Humanities & Social SciencesWhy do a PhD?
Undertaking a PhD is not easy. With a full-time commitment of at least three years, it’s not a decision to be taken likely.
But it can be an incredibly fulfilling and worthwhile experience with tangible career benefits. It is the next clear step for those with ambitions in academia, can be an invaluable to building a network, can help with developing transferable skills and is a significant milestone in its own right.
Before embarking on an application it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons. Here are some of the main reasons people undertake postgraduate research.
Become an expert in your field
Through rigorous research, critical analysis and thoughtful engagement with the scholarly lineage of the subject, those achieving a PhD achieve true expertise in their field.
By making an original contribution to scholarly debate, you will have advanced the conversation in your field and demonstrated a degree of authority on your subject that cannot be gained by any other means.
Pursue a career in academia
A PhD is a prerequisite for many academic jobs. Completing a PhD is an opportunity to grow as an academic, strengthen your research skills and become an authority in your field.
While working on your PhD, there will often be opportunities to gain teaching experience. The next step once achieving your PhD would often be to apply for postdoctoral research roles, which helps those with doctorates gain greater familiarity with the skills required to work as faculty.
Build an academic network
PhD students become part of a vibrant, multidisciplinary research community.
Through collaborating with other doctorate students, attending conferences, presenting papers, publishing research and working with internationally-renowned academic experts, you will develop your reputation and productive working relationships. You will open up opportunities for mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration and a productive exchange of ideas.
Show what you can do
Completing the long journey to a PhD involves developing much-valued skills in critical analysis, research, problem-solving and writing. It shows you can approach and understand multiple perspectives, synthesise these in your knowledge and carve a consistent, convincing argument.
If also shows a level of commitment and willingness to stay the course that employers - academic and non-academic - really value.