don't know what the equivalents would be for him. Also, in his given subject areas, where would be the best Universities for him to go in the UK?

======= Date Modified 06 Feb 2011 18:57:57 =======
Hmm, some good stuff and it appears my perceptions of a humanities PhD don't quite mach what I thought. As regards the funding bodies, thanks for these so I know where to point him.

The lad has briefly discussed with his brother, though his brother thinks he's considering this as a last resort if he's made redundant. However, his thought processes keep drifting onto this quite often and I think he may eventually decide to go ahead. I'll hang fire on any discussion until he raises the subject in earnest.

Thoughts?

Hi Ian

I feel bad you haven't had a reply. I did see your original post but found it difficult to formulate a good answer. I'll cobble together something here and hopefully the fact that your post thread will move up the forum might trigger somebody with better ideas to contribute!

My initial reaction was that your friend sounds competent and essentially well able to move fields, take up a new area of study, cope with a PhD etc. PLEASE don't get me wrong but you admit that you're 6/7 years post PhD (you lucky thing!) and also in a different area (science vs your friend's humanities/social sciences) so maybe things are a bit different from when you completed? Yes he might get mid-term blues but might that be you projecting the experiences of others (you?) onto him? Maybe he will be one of those people that whizzes through it with a great sense of purpose and little of the angst that befall many of us? Even if he does start to question his decision, I think it's a decision best left to him, with advice from a friend who has been through it, but yet supportive of whatever he decides.

I'm not in Economics or education but I am in the social sciences and from my perspective 'our' PhDs tend to be broader than a science lab-based one. I envy people doing experiments - that's the extent of my knowledge of what you guys do in the lab!! So you see what I mean? Unless you're in an area there are some things that are hard to advise on

Ian, I question my decision daily to do this PhD and yet there are days when I say 'yes, I know what I'm doing (I think!)'. RE: funding I know nothing except to say that I imagine that Economics would be a tough field to be in at the moment given the worldwide economic climate.

Such are my misc thoughts - back to correcting 80 :-( undergraduate exams

A

I started both a full-time science PhD (left due to progressive illness developing) and a part-time humanities PhD (completed). They are very different. So your experiences as a science PhD-er may not be that comparable to what your friend would go through in the humanities.

Relevant funding bodies would be ESRC and AHRC, depending on whether he goes for economics specifically or a wider form of humanities.

Hiya,

I think as long as your friend gets that a PhD is just as much work as a job, and it won't be like an undergrad degree then he should be fine. Having said that, he needs to know what he wants to research -in the humanities it is hard to find large projects that you can take part in, and if he is going to apply he needs to be able to clearly show the interest and need for his research.
But he prob knows this if he has looked at any application forms at all.
Maybe you could sit down with him and look at them.


Re funding - I can tell you what I know from experience
The AHRC doctoral funding is incredibly competitive. It is done in two ways- Block Grant Partnerships with Universities; and individual DOctoral Scholarships (also applied for through your institution).
In the case of the former, the university has already been allocated its awards and then decides internally who will get them, Bigger universities have more awards available. But they may have already decided not to give one to your subject so you have to really prove your worth and have the backing of your supervisor becuase the reference forms are killer.

In the case of the individual doctoral scholarships these are, in effect, whatever money the AHRC has left over. Thanks to the economic climate, in 2008/9 they gave out somewhere near 1000, in 2010 they gave about 250 across the whole of Arts and Humanities in the country. You can only apply if your university does not have a block grant scheme. For example, they gave 1 in Philosophy in the country, 2 to religious studies...........as you can imagine, the competition is fierce (or 'a shot in the dark') and the application process is much longer and harder than applying for the PhD itself. I know because I had to do it last year.
The reference forms are also long, and must be two academic references with entire transcripts from previous study.They are very specific and want particular information and it all has to fit on one side of A4, 11 point Ariel, single spaced.
You also have to submit through your institution- they must prove that not only do they believe in you, but also that they are the best place for you to do that particular research.

Blimey, aren't I the prophet of doom?
I don't mean to be, but if his PhD plans are based on getting a scholarship then he needs to make himself look brilliant, and really be invested in getting that money. These forms are not things you can knock off in an evening. He needs to really want to do the work, or be good at fooling people into thinking so.
More than that, i do know that the deadlines for the large funding bodies are May, but most institutions deadlines are Feb, so that they can get all the gubbins together and make sure you have refs. You cannot aapply for the funding without the institustion so he needs to get a wriggle on.
The AHRC, ESRC, scholarships seem to be the best around £12,000-ish plus fees paid - but compared to a fulltime salary it is hardly an easy ride.

Tell him to have a look around on findaphd.com its not great but it might give him an idea of what is around and how much money is floating about.

If he's excited about doing it, then be excited too, its a great thing to do and if he has the passion then it could be really great for him.
hope the info on funding doesn't put him off, but its better to be realistic.

Cobweb

Hi Beefy

It depends on your friend's economic circumstances.  It might be a good idea for him/her to concentrate on getting another job as a priority if he loses his current one. He could then investigate doing a PhD part time.

I understand sometimes having a PhD can put prospective employers off hiring you.

Angelette