hi all you clever phD peeps, I'm finishing my second yr at uni (studying biology)and have almost no idea what i want to do after graduation. my tutor suggests a phD, its something i would love to achieve but dont really know anything about it. how long do they last? and do you REALLY need to WANT to do one to make it worth it? i clearly have no dream career in mind that a phD may help me get to... maybe i should set my sights on something entirely different..?

you've still got enough time to do some soul searching. ya, you've really got to want a PhD to stay motivated through it. check out the menu on the left of the page, the PhD's explained bit will tell you all you need to know.

I assume that you'll have a research project to complete in your third year. This will give you a good idea of what research is about and if it suits you. You still have plenty of time to decide but have you considered doing a masters degree after your undergrad?

If you are unsure whether you'll like doing research try doing a MSc as that is good training for a PhD (which is 100% research) and give you a flavour what it is like to work in an academic environment! You'll be able to develop your ideas and areas of interest before committing to an area! I'm just going to stress that you really need to want to do one before starting one as it can be very intensive and you'll need to know your area inside out!

It's takes 3yrs so it's a long time to spend on something you're not that fussed about! You definitely need a PhD to get anywhere in research these days but not necessary for anything else! It could also be alot of fun if you chose the correct topic as it's probably the only time you can concentrate purely on research without worrying about other job related matters!