PhDs out there: How long did it take you?

[NewWaveChick1981]

I'm seriously considering going back to school for my doctorate. I have a master's degree and have been around colleges and universities throughout my career. I always told myself that when I felt ready, I'd give it my best shot. I have a BA in psychology, a BS in Management, and a M. Ed. in Higher Education Administration. What I would really love to do is get a doctorate in Sociology (I know of several good programs---one allows doctoral candidates to complete a certificate in Film Studies, which is right up my alley!) and eventually become a college professor.

What path did you take to get your doctorate? What strategies do you recommend for approaching the admission process? Do you have any advice/warnings/caveats?

Thanks tremendously for any help. :)

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Three years after I got my master's.

which occurred three years after I got my bachelor's.

[NewWaveChick1981]

4. Thanks!

[Bill McBlueState]

2. I'm in year five

of a PhD program in astronomy. I'll probably be done after year six. Taking six years is pretty typical in astronomy; I think it can take longer in the social sciences.

My advice: Go somewhere that has a graduate employee union. You'll have better pay and benefits as well as a grievance procedure.

[NewWaveChick1981]

3. Astronomy---WOW!

Good luck with the rest of your program.

Thanks for the good advice, too!

[Orangepeel]

5. 5 years

it will probably take you five years, full time, since your masters' is in a different field. Of course, when you talk to students in the programs you are interested in, they'll let you know.

I highly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591470358/sr=8-1/qid=1144786334/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-6654660-3251922?%5Fencoding=UTF8

[NewWaveChick1981]

6. Thank you so much!

That looks like a great book. I appreciate the help! :)

[Orangepeel]

7. the most important thing, as you are going through it,

is not to get too discouraged.

I know you know it won't be easy, but many people are unprepared for the ways in which it won't be easy -- particularly if they aren't straight from school and have had some success in their former careers. First, it often involves a lot of gopher work (making copies, fetching books from the library, etc.), which can be very frustrating. Second, you can end up being a pawn in a power struggle among large egos. When you are thinking about what program to enter and who to work with (basically, apprentice yourself to), keep that in mind.

Third -- you know how (or so I've been told) in the army, people are torn down in order to be built back up again? A PhD program can be kind of like that -- boot camp for the brain. Your first seminars will probably result in you finding out that everything you thought, and even how you thought and the way you approach problems are "wrong". Journal articles are so full of discipline specific jargon that it may feel like they are in another language. It does get better, but it can be tough.

This is my advice, for what it's worth. Don't feel bad if you really want to quit in your first semester/year. Most people do. Stick it out and it will improve. It will feel like you are learning exponentially. You have to defend your ideas, but it helps if you aren't defensive about them. Be open to criticism (because you'll get a lot of it) and remember that scholarly inquiry is about exploring ideas and building upon them, not about being right.

Good luck!

[NewWaveChick1981]

10. That's great advice!

I had heard from a couple of friends who went through the process that it can be tough. I will keep what you said in mind. I don't give up easily!

[Lisa]

8. 10 years ...

Partly because I had actually ended up writing two dissertations (one was scientific, while the other was more on the policy/applications side, after it turned out that the data I'd painstakingly collected over 4 years wasn't really up to snuff). And also, I was teaching courses during that interval, in order to pay the bills.

I think I'm either 2nd or 3rd in the department, in terms of long completion times.

p.s. what earlier posters have said -- everyone I know who's done a doctorate has wanted to quit ... seriously ... at least once. When I was trying to get through my graduate courses, people were asking "why am I doing this?" on a monthly basis!

[NewWaveChick1981]

11. Thank you!

I got my M. Ed. while working full-time, so it took me four years of steady work. I was nearly ready to quit when I faced my toughest semester, but I held steady and actually learned a lot and worked very hard (yes, it was worth it!). It helps to hear from those who have been through the battle what it's like and things to expect, like the fact that lots of candidates feel like giving up. :) I appreciate the help more than you know!

[Lisa]

15. I just finished talking my officemate through her final semester ...

She was trying to hold down a job at the same time, and putting up with a lot of nonsense from one committee member who was being capricious and spiteful (even her supervisor was rolling his eyes). She came to the point of tears several times.

I helped her get her draft photocopied before the Christmas break (had to literally shove her out of the building, or she'd have missed her flight home). And the week before her defense, she asked me to read her final copy, and quiz her with some possible questions.

At her defense, Powerpoint froze up, and the teleconferencing (linking her with her external examiner in Australia) crashed.

BUT -- she did a great job! The external was very impressed, and told her repeatedly that she had to get her stuff published. He even jumped in and quashed the aforementioned "difficult" committee member.

[cassiepriam]

9. 2 yrs Masters, then 6 more yrs for the PhD.

Good luck, it is a long haul, but I am glad I did it.

Make sure there will be a market for your degree.
It is such an expensive and time consuming process it has to be
worth it at the end.

[NewWaveChick1981]

12. Thank you!

Good points...and I understand the personal and financial costs involved. (I worked in financial aid for over 20 years!) Thanks for the words of wisdom.

[entanglement]

13. Please see this link from the princeton review

It's quite informative
http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/research/articleIndex.asp

I'm in the 3rd year of my PhD, but I'm in engineering / applied math, and don't know much about humanities PhD programs. I expect to be done in another couple of years, btw.

A Phd program is fun, but it's best to be as careful in selecting a school / program / thesis adviser as you would in choosing a spouse ;)

Also, tenure-track positions at top 25 universities are INSANELY competitive. To give you an idea, a top 25 engineering school might receive as many as 800 applications for a SINGLE tenure-track, assistant professor position. I expect the figure is somewhat similar in the humanities.

Hope that helps. :)

[NewWaveChick1981]

14. Thanks!

That's extremely helpful! :) I appreciate it a lot!

Good luck in finishing your program. It sounds pretty rigorous. I know about the competitiveness factor, but I'm still willing to pursue my doctorate. :)