Should I go for PhD?

[jhungary]

Well, here come the question I am currently facing (beside recuperating from a nasty bronchitis)

I am currently looking at pamphlet about PhD Course offered in Australia. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Politic, Master Degree in International Business, however, I do not have a very high GPA on both. 3.5 in my BSci International Politic and 3.0 on my Master. Should I go for PhD?

Personally, I would want to get a PhD in Politic or history, but I can do PhD in Economy too or my GPA mean I am gonna to have a hard time finish a PhD?? (I can get in with 2.8 GPA, but finishing them is another problem)
any advices are welcomed

 

[asquare]

Well, here come the question I am currently facing (beside recuperating from a nasty bronchitis)

I am currently looking at pamphlet about PhD Course offered in Australia. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Politic, Master Degree in International Business, however, I do not have a very high GPA on both. 3.5 in my BSci International Politic and 3.0 on my Master. Should I go for PhD?

Personally, I would want to get a PhD in Politic or history, but I can do PhD in Economy too or my GPA mean I am gonna to have a hard time finish a PhD?? (I can get in with 2.8 GPA, but finishing them is another problem)
any advices are welcomed

I can tell you about PhDs in Economics. My advice is to not do it unless you are very sure about what you want to do in the future. Ultimately, the only good reason to do a PhD is to join academia. Economics PhDs also work in international organisations but you can get those jobs without a PhD (except at the IMF). Remember that spending five years of your life focussing on one narrow area, with very little supervision, can be extremely hard unless you love what you are doing.

If you don't love research you are going to hate your PhD. To really understand what research is like, my advice is to work as an RA for an active researcher for at least 6 months. It might be very different from what you expect.

Even if you do want to join academia, the market for academic jobs is very competitive. To give you an example, the average Harvard economics PhD gets placed in a university ranked 100. Those form lower ranked places often don't get tenure track jobs at all. I left academia after two years with a tenure track job because the constant pressure to publish is very hard to deal with. I now work at an international organisation and I didn't really need my PhD to work here. None of my bosses have a PhD. The market for politics/history PhDs is equally competitive.

Anyway to sum up, figure out what you really want to do and only do a PhD if you are sure you want to join academia.

 

[nair]

I think @syedali73 has a phd, he may be able to help you out

 

[jhungary]

I can tell you about PhDs in Economics. My advice is to not do it unless you are very sure about what you want to do in the future. Ultimately, the only good reason to do a PhD is to join academia. Economics PhDs also work in international organisations but you can get those jobs without a PhD (except at the IMF). Remember that spending five years of your life focussing on one narrow area, with very little supervision, can be extremely hard unless you love what you are doing.

If you don't love research you are going to hate your PhD. To really understand what research is like, my advice is to work as an RA for an active researcher for at least 6 months. It might be very different from what you expect.

Even if you do want to join academia, the market for academic jobs is very competitive. To give you an example, the average Harvard economics PhD gets placed in a university ranked 100. Those form lower ranked places often don't get tenure track jobs at all. I left academia after two years with a tenure track job because the constant pressure to publish is very hard to deal with. I now work at an international organisation and I didn't really need my PhD to work here. None of my bosses have a PhD. The market for politics/history PhDs is equally competitive.

Anyway to sum up, figure out what you really want to do and only do a PhD if you are sure you want to join academia.

Well, I don't know, my wife just finished a PhD in international relation and law, and she is doing absolutely nothing at this moment. I did not have any thing for or against PhD nor will I actually trying to get a Jobs with it, I am merely trying to further my education and well, to be honest, get my backside off the couch...

Interest wise, I am a lot more interested in Military History or Defence related topic, the only college offer this in Australia is ANU and I know absolutely jack shit about Australian at War, I was aiming for a similar course in US Army War College when I was still serving and in the US but my service got terminated and I am now left holding the bag after a heist...I have absolutely no pro or against economic studies but I am quite unsure what else can I do that I cannot with my current qualification

So I can't get my preference straight, but I have no problem doing research...

I think @syedali73 has a phd, he may be able to help you out

lol, my wife had a PhD too and she can't help me.......my problem is more about interest, as I said before, what I want to do is only offered in one way and I have no to little knowledge on that field and while I know nothing about the 2 other field I have done and what is the path after the PhD

 

[asquare]

Well, I don't know, my wife just finished a PhD in international relation and law, and she is doing absolutely nothing at this moment. I did not have any thing for or against PhD nor will I actually trying to get a Jobs with it, I am merely trying to further my education and well, to be honest, get my backside off the couch...

Interest wise, I am a lot more interested in Military History or Defence related topic, the only college offer this in Australia is ANU and I know absolutely jack shit about Australian at War, I was aiming for a similar course in US Army War College when I was still serving and in the US but my service got terminated and I am now left holding the bag after a heist...I have absolutely no pro or against economic studies but I am quite unsure what else can I do that I cannot with my current qualification

So I can't get my preference straight, but I have no problem doing research...



lol, my wife had a PhD too and she can't help me.......my problem is more about interest, as I said before, what I want to do is only offered in one way and I have no to little knowledge on that field and while I know nothing about the 2 other field I have done and what is the path after the PhD

If you do decide to do the PhD, definitely pick what you enjoy- econ PhDs are very different from econ undergrads/masters and if you are more inclined towards the humanities/social sciences perspective, econ papers which are just pages of math probably won't appeal to you.

If accounting/marketing/business strategy interest you at all, take a look at those PhD programs. In the future when you do look for job, these areas have more demand than supply.

If you're still under 25, work for a few years in the private sector/policy organisations/a think tank and try and figure out what you really want to do. A lot of people hate working for someone else so much that they love doing a PhD with the freedom to make their own choices. Others find something they enjoy and realise a PhD is not for them. I guess what I'm saying is, if you do decide to do a PhD, go into it with a lot of conviction that you've made the best choice. Being a good researcher requires a lot of commitment, as I'm sure you know from your wife.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Be prepared to suffer from existantial crisis.

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

Well, here come the question I am currently facing (beside recuperating from a nasty bronchitis)

I am currently looking at pamphlet about PhD Course offered in Australia. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Politic, Master Degree in International Business, however, I do not have a very high GPA on both. 3.5 in my BSci International Politic and 3.0 on my Master. Should I go for PhD?

Personally, I would want to get a PhD in Politic or history, but I can do PhD in Economy too or my GPA mean I am gonna to have a hard time finish a PhD?? (I can get in with 2.8 GPA, but finishing them is another problem)
any advices are welcomed

I'm doing Post-Bac at U of MD, and have a professor backing me to get into the PhD for IR. But there are some questions you need to answer yourself.

1. Definitely do something you like.
2. You don't have to do PhD, consider Comp Sci/ IT courses, if you want work.
3. You're flags say China/ Australia, that considered isn't like every 3rd Australian company doing the majority of it's business with China?
4. Keeping that considered, what do you want to do with your PhD? Most who have it aren't in academia but with government/ international organization/ businesses.

Also did you receive the GI Education bill?

 

[ajpirzada]

I'm doing phd in economics...

Do it if you:
Have well defined research interests
Like reading a lot
Don't mind failing again and again
Are very patient
Don't mind getting emotionally harassed by your supervisor


If you r sure about all of the above then phd is for you

 

[jhungary]

If you do decide to do the PhD, definitely pick what you enjoy- econ PhDs are very different from econ undergrads/masters and if you are more inclined towards the humanities/social sciences perspective, econ papers which are just pages of math probably won't appeal to you.

If accounting/marketing/business strategy interest you at all, take a look at those PhD programs. In the future when you do look for job, these areas have more demand than supply.

If you're still under 25, work for a few years in the private sector/policy organisations/a think tank and try and figure out what you really want to do. A lot of people hate working for someone else so much that they love doing a PhD with the freedom to make their own choices. Others find something they enjoy and realise a PhD is not for them. I guess what I'm saying is, if you do decide to do a PhD, go into it with a lot of conviction that you've made the best choice. Being a good researcher requires a lot of commitment, as I'm sure you know from your wife.

Well, guess my case is a bit different....

I do not need to get a PhD for work, I am more than happy to settle with any job offer with my current qualification. But the problem is, I still not really want to get back to the work force yet, hence I want to do a PhD, my wife suggested that instead of a PhD, I should go do another bachelor degree and this time do something I like (My bachelor is the requirement for US Army and the master is just a ruse I need to get Social Security in Australia) but I have my reservation about 2nd Bachelor degree, well, I would have done a double degree 13 years ago if I wanted a second degree...

Guess what I am trying to do now is to evaluate my option and as I said in my other post, I am having a conflict of interest vs my field. I want to get a PhD in Military Science or Strategic studies, but the only college offer this in Australia is ANU and the only course/degree available is Australian Military History......

Then I can either do Business/Economy or Politics, but I does not have special interest in both and I am afraid my GPA is gonna be a problem for the PhD if and when I choose to do them..

 

[Armstrong]

Well, guess my case is a bit different....

I do not need to get a PhD for work, I am more than happy to settle with any job offer with my current qualification. But the problem is, I still not really want to get back to the work force yet, hence I want to do a PhD, my wife suggested that instead of a PhD, I should go do another bachelor degree and this time do something I like (My bachelor is the requirement for US Army and the master is just a ruse I need to get Social Security in Australia) but I have my reservation about 2nd Bachelor degree, well, I would have done a double degree 13 years ago if I wanted a second degree...

Guess what I am trying to do now is to evaluate my option and as I said in my other post, I am having a conflict of interest vs my field. I want to get a PhD in Military Science or Strategic studies, but the only college offer this in Australia is ANU and the only course/degree available is Australian Military History......

Then I can either do Business/Economy or Politics, but I does not have special interest in both and I am afraid my GPA is gonna be a problem for the PhD if and when I choose to do them..

How about a doctorate degree in something like Leadership and Management ?

 

[maxpayne]

Well, here come the question I am currently facing (beside recuperating from a nasty bronchitis)

I am currently looking at pamphlet about PhD Course offered in Australia. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Politic, Master Degree in International Business, however, I do not have a very high GPA on both. 3.5 in my BSci International Politic and 3.0 on my Master. Should I go for PhD?

Personally, I would want to get a PhD in Politic or history, but I can do PhD in Economy too or my GPA mean I am gonna to have a hard time finish a PhD?? (I can get in with 2.8 GPA, but finishing them is another problem)
any advices are welcomed

Go for PhD in Canada. They offer free programs and good chance of nationality etc. Else go where u r happy

 

[jhungary]

I'm doing Post-Bac at U of MD, and have a professor backing me to get into the PhD for IR. But there are some questions you need to answer yourself.

1. Definitely do something you like.
2. You don't have to do PhD, consider Comp Sci/ IT courses, if you want work.
3. You're flags say China/ Australia, that considered isn't like every 3rd Australian company doing the majority of it's business with China?
4. Keeping that considered, what do you want to do with your PhD? Most who have it aren't in academia but with government/ international organization/ businesses.

Also did you receive the GI Education bill?

Well, I am of Chinese Descent lol, hence the Chinese flag. I did studied in College in Hong Kong and if I want to work in China/Hong Kong, I need to go back to China and get the degree there, and I am not planning on doing that...

in fact my wife also said I should go back to uni and start a BEng degree or something like that, but then I thought, why bother........I don't know man, I think my question is whether a PhD is actually worth getting, a lot of people say PhD is overrated and is a giant waste of time. As someone said it already, most job you don't need a PhD to do, and in fact, my motivation of getting a PhD is not job motivated, but rather I want to do something and I don't want to go back a do a 2.5 years bachelor degree...

Then come another problem, I talked to an student advisor today and they said if I were to do a PhD in any sort of history discipline I would probably need a Graduate Diploma, which take somewhere about a whole year. But I can get into PhD in business program almost immediately, given if I have 2 recommendation from before...

Well, I did not receive GI bill after I discharged, the only thing I studied is outside US and the Bachelor degree are bought and paid for in full with Army Scholarship program. But I doubt I will go back to US to study... As I don't pay anything if I stayed in Australia.

How about a doctorate degree in something like Leadership and Management ?

lol leadership and management?? That will be bad............

I am not that business savvy...

 

[Black Mamba1]

Well, here come the question I am currently facing (beside recuperating from a nasty bronchitis)

I am currently looking at pamphlet about PhD Course offered in Australia. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Politic, Master Degree in International Business, however, I do not have a very high GPA on both. 3.5 in my BSci International Politic and 3.0 on my Master. Should I go for PhD?

Personally, I would want to get a PhD in Politic or history, but I can do PhD in Economy too or my GPA mean I am gonna to have a hard time finish a PhD?? (I can get in with 2.8 GPA, but finishing them is another problem)
any advices are welcomed

Dear Jhungray, Having a degree in IB, my suggestion is to go for a job. You will spend 4-5 years in PhD after that an uncertain future. If you start a job now, by 4-5 years you will be a quite experienced professional.
Only go for a PhD if and only if you aspire for an academic career.
I have taken the decision for not doing PhD and pursue professional career 16 years back and I really pat my back now for being able to take that decision avoiding peer and family pressure

 

[Armstrong]

lol leadership and management?? That will be bad............

I am not that business savvy...

I thought you'd be into that considering that you've held a leadership position within the military and you must've known quite a bit about managing people because of it. Maybe you could do a phD on the evolution of the role of low-to-mid level officers in the military ?

Just trying to help !

 

[jhungary]

Go for PhD in Canada. They offer free programs and good chance of nationality etc. Else go where u r happy

You need to pay for it in Canada, unless you are local (Still need to pay for it), If I don't want to pay for it, I would go for Australian by government loan (Fee Help) and Sweden (Free Education) for the degree...

And I don't want to get Canadian Citizenship, have enough trouble managing my 5 Nationalities, thank you very much...

Dear Jhungray, Having a degree in IB, my suggestion is to go for a job. You will spend 4-5 years in PhD after that an uncertain future. If you start a job now, by 4-5 years you will be a quite experienced professional.
Only go for a PhD if and only if you aspire for an academic career.
I have taken the decision for not doing PhD and pursue professional career 16 years back and I really pat my back now for being able to take that decision avoiding peer and family pressure

so you think a PhD is useless??

I thought you'd be into that considering that you've held a leadership position within the military and you must've known quite a bit about managing people because of it. Maybe you could do a phD on the evolution of the role of low-to-mid level officers in the military ?

Just trying to help !

lol, you don't need a PhD to command troop....and even so, all my commanding experience are hands on, I did not get to staff level so a lot od academic knowledge behind the commanding decision is missing, I am very good at react to any situation, but not or no idea on how to plan stuff, and I think the latter is more important to the former for a PhD path...........