What Does a Phd Look Like Phd Programs Art

A PhD is a doctoral enquiry degree and the highest level of academic qualification you lot can attain. The degree normally takes between three and four years of full-time work towards a thesis offer an original contribution to your subject.

This page explains what a PhD is, what it involves and what you need to know if y'all're considering applying for a PhD inquiry project, or enrolling on a doctoral plan.

The pregnant of a PhD

The PhD can take on something of a mythic status. Are they but for geniuses? Practice you have to discover something incredible? Does the qualification make you lot an academic? And are higher research degrees but for people who want to exist academics?

Even the total championship, 'Physician of Philosophy', has a somewhat mysterious band to it. Practise you become a dr.? Yes, but non that kind of doctor. Exercise you lot have to report Philosophy? No (not unless you want to).

So, before going any farther, permit's explain what the term 'PhD' actually means and what defines a doctorate.

What does PhD stand up for?

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. This is 1 of the highest level bookish degrees that can be awarded. PhD is an abbreviation of the Latin term (Ph)ilosophiae (D)octor. Traditionally the term 'philosophy' does not refer to the subject but its original Greek meaning which roughly translates to 'lover of wisdom'.

What is a doctorate?

A doctorate is any qualification that awards a doctoral degree. In lodge to qualify for one you demand to produce advanced work that makes a significant new contribution to knowledge in your field. Doing so earns you the title 'Doctor' – hence the name.

So, is a PhD different to a doctorate? No. A PhD is a type of doctorate.

The PhD is the well-nigh common type of doctorate and is awarded in well-nigh all subjects at universities effectually the earth. Other doctorates tend to be more than specialised or for more practical and professional projects.

Essentially, all PhDs are doctorates, simply non all doctorates are PhDs.

Do you need a Masters to get a PhD?

Non necessarily. Information technology'south common for students in Arts and the Humanities to complete an MA (Master of Arts) before starting a PhD in order to acquire research feel and techniques. Students in Science, Engineering, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) don't always need an MS/MSc (Principal of Science) to practise a PhD as you'll gain preparation in lab techniques and other skills during your undergraduate degree.

Whether a Masters is a requirement for a PhD too varies by country. Australian PhDs may require a Masters every bit the equivalent of their ain 'honours year' (where students work on research). U.s.a. PhD programmes frequently include a Masters.

We take a whole guide defended to helping you determine whether a PhD without a Masters is the right road for you.

The origin of the PhD

Despite its proper name, the PhD isn't actually an Ancient Greek degree. Instead information technology'due south a much more recent evolution. The PhD as we know it was developed in nineteenth-century Germany, alongside the modern enquiry university.

Higher teaching had traditionally focussed on mastery of an existing trunk of scholarship and the highest academic rank available was, appropriately enough, a Masters degree.

As the focus shifted more onto the production of new cognition and ideas, the PhD degree was brought in to recognise those who demonstrated the ncessary skills and expertise.

The PhD process – what'south required to get a PhD?

The typical length of a PhD is three to four years full-time, or five to six years part-time.

Unlike virtually Masters courses (or all undergraduate programmes), a PhD is a pure research degree. But that doesn't hateful you'll just spend years locked abroad in a library or laboratory. In fact, the modern PhD is a diverse and varied qualification with many different components.

Whereas the second or tertiary year of a taught caste look quite a lot like the first (with more than modules and coursework at a higher level) a PhD moves through a series of stages.

A typical PhD normally involves:

Carrying out a literature review (a survey of current scholarship in your field).
Conducting original enquiry and collecting your results.
Producing a thesis that presents your conclusions.
Writing upward your thesis and submitting it every bit a dissertation.
Defending your thesis in an oral viva voce exam.

These stages vary a picayune betwixt subjects and universities, but they tend to autumn into the aforementioned sequence over the three years of a typical full-time PhD.

The first year of a PhD

The beginning of a PhD is all nearly finding your feet every bit a researcher and getting a solid grounding in the current scholarship that relates to your topic.

You'll take initial meetings with your supervisor and discuss a program of activity based on your research proposal.

The first step in this will near certainly be carrying out your literature review. With the guidance of your supervisor you lot'll begin surveying and evaluating existing scholarship. This will help situate your research and ensure your work is original.

Your literature review will provide a logical jumping off signal for the start of your own research and the gathering of results. This could involve designing and implementing experiments, or getting stuck into a pile of main sources.

The yr may end with an MPhil upgrade. This occurs when PhD students are initially registered for an MPhil caste and and so 'upgraded' to PhD candidates upon making sufficient progress. Yous'll submit material from your literature review, or a draft of your research findings and discuss these with members of your department in an upgrade exam. All beingness well, you'll then go along with your inquiry as a PhD student.

PhDs in other countries

The information on the page is based on the UK. Most countries follow a similar format, but there are some differences. In the United states of america, for example, PhD students consummate reading assignments and examinations before beginning their research. You can detect out more in our guides to PhD study around the world.

The second year of a PhD

Your second year will probably exist when you do most of your cadre research. The procedure for this will vary depending on your field, but your primary focus volition exist on gathering results from experiments, archival research, surveys or other means.

As your enquiry develops, then will the thesis (or argument) you base upon it. You may even begin writing up capacity or other pieces that volition eventually course part of your dissertation.

You'll still exist having regular meetings with your supervisor. They'll check your progress, provide feedback on your ideas and probably read any drafts your produce.

The second year is too an of import stage for your development every bit a scholar. Y'all'll be well versed in current research and have begun to collect some of import data or develop insights of your own. Simply you won't yet be faced with the demanding and time-intensive job of finalising your dissertation.

So, this role of your PhD is a perfect time to recall about presenting your work at academic conferences, gaining education feel or perhaps even selecting some material for publication in an academic journal. You tin read more than about these kinds of activities below.

The third year of a PhD

The third twelvemonth of a PhD is sometimes referred to as the writing up stage.

Traditionally, this is the final part of your doctorate, during which your principal task will be pulling together your results and honing your thesis into a dissertation.

In reality, it's not always as uncomplicated as that.

It's not uncommon for final twelvemonth PhD students to all the same be fine-tuning experiments, collecting results or chasing up a few extra sources. This is particularly likely if you spend part of your 2d yr focussing on professional development.

In fact, some students actually take all or function of a fourth year to finalise their dissertation. Whether yous are able to do this will depend on the terms of your enrolment – and perhaps your PhD funding.

Somewhen though, you are going to be faced with writing upwardly your thesis and submitting your dissertation.

Your supervisor will exist very involved in this process. They'll read through your final draft and permit you lot know when they recall your PhD is set for submission.

All that'south left then is your final viva voce oral exam. This is a formal discussion and defence of your thesis involving at to the lowest degree one internal and external examiner. It's normally the merely assessment procedure for a PhD. Once yous've passed, y'all've washed it!

Looking for more information virtually the stages of a PhD?

How practise you lot go about completing a literature review? What's information technology like to exercise PhD research? And what really happens at an MPhil upgrade? You can notice out more in our detailed guide to the PhD journeying.

Doing a PhD – what'southward information technology really like?

You can think of the 'stages' outlined in a higher place equally the basic 'roadmap' for a PhD, merely the bodily 'journey' you'll take as a enquiry student involves a lot of other sights, a few optional destinations and at least one very important beau passenger.

Carrying out research

Unsurprisingly, you'll spend almost of your time as a PhD researcher… researching your PhD. Simply this can involve a surprisingly broad range of activities.

The classic epitome of a student working away in the lab, or sitting with a pile of books in the library is true some of the time – particularly when you're monitoring experiments or conducting your literature review.

Your PhD can take y'all much further afield though. Y'all may find yourself visiting archives or facilities to examine their information or look at rare source materials. Y'all could even have the opportunity to spend an extended catamenia 'in residence' at a enquiry centre or other establishment across your university.

Research is also far from being a alone activity. You'll have regular discussions with your supervisor (see below) merely you lot may besides work with other students from time to time.

This is particularly probable if yous're part of a larger laboratory or workshop group studying the aforementioned broad area. But it'southward also common to interact with students whose projects are more individual. Yous might work on shorter projects of joint involvement, or be part of teams organising events and presentations.

Many universities besides run regular internal presentation and discussion groups – a perfect fashion to become to know other PhD students in your department and offer feedback on each other'southward work in progress.

Working with your supervisor

All PhD projects are completed with the guidance of at to the lowest degree 1 academic supervisor. They will be your main point of contact and back up throughout the PhD.

Your supervisor will be an expert in your general expanse of inquiry, merely they won't have researched on your exact topic before (if they had, your project wouldn't be original plenty for a PhD).

As such, it's better to retrieve of your supervisor as a mentor, rather than a teacher.

As a PhD student you're now an independent and original scholar, pushing the boundaries of your field beyond what is currently known (and taught) almost it. Y'all're doing all of this for the first time, of course. Merely your supervisor isn't.

They'll know what's involved in managing an advanced enquiry project over iii years (or more). They'll know how best to succeed, just they'll too know what can go wrong and how to spot the warning signs before information technology does.

Perhaps nigh importantly, they'll be someone with the time and expertise to listen to your ideas and assistance provide feedback and encouragement as you develop your thesis.

Verbal supervision arrangements vary between universities and between projects:

In Science and Engineering science projects information technology's common for a supervisor to be the atomic number 82 investigator on a wider research project, with responsibleness for a laboratory or workshop that includes several PhD students and other researchers.
In Arts and Humanities subjects, a supervisor's research is more separate from their students'. They may supervise more one PhD at a time, but each project is essentially separate.

It's likewise condign increasingly common for PhD students to have ii (or more) supervisors. The first is usually responsible for guiding your bookish research whilst the second is more concerned with the administration of your PhD – ensuring you consummate any necessary training and stay on track with your projection's timetable.

Nevertheless you're supervised, you'll have regular meetings to discuss work and check your progress. Your supervisor volition likewise provide feedback on work during your PhD and volition play an important role as you nigh completion: reading your final dissertation typhoon, helping yous select an external examiner and (hopefully) taking you out for a celebratory potable afterwards!

Professional person development, networking and communication

Traditionally, the PhD has been viewed as a training process, preparing students for careers in academic inquiry.

As such, it often includes opportunities to pick up additional skills and experiences that are an important part of a scholarly CV. Academics don't just practice research later all. They as well teach students, administrate departments – and supervise PhDs.

The modern PhD is also viewed as a more than flexible qualification. Non all doctoral graduates end upward working in higher pedagogy. Many follow alternative careers that are either related to their subject of specialism or describe upon the advanced research skills their PhD has developed.

PhD programmes take begun to reflect this. Many at present emphasise transferrable skills or include specific training units designed to assistance students communicate and apply their enquiry across the university.

What all of this means is that very few PhD experiences are just about researching and writing upward a thesis.

The likelihood is that yous'll besides do some (or all) of the following during your PhD:

Education

PhD researchers are oft given the opportunity to teach undergraduates at their university. This generally involves leading small group teaching exercises, demonstrating methods and experiments and providing mentoring.

The work is usually paid and is increasingly accompanied by formal training and evaluation.
Conference presentation

Equally a PhD student you lot'll exist at the cutting edge of your field, doing original enquiry and producing new results. This means that your piece of work will exist interest to other scholars and that your results could be worth presenting at academic conferences.

Doing this is very worthwhile, whatever your career plans. You'll develop transferrable skills in public speaking and presenting, gain feedback on your results and brainstorm to exist recognised as an expert in your area. Conferences are as well great places to network with other students and academics.
Publication

As well equally presenting your research, you may also have the opportunity to publish work in academic journals, books, or other media.

This can exist a challenging process. Your work will be judged according to the same high standards as whatever other scholar'south and will normally go through extensive peer review processes.

But it's besides highly rewarding. Seeing your work 'in print' is an incredible validation of your PhD research and a definite boost to your academic CV.
Public engagement and communication

Bookish work may be associated with the myth of the 'ivory belfry' – an insular community of experts focussing on obscure topics of little involvement outside the university. But this is far from the case.

More and more emphasis is being placed on the 'impact' of research and its wider benefits to the public – with funding decisions being fabricated accordingly.

Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities to attempt your paw at public engagement as a PhD student. Universities are frequently involved in local events and initiatives to communicate the benefits of their research, ranging from workshops in local schools to public lectures and presentations.

Some PhD programmes include structured grooming in order to assistance students with activities such as the above.

Your supervisor may also be able to assist by identifying suitable conferences and public engagement opportunities, or by involving you in appropriate university events and public date initiatives.

These experiences will exist an important office of your development as a researchers - and will enhance the value of your PhD regardless of your career plans.

What is a PhD for – and who should written report one?

So, you know what a PhD really is, what'southward involved in completing one and what you lot might get up to whilst you exercise. That just leaves 1 terminal question: should you do a PhD?

Unfortunately, it's not a question we can answer for you.

A PhD is difficult and uniquely challenging. It requires at to the lowest degree three years of hard work and dedication after you've already completed an undergraduate caste (and probably a Masters caste as well).

Yous'll need to support yourself during those years and, whilst you lot will be building up an impressive ready of skills, you won't be directly progressing in a career.

Only a PhD is also immensely rewarding. It's your gamble to make a genuine contribution to the sum of human knowledge and produce work that other researchers can (and volition) build on in futurity. However obscure your topic feels, there's really no such matter as a useless PhD.

A PhD is also something to be incredibly proud of. A proportionately tiny number of people go on to do academic work at this level. Whatever you stop up doing after your doctorate you lot'll have an impressive qualification – and a title to match. What's more, non-bookish careers and professions are increasingly recognising the unique skills and feel a PhD brings.

Other PhDs - do caste titles matter?

The PhD is the oldest and well-nigh common course of higher enquiry degree, only a few alternatives are available. Some, such as the DPhil are essentially identical to a PhD. Others, such as the Professional Doctorate or DBA are slightly different. You tin can find out more in our guide to types of PhD.

Is a PhD for me?

At that place's more advice on the value of a PhD – and practiced reasons for studying 1 – elsewhere in this section. But the following are some quick tips if you're just beginning to consider a PhD.

Speak to your lecturers / tutors

The best people to ask about PhD study are people who've earned one. Enquire staff at your current or previous university near their experience of doctoral research – what they enjoyed, what they didn't and what their tips might exist.

If you're because a PhD for an academic career, ask about that too. Are job prospects skilful in your field? And what's information technology actually similar to work at a university?
Speak to current PhD students

Want to know what it's like studying a PhD right now? Or what it's like doing research at a item university? Inquire someone who knows.

Current PhD students were just like you a year or two ago and about will be happy to answer questions.

If you tin't get in touch on with any students 'face to face', pop over to the Postgraduate Forum – you'll detect enough of students there who are happy to chat most postgraduate enquiry.
Take a look at advertised projects and programmes

This may seem like a foreign suggestion. After all, you lot're only going to study one PhD, so what's the signal of reading about lots of others?

Well, looking at the details of different PhD projects is a smashing way to get a general sense of what PhD enquiry is similar. Yous'll see what different PhDs tend to take in common and what kinds of unique opportunity might exist available to you.

And, with thousands of PhDs in our database, you're already in a bully place to commencement.
Read our other advice articles

Finally, you can also check out some of the other advice on the FindAPhD website. Nosotros've looked at some proficient (and bad) reasons for studying a PhD besides as the value of a doctorate to different career paths.

More than generally, yous can read our in-depth await at a typical PhD journey, or notice out more about specific aspects of doctoral study such as working with a supervisor or writing your dissertation.

We add together new articles all the time – the best way to stay up to appointment is by signing upwards for our free PhD opportunity newsletter.

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