Hi All,

Advice much needed please! I am currently a full time Senior Lecturer in English at a UK university and have modest publishing success in my field. When I got my lectureship, a good few years ago now, it was not deemed particularly necessary for me to have a PhD as I had experience and publications in the area. However, it is becoming clear that the ethos is changing in my Faculty and it has been put to me that I should 'go through the motions and do one'! My teaching would feed into my research area and my Institutions has agreed to fund me and provide teaching/marking relief, so I realise i'm fortunate. But the idea of trying to complete a PhD part-time, whilst teaching, whilst being a Mother etc, etc, is terrifying - although I also realise that if I don't go ahead, it will be held against me by my line managers in the future. Any help, advice would be appreciated. Advice much needed please! I am
currently a full time Senior Lecturer in English at a UK university and have
modest publishing success in my field. When I got my lectureship, a good few
years ago now, it was not deemed particulary neccessary for me to have a PhD as
I had experience and publications in the area. However, it is becoming clear
that the ethos is changin in my Faculty and it has been put to me that I should
'go through the motions and do one'! My teaching would feed into my research
area and my Institutions has agreed to fund me and provide teaching/marking
relief, so I realise i'm fortunate. But the idea of trying to complete a phD
part-time, whilst teaching, whilst being a Mother etc, etc, is terrifying -
although I also realise that if I don't go ahead, it will be held against me by
my line managers in the future. Any help, advice would be appreciated.
Advice much needed please! I am
currently a full time Senior Lecturer in English at a UK university and have
modest publishing success in my field. When I got my lectureship, a good few
years ago now, it was not deemed particularly necessary for me to have a PhD as
I had experience and publications in the area. However, it is becoming clear
that the ethos is changing in my Faculty and it has been put to me that I should
'go through the motions and do one'! My teaching would feed into my research
area and my Institutions has agreed to fund me and provide teaching/marking
relief, so I realise i'm fortunate. But the idea of trying to complete a PhD
part-time, whilst teaching, whilst being a Mother etc, etc, is terrifying -
although I also realise that if I don't go ahead, it will be held against me by
my line managers in the future. Any help, advice would be appreciated. Advice
much needed please! I am currently a full time Senior Lecturer in English at a
UK university and have modest publishing success in my field. When I got my
lectureship, a good few years ago now, it was not deemed particulary neccessary
for me to have a PhD as I had experience and publicat

======= Date Modified 17 Mar 2012 10:00:46 =======
I definitely think it is doable. If you look at other threads here you will see that a lot of people work full or part-time, and some of them have children too. Also, as a senior lecturer you presumably have a lot of the skills that a PhD requires anyway. I expect it will be a bit easier (though obviously not easy) for you to get one.

As for whether you should do one, or be expected to by your faculty: it's understandable in many respects. With so many PhDs being completed compared to the demand, it is important for universities to try have certain equality in terms of qualification required. Obviously you got your lecture position and promotion to Senior lectuer because you are very capable, but times have changed and I suppose your faculty is right to acknowledge that out of respect to all the people with PhDs who would love to take over your job. ;-)

Good luck with your decision!

I would second what Lughna wrote. It'll not be easy for sure and will be very trying at times but on a positive note you have a good work ethic (as evidenced by your position), will have the support of colleagues I would like to think and should in some respects find it easier than other PhD students. Get your head down, focus and chip away at it regularly and you will get there.

Is it possible to do it at a neighbouring university rather than your own? I think it would be very difficult on a few different levels to have a colleague as a supervisor. But I don't think you've really got any choice - we all know how vulnerable academic jobs are atm and there's no point giving them a reason to push you to the front if any redundancies are made.
There was a poster a while back in exactly the same position - unfortunately s/he lost her job despite starting the PhD but from what I remember s/he had some comments that might be useful for you, so it might be worth doing a search of the forum.