Should I go for PhD?

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Waste of time unless you live in country that sponsors grants for Scientist / Research and Corporations are ready to hire you for your research work

 

[asquare]

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..

I'd say find a way to do Military Science or Strategic Studies given those are your interests...are you willing to go outside Australia or do you need to stay there for residency/other reasons? There are lots of good places outside for these subjects, one that comes to mind is IHIED in Geneva.

In terms of GPA, for Econ (a little less for Business) it will be a problem. All the Australians who were in my PhD program in the US had done the 'honours' track at Melbourne/UNSW. I don't know exactly how it works but I think it's like a regular undergrad but with advanced courses in the 4th year. They all had top grades and had a very strong maths and econ background. I think many students from these honours tracks with good grades who don't want to leave Australia end up applying to the Australian departments. They'll be your competition. Econ PhD admissions are too grades & GRE focussed, my guess is that if you did something like Military History, they'd take other stuff like your military background into consideration.

As for whether PhDs are useless, I'd say they are useful in two circumstances- (i) you want to become an academic, or (ii) you love the subject so much you want to do research just for research's sake. Given what I do now, I slightly regret my PhD, but I wanted to be an academic back then.

 

[Black Mamba1]

so you think a PhD is useless??

Considering your background YES if you do not want to pursue you career in academics. After doing Masters in International business, PhD will not add much value in professional field.

If your masters was in Physics , Chemistry , I would have suggested in a different way

 

[kbd-raaf]

A PhD should only be done if you have a passion for the field. Otherwise stay away, or risk losing your soul.

 

[Dubious]

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

First you need to figure out

WHY you want to do a PhD ...what you expect from it, what you want to get out of it - Better job/ interest to gain knowledge/ Interest for research/ To help the global market with a new formula or something along those lines....


There are a few questions you need to ask once you have the why sorted:

Then you need to decide the what you want it in. Where you REAL interest lies
What is your topic?
Do you have anyone backing you up?
Interest = Is it interesting enough to stick with you for 4 yrs (the same topic)
Do you have the patience to last 4 yrs with the same topic?
Do you have the stamina to withstand/ waste/ use up an average of 4yrs of your life?

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

If you did your Master's degree just for the taxes, you're off my list of potential PhD students. And your ambivalence isn't helping either.

Remember, until you've defended you could sort of live in that assumed layer of protection that you're not yet in the running for post-doctoral work. But once you have, it's often a nasty surprise because suitable jobs are hard to come by, and if you decide to leave research for industry, you'd either be overqualified or feel underpaid because you'd have given yourself that negative headstart for the duration of your doctorate.

If on the other hand there IS something that holds your attention, such as military policy (with apologies to Michel from a European equivalent of West Point who lectured me why military is nothing but policy), and won't let go, then take it from an advisor of two and a half PhD kids, you're on your way already.

Not discouraging you or anybody else. But be wary. The the dropout rate is around 50% so people often rethink theri lives mid-doctorate, which is why it's wise to do it before you began.