philosophy phd worth it

Why doing a PhD is often a waste of time

The disposable academic.

The Economist

This article originally appeared in the 2010 Christmas double issue of The Economist.

On the evening before All Saints’ Day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg. In those days a thesis was simply a position one wanted to argue. Luther, an Augustinian friar, asserted that Christians could not buy their way to heaven. Today a doctoral thesis is both an idea and an account of a period of original research. Writing one is the aim of the hundreds of thousands of students who embark on a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) every year.

In most countries a PhD is a basic requirement for a career in academia. It is an introduction to the world of independent research — a kind of intellectual masterpiece, created by an apprentice in close collaboration with a supervisor. The requirements to complete one vary enormously between countries, universities and even subjects. Some students will first have to spend two years working on a master’s degree or diploma. Some will receive a stipend; others will pay their own way. Some PhDs involve only research, some require classes and examinations and some require the student to teach undergraduates. A thesis can be dozens of pages in mathematics, or many hundreds in history. As a result, newly minted PhDs can be as young as their early 20s or world-weary forty-somethings.

One thing many PhD students have in common is dissatisfaction. Some describe their work as “slave labour”. Seven-day weeks, ten-hour days, low pay and uncertain prospects are widespread. You know you are a graduate student, goes one quip, when your office is better decorated than your home and you have a favourite flavour of instant noodle. “It isn’t graduate school itself that is discouraging,” says one student, who confesses to rather enjoying the hunt for free pizza. “What’s discouraging is realising the end point has been yanked out of reach.”

Whining PhD students are nothing new, but there seem to be genuine problems with the system that produces research doctorates (the practical “professional doctorates” in fields such as law, business and medicine have a more obvious value). There is an oversupply of PhDs. Although a doctorate is designed as training for a job in academia, the number of PhD positions is unrelated to the number of job openings. Meanwhile, business leaders complain about shortages of high-level skills, suggesting PhDs are not teaching the right things. The fiercest critics compare research doctorates to Ponzi or pyramid schemes.

Rich pickings

For most of history even a first degree at a university was the privilege of a rich few, and many academic staff did not hold doctorates. But as higher education expanded after the second world war, so did the expectation that lecturers would hold advanced degrees. American universities geared up first: by 1970 America was producing just under a third of the world’s university students and half of its science and technology PhDs (at that time it had only 6% of the global population). Since then America’s annual output of PhDs has doubled, to 64,000.

Other countries are catching up. Between 1998 and 2006 the number of doctorates handed out in all OECD countries grew by 40%, compared with 22% for America. PhD production sped up most dramatically in Mexico, Portugal, Italy and Slovakia. Even Japan, where the number of young people is shrinking, churned out about 46% more PhDs. Part of that growth reflects the expansion of university education outside America. Richard Freeman, a labour economist at Harvard University, says that by 2006 America was enrolling just 12% of the world’s students.

But universities have discovered that PhD students are cheap, highly motivated and disposable labour. With more PhD students they can do more research, and in some countries more teaching, with less money. A graduate assistant at Yale might earn $20,000 a year for nine months of teaching. The average pay of full professors in America was $109,000 in 2009 — higher than the average for judges and magistrates.

Indeed, the production of PhDs has far outstripped demand for university lecturers. In a recent book, Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, an academic and a journalist, report that America produced more than 100,000 doctoral degrees between 2005 and 2009. In the same period there were just 16,000 new professorships. Using PhD students to do much of the undergraduate teaching cuts the number of full-time jobs. Even in Canada, where the output of PhD graduates has grown relatively modestly, universities conferred 4,800 doctorate degrees in 2007 but hired just 2,616 new full-time professors. Only a few fast-developing countries, such as Brazil and China, now seem short of PhDs.

A short course in supply and demand

In research the story is similar. PhD students and contract staff known as “postdocs”, described by one student as “the ugly underbelly of academia”, do much of the research these days. There is a glut of postdocs too. Dr Freeman concluded from pre-2000 data that if American faculty jobs in the life sciences were increasing at 5% a year, just 20% of students would land one. In Canada 80% of postdocs earn $38,600 or less per year before tax — the average salary of a construction worker. The rise of the postdoc has created another obstacle on the way to an academic post. In some areas five years as a postdoc is now a prerequisite for landing a secure full-time job.

These armies of low-paid PhD researchers and postdocs boost universities’, and therefore countries’, research capacity. Yet that is not always a good thing. Brilliant, well-trained minds can go to waste when fashions change. The post-Sputnik era drove the rapid growth in PhD physicists that came to an abrupt halt as the Vietnam war drained the science budget. Brian Schwartz, a professor of physics at the City University of New York, says that in the 1970s as many as 5,000 physicists had to find jobs in other areas.

In America the rise of PhD teachers’ unions reflects the breakdown of an implicit contract between universities and PhD students: crummy pay now for a good academic job later. Student teachers in public universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison formed unions as early as the 1960s, but the pace of unionisation has increased recently. Unions are now spreading to private universities; though Yale and Cornell, where university administrators and some faculty argue that PhD students who teach are not workers but apprentices, have resisted union drives. In 2002 New York University was the first private university to recognise a PhD teachers’ union, but stopped negotiating with it three years later.

In some countries, such as Britain and America, poor pay and job prospects are reflected in the number of foreign-born PhD students. Dr Freeman estimates that in 1966 only 23% of science and engineering PhDs in America were awarded to students born outside the country. By 2006 that proportion had increased to 48%. Foreign students tend to tolerate poorer working conditions, and the supply of cheap, brilliant, foreign labour also keeps wages down.

A PhD may offer no financial benefit over a master’s degree. It can even reduce earnings

Proponents of the PhD argue that it is worthwhile even if it does not lead to permanent academic employment. Not every student embarks on a PhD wanting a university career and many move successfully into private-sector jobs in, for instance, industrial research. That is true; but drop-out rates suggest that many students become dispirited. In America only 57% of doctoral students will have a PhD ten years after their first date of enrolment. In the humanities, where most students pay for their own PhDs, the figure is 49%. Worse still, whereas in other subject areas students tend to jump ship in the early years, in the humanities they cling like limpets before eventually falling off. And these students started out as the academic cream of the nation. Research at one American university found that those who finish are no cleverer than those who do not. Poor supervision, bad job prospects or lack of money cause them to run out of steam.

Even graduates who find work outside universities may not fare all that well. PhD courses are so specialised that university careers offices struggle to assist graduates looking for jobs, and supervisors tend to have little interest in students who are leaving academia. One OECD study shows that five years after receiving their degrees, more than 60% of PhDs in Slovakia and more than 45% in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany and Spain were still on temporary contracts. Many were postdocs. About one-third of Austria’s PhD graduates take jobs unrelated to their degrees. In Germany 13% of all PhD graduates end up in lowly occupations. In the Netherlands the proportion is 21%.

A very slim premium

PhD graduates do at least earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree. A study in the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management by Bernard Casey shows that British men with a bachelor’s degree earn 14% more than those who could have gone to university but chose not to. The earnings premium for a PhD is 26%. But the premium for a master’s degree, which can be accomplished in as little as one year, is almost as high, at 23%. In some subjects the premium for a PhD vanishes entirely. PhDs in maths and computing, social sciences and languages earn no more than those with master’s degrees. The premium for a PhD is actually smaller than for a master’s degree in engineering and technology, architecture and education. Only in medicine, other sciences, and business and financial studies is it high enough to be worthwhile. Over all subjects, a PhD commands only a 3% premium over a master’s degree.

Dr Schwartz, the New York physicist, says the skills learned in the course of a PhD can be readily acquired through much shorter courses. Thirty years ago, he says, Wall Street firms realised that some physicists could work out differential equations and recruited them to become “quants”, analysts and traders. Today several short courses offer the advanced maths useful for finance. “A PhD physicist with one course on differential equations is not competitive,” says Dr Schwartz.

Many students say they are pursuing their subject out of love, and that education is an end in itself. Some give little thought to where the qualification might lead. In one study of British PhD graduates, about a third admitted that they were doing their doctorate partly to go on being a student, or put off job hunting. Nearly half of engineering students admitted to this. Scientists can easily get stipends, and therefore drift into doing a PhD. But there are penalties, as well as benefits, to staying at university. Workers with “surplus schooling” — more education than a job requires — are likely to be less satisfied, less productive and more likely to say they are going to leave their jobs.

Academics tend to regard asking whether a PhD is worthwhile as analogous to wondering whether there is too much art or culture in the world. They believe that knowledge spills from universities into society, making it more productive and healthier. That may well be true; but doing a PhD may still be a bad choice for an individual.

The interests of academics and universities on the one hand and PhD students on the other are not well aligned. The more bright students stay at universities, the better it is for academics. Postgraduate students bring in grants and beef up their supervisors’ publication records. Academics pick bright undergraduate students and groom them as potential graduate students. It isn’t in their interests to turn the smart kids away, at least at the beginning. One female student spoke of being told of glowing opportunities at the outset, but after seven years of hard slog she was fobbed off with a joke about finding a rich husband.

Monica Harris, a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky, is a rare exception. She believes that too many PhDs are being produced, and has stopped admitting them. But such unilateral academic birth control is rare. One Ivy-League president, asked recently about PhD oversupply, said that if the top universities cut back others will step in to offer them instead.

Noble pursuits

Many of the drawbacks of doing a PhD are well known. Your correspondent was aware of them over a decade ago while she slogged through a largely pointless PhD in theoretical ecology. As Europeans try to harmonise higher education, some institutions are pushing the more structured learning that comes with an American PhD.

The organisations that pay for research have realised that many PhDs find it tough to transfer their skills into the job market. Writing lab reports, giving academic presentations and conducting six-month literature reviews can be surprisingly unhelpful in a world where technical knowledge has to be assimilated quickly and presented simply to a wide audience. Some universities are now offering their PhD students training in soft skills such as communication and teamwork that may be useful in the labour market. In Britain a four-year NewRoutePhD claims to develop just such skills in graduates.

The interests of universities and tenured academics are misaligned with those of PhD students

Measurements and incentives might be changed, too. Some university departments and academics regard numbers of PhD graduates as an indicator of success and compete to produce more. For the students, a measure of how quickly those students get a permanent job, and what they earn, would be more useful. Where penalties are levied on academics who allow PhDs to overrun, the number of students who complete rises abruptly, suggesting that students were previously allowed to fester.

Many of those who embark on a PhD are the smartest in their class and will have been the best at everything they have done. They will have amassed awards and prizes. As this year’s new crop of graduate students bounce into their research, few will be willing to accept that the system they are entering could be designed for the benefit of others, that even hard work and brilliance may well not be enough to succeed, and that they would be better off doing something else. They might use their research skills to look harder at the lot of the disposable academic. Someone should write a thesis about that.

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How to Choose the Best Philosophy Ph.D. Program

Factors to Consider

• Philosophical Theories & Ideas
• Major Philosophers

• Ph.D., Philosophy, Columbia University
• M.A., Philosophy, Columbia University
• B.A., Philosophy, University of Florence, Italy

Choosing a philosophy  program can be extremely difficult. In the U.S. alone, there are over 100 well-established schools granting graduate degrees (M.A., M.Phil., or Ph.D.) in philosophy. Needless to say, Canada, the U.K., Australia, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and several other countries have advanced degree programs that are well-regarded, too. How should you decide which program is best for you?

Length of the Degree and Financial Aid

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing an academic program is the length. When it comes to Ph.D. programs, U.S. departments typically require a longer period of study (between roughly four and seven years) and usually offer multi-year financial aid packages . Other countries have different systems, and in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain, it is more common to find three-year Ph.D. programs, some of which offer financial aid.

The financial aid aspect can be a decisive factor for many students. Fresh graduates of philosophy Ph.D. programs can expect to face more challenges in the job market than graduates of law school and medical school programs. Even for graduates fortunate enough to obtain an academic job after completing their degree, it can be difficult to pay off thousands of dollars in loans. For this reason, it is not recommended to begin an advanced degree in philosophy without first securing proper financial aid.

Placement Record

Another important characteristic of an advanced degree program is its placement record. What sorts of jobs have the graduates from the program secured over the last few years? The placement record can be an important indicator for prospective students.

Keep in mind that placement records can improve or weaken on the basis of changes in the reputation of the faculty members of the department and, to a smaller degree, of the institution. For instance, the philosophy departments at  New York University  and  Rutgers University  significantly transformed their reputations since the early 2000s, and in 2017 their graduates were among the most sought-after on the market.

It is, however, important to choose a program that suits the interests of the prospective student. In some cases, a relatively less-known program may actually be a student's best choice. For instance, for someone interested in phenomenology and religion, the  University of Louvain  in Belgium offers an excellent program.  Ohio State University  offers a top-notch program for students interested in the philosophy of mathematics. Because Ph.D. programs take years to complete and require a great investment on the part of the student, it is important to find a school where the student can engage intellectually with other students and faculty on the subjects that most interest them. That may be, in some cases, a prestigious name-brand school. It may also be a smaller school that happens to be less prestigious.

Enrolling in a Ph.D. program often requires relocating—to a new country, a new city, a new neighborhood. Before making this drastic change, students should consider the location of the school and ask themselves whether they believe they can thrive in that environment. A sleepy college town may be the perfect study-zone for some students. Others may be more comfortable in a crowded city.

Prestigious Departments

Which schools have the most prestigious philosophy departments? It depends on how you measure prestige. Programs are always changing, and star faculty sometimes move from one program to another. Nevertheless, there are a number of schools that are known for the strength of their philosophy programs. They include Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, University of Pittsburgh, M.I.T., University of Pennsylvania, U.C.L.A., Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, Columbia University and the University of Chicago.

Department Rankings

For more detailed information about how different schools compete, students can consult department rankings. The most influential ranking is probably the Philosophical Gourmet Report , edited by Professor Brian Leiter of the University of Chicago. The report, based on the evaluations of 300 faculty members, also contains a number of useful additional resources for prospective students.

More recently, the Pluralist’s Guide to Philosophy Graduate Programs  has offered an alternative perspective on the strength of various philosophy departments. This guide focuses on a number of research areas that are not as prominent in Leiter's report.

Another ranking that deserves some attention is the Hartmann Report , edited by graduate student John Hartmann .

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What You Need to Know Before Getting a PhD in Philosophy

Is a getting PhD in Philosophy an attainable career option in today’s world?

Whether you are interested in influencing academia or becoming a scholar at a think tank, obtaining a doctorate degree in philosophy can be a rewarding and realistic step in your career—if you are willing to work hard.

Even getting into a graduate program can be competitive. Dr. Bill Glod notes that there could be over 200 applicants for every five spots at some of the top schools. But with the proper planning, you can be successful despite the competitive field.

In the podcast below, Dr. Glod walks you how to get into a good PhD program—and what to expect once you enroll—so that you can succeed in this field.

A few things you should think about before getting a PhD in Philosophy:

• Whether a PhD in Philosophy is really right for you, and how to prepare for a career in Philosophy as an undergraduate.
• Different types of programs in Philosophy.
• Different methodologies you’ll encounter within the field.
• How to approach the application process if you are sympathetic to classical liberal ideas.
• How many programs you should apply to, and what you should be looking for in a program.
• What classes to take once you enroll.

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Doctoral Program

Stanford's Ph.D. program is among the world's best. Our graduate students receive their training in a lively community of philosophers engaged in a wide range of philosophical projects. Our Ph.D. program trains students in traditional core areas of philosophy and provides them with opportunities to explore many subfields such as the philosophy of literature, nineteenth-century German philosophy, and medieval philosophy.

Among other areas, we are exceptionally strong in Kant studies, the philosophy of action, ancient philosophy, logic, and the philosophy of science. We attract some of the best students from around the world and we turn them into accomplished philosophers ready to compete for the best jobs in a very tight job market.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in   t he Bulletin .  

CHECK PHD REQUIREMENTS

From the 2020-2021 edition of Explore Degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy

Prospective graduate students should see the  Office of Graduate Admissions  web site for information and application materials. 

The University's basic requirements for the Ph.D. degree including candidacy, residence, dissertation, and examination are discussed in the " Graduate Degrees " section of this bulletin.

University candidacy requirements, published in the " Candidacy " section of this bulletin, apply to all Ph.D. students. Admission to a doctoral degree program is preliminary to, and distinct from, admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty in the department or school of the student's potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy at the beginning of the seventh academic quarter, normally the Autumn Quarter of the student's third year.

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is granted by the major department following a student's successful completion of qualifying procedures as determined by the department. Departmental policy determines procedures for subsequent attempts to become advanced to candidacy in the event that the student does not successfully complete the procedures. Failure to advance to candidacy results in the dismissal of the student from the doctoral program; see the " Guidelines for Dismissal of Graduate Students for Academic Reasons " section of this bulletin.

The requirements detailed here are department requirements. These requirements are meant to balance structure and flexibility in allowing students, in consultation with their  advisors , to take a path through the program that gives them a rigorous and broad philosophical education, with room to focus on areas of particular interest, and with an eye to completing the degree with an excellent dissertation and a solid preparation for a career in academic philosophy.

Normally, all courses used to satisfy the distribution requirements for the Philosophy Ph.D. are Stanford courses taken as part of a student's graduate program.  In special circumstances, a student may petition to use a very small number of graduate-level courses taken at other institutions to satisfy a distribution requirement.  To be approved for this purpose, the student’s work in such a graduate-level course would need to involve an appropriate subject matter and would need to be judged by the department to be at the level of an 'A' in a corresponding graduate-level course at Stanford.  

Courses used to satisfy any course requirement in Philosophy (except Teaching Methods and the summer Dissertation Development Seminar) must be passed with a letter grade of 'B-' or better (no satisfactory/no credit), except in the case of a course/seminar used to satisfy the third-year course/seminar requirement and taken for only 2 units. Such a reduced-unit third-year course/seminar must be taken credit/no credit. 

At the end of each year, the department reviews the progress of each student to determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress, and on that basis to make decisions about probationary status and termination from the program where appropriate.

Any student in one of the Ph.D. programs may apply for the M.A. when all University and department requirements have been met.

Proficiency Requirements

• First-year Ph.D. Proseminar : a one quarter, topically focused seminar offered in Autumn Quarter, and required of all first-year students.
• two courses in value theory including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law. At least one of the courses satisfying this distribution requirement must be in ethics or political philosophy.
• Two courses in language, mind, and action. One course satisfying this requirement must be drawn from the language related courses, and one from mind and action related courses.
• two courses in metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science). At least one of the courses satisfying this requirement must be drawn from either metaphysics or epistemology.
• Instructors indicate which courses may satisfy particular requirements. If a course potentially satisfies more than one requirement the student may use it for only one of those area requirements; no units may be double-counted. Students must develop broad competencies in all these areas. Those without strong backgrounds in these areas would normally satisfy these distribution requirements by taking more basic courses rather than highly specialized and focused courses. Students should consult with their advisor in making these course decisions, and be prepared to explain these decisions when reviewed for candidacy; see requirement 6 below.
• Logic requirement:  PHIL 150  Mathematical Logic or equivalent.
• History/logic requirement. One approved course each in ancient and modern philosophy, plus either another approved history of philosophy course or  PHIL 151  Metalogic.
• Students should normally take at least 64 graduate level units at Stanford during their first six quarters (in many cases students would take more units than that) and of those total units, at least 49 units of course work are to be in the Philosophy department. These courses must be numbered above 110, but not including Teaching Methods ( PHIL 239  Teaching Methods in Philosophy) or affiliated courses. Units of Individual Directed Reading are normally not to be counted toward this 49-unit requirement unless there is special permission from the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
•  Prior to candidacy, at least 3 units of work must be taken with each of four Stanford faculty members.

Writing Requirement: Second Year Paper

The second year paper should demonstrate good scholarship and argumentative rigor, and be a polished piece of writing approximately 8000 words in length. The second year paper need not bear any specific relationship to the dissertation. It may be a version of a prospective dissertation chapter, but this is not required. The final version must be turned in on the last class of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar in Summer Quarter of the second year. Extensions of this deadline require the consent of the instructor of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar and the Director of Graduate Studies and are only granted in exceptional cases (e.g., documented illness, family crisis). The final paper is read by a committee of two faculty members and it is an important consideration in the department’s decision on the student’s candidacy. 

Teaching Assistancy

A minimum of five quarters of teaching assistancy are required for the Ph.D. Normally one of these quarters is as a teaching assistant for the Philosophy Department's Writing in the Major course,  PHIL 80  Mind, Matter, and Meaning. It is expected that students not teach in their first year and that they teach no more than two quarters in their second year. Students are required to take  PHIL 239  Teaching Methods in Philosophy during Spring Quarter of their first year and during Autumn Quarter of their second year. Teaching is an important part of students’ preparation to be professional philosophers.

Review at the End of the Second Year for Advancement to Candidacy

The faculty's review of each student includes a review of the student's record, an assessment of the second year paper, and an assessment of the student's preparation for work in her/his intended area of specialization, as well as recommendations of additional preparation, if necessary.

To continue in the Ph.D. program, each student must apply for candidacy at the beginning of the sixth academic quarter, normally the Spring Quarter of the student's second year. Students may be approved for or denied candidacy by the end of that quarter by the department. In some cases, where there are only one or two outstanding deficiencies, the department may defer the candidacy decision and require the student to re-apply for candidacy in a subsequent quarter. In such cases, definite conditions for the candidacy re-application must be specified, and the student must work with the advisor and the DGS to meet those conditions in a timely fashion. A failure to maintain timely progress in satisfying the specified conditions constitutes grounds for withholding travel and discretionary funds and for a denial of advancement to candidacy.

• Writing Seminar : In the Summer Quarter after the second year, students are required to attend the Second Year Paper Development Seminar. The seminar is intended to help students complete their second year papers. 
• Upon completion of the summer writing seminar, students must sign up for independent study credit,  PHIL 240  Individual Work for Graduate Students, with their respective advisors each quarter. A plan at the beginning, and a report at the end, of each quarter must be signed by both student and advisor and submitted to the graduate administrator for inclusion in the student's file. This is the process every quarter until the completion of the departmental oral.
• In Autumn and Winter quarters of the third year, students register in and satisfactorily complete  PHIL 301  Dissertation Development Proseminar. Students meet to present their work in progress and discuss their thesis project. Participation in these seminars is required.
• During the third and fourth years in the program, a student should complete at least three graduate-level courses/seminars, at least two of them in philosophy (a course outside philosophy can be approved by the advisor), and at least two of them in the third year. The three seminars can be taken credit/no-credit for reduced (2) units. Courses required for candidacy are not counted toward satisfaction of this requirement. This light load of courses allows students to deepen their philosophical training while keeping time free for thesis research.

Dissertation Work and Defense

The third and following years are devoted to dissertation work. The few requirements in this segment of the program are milestones to encourage students and advisors to ensure that the project is on track.

• Dissertation Proposal— By Spring Quarter of the third year, students should have selected a dissertation topic and committee. A proposal sketching the topic, status, and plan for the thesis project, as well as an annotated bibliography or literature review indicating familiarity with the relevant literature, must be received by the committee one week before the meeting on graduate student progress late in Spring Quarter. The dissertation proposal and the reading committee's report on it will constitute a substantial portion of the third year review.
• Departmental Oral— During Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, students take an oral examination based on at least 30 pages of written work, in addition to the proposal. The aim of the exam is to help the student arrive at an acceptable plan for the dissertation and to make sure that student, thesis topic, and advisors make a reasonable fit. It is an important chance for the student to clarify their goals and intentions with the entire committee present.
• Fourth-Year Colloquium— No later than Spring Quarter of the fourth year, students present a research paper in a 60-minute seminar open to the entire department. This paper should be on an aspect of the student's dissertation research. This is an opportunity for the student to make their work known to the wider department, and to explain their ideas to a general philosophical audience.
• University Oral Exam— Ph.D. students must submit a completed draft of the dissertation to the reading committee at least one month before the student expects to defend the thesis in the University oral exam. If the student is given consent to go forward, the University oral can take place approximately two weeks later. A portion of the exam consists of a student presentation based on the dissertation and is open to the public. A closed question period follows. If the draft is ready by Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, the student may request that the University oral count as the department oral.

Below are yearly lists of courses which the faculty have approved to fulfill distribution requirements in these areas: value theory (including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law); language; mind and action; metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science); logic; ancient philosophy; modern philosophy.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in  t he Bulletin .  

Ph.D. Minor in Philosophy

To obtain a Ph.D. minor in Philosophy, students must follow these procedures:

• Consult with the Director of Graduate Study to establish eligibility, and select a suitable  advisor .
• 30 units of courses in the Department of Philosophy with a letter grade of 'B-' or better in each course. No more than 3 units of directed reading may be counted in the 30-unit requirement.
• Philosophy of science
• Ethics, value theory, and moral and political philosophy
• Metaphysics and epistemology
• Language, mind and action
• History of philosophy
• Two additional courses numbered over 199 to be taken in one of those (b) six areas.
• A faculty member from the Department of Philosophy (usually the student's advisor) serves on the student's doctoral oral examination committee and may request that up to one third of this examination be devoted to the minor subject.
• Paperwork for the minor must be submitted to the department office before beginning the program.

Interdisciplinary Study

The department supports interdisciplinary study. Courses in Stanford's other departments and programs may be counted towards the degree, and course requirements in Philosophy are designed to allow students considerable freedom in taking such courses. Dissertation committees may include members from other departments. Where special needs arise, the department is committed to making it possible for students to obtain a philosophical education and to meet their interdisciplinary goals. Students are advised to consult their advisors and the department's student services office for assistance.

Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Philosophy participates with the departments of Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology in an interdisciplinary program in Cognitive Science. It is intended to provide an interdisciplinary education, as well as a deeper concentration in philosophy, and is open to doctoral students. Students who complete the requirements within Philosophy and the Cognitive Science requirements receive a special designation in Cognitive Science along with the Ph.D. in Philosophy. To receive this field designation, students must complete 30 units of approved courses, 18 of which must be taken in two disciplines outside of philosophy. The list of approved courses can be obtained from the Cognitive Science program located in the Department of Psychology.

Special Track in Philosophy and Symbolic Systems

Students interested in interdisciplinary work relating philosophy to artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, linguistics, or logic may pursue a degree in this program.

Prerequisites—Admitted students should have covered the equivalent of the core of the undergraduate Symbolic Systems Program requirements as described in the " Symbolic Systems " section of the Stanford Bulletin, including courses in artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive science, linguistics, logic, and philosophy. The graduate program is designed with this background in mind. Students missing part of this background may need additional course work. In addition to the required course work listed in the bulletin, the Ph.D. requirements are the same as for the regular program, with the exception that one course in value theory and one course in history may be omitted.

Joint Program in Ancient Philosophy

This program is jointly administered by the Departments of Classics and Philosophy and is overseen by a joint committee composed of members of both departments:

•         Christopher Bobonich , Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Ethics)
•         Alan Code , Philosophy, Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Metaphysics)
•         Reviel Netz , Classics (History of Greek and Pre-Modern Mathematics)
•         Andrea Nightingale , Classics, (Greek and Roman Philosophy and Literature)
•        Josh Ober , Classics and Political Science (Greek Political Thought, Democratic Theory)

It provides students with the training, specialist skills, and knowledge needed for research and teaching in ancient philosophy while producing scholars who are fully trained as either philosophers with a strong specialization in ancient languages and philology, or classicists with a concentration in philosophy.

Students are admitted to the program by either department. Graduate students admitted by the Philosophy department receive their Ph.D. from the Philosophy department; those admitted by the Classics department receive their Ph.D. from the Classics department. For Philosophy graduate students, this program provides training in classical languages, literature, culture, and history. For Classics graduate students, this program provides training in the history of philosophy and in contemporary philosophy.

Each student in the program is advised by a committee consisting of one professor in each department.

Requirements for Philosophy Graduate Students: These are the same as the proficiency requirements for the Ph.D. in Philosophy.

One year of Greek is a requirement for admission to the program. If students have had a year of Latin, they are required to take 3 courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin, at least one of which must be in Latin. If they have not had a year of Latin, they are then required to complete a year of Latin, and take two courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin.

Students are also required to take at least three courses in ancient philosophy at the 200 level or above, one of which must be in the Classics department and two of which must be in the Philosophy department.

Ph.D. Subplan in History and Philosophy of Science

Graduate students in the Philosophy Ph.D. program may pursue a Ph.D. subplan in History and Philosophy of Science. The subplan is declared in Axess and subplan designations appear on the official transcript, but are not printed on the diploma.

1.  Attendance at the HPS colloquium series. 2.  Philosophy of Science courses.  Select one of the following:

• PHIL 263 Significant Figures in Philosophy of Science: Einstein
• PHIL 264: Central Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Theory and Evidence
• PHIL 264A: Central Topics in Philosophy of Science: Causation
• PHIL 265: Philosophy of Physics: Space and Time
• PHIL 265C: Philosophy of Physics: Probability and Relativity
• PHIL 266: Probability: Ten Great Ideas About Chance
• PHIL 267A:  Philosophy of Biology
• PHIL 267B: Philosophy, Biology, and Behavior

3.  One elective seminar in the history of science. 4.  One elective seminar (in addition to the course satisfying requirement 2) in philosophy of science.

The PhD program provide 5 years of  financial support . We also try to provide support for our sixth year students and beyond though we cannot guarantee such support. In addition to covering tuition, providing a stipend, and covering Stanford's health insurance, we provide additional funds for books, computer equipment, and conference travel expenses. Some of the financial support is provided through requiring you to teach; however, our teaching requirement is quite low and we believe that this is a significant advantage of our program.

Stanford Support Programs

Additional support, such as advances, medical and emergency grants for Grad Students are available through the Financial Aid Office. The University has created the following programs specifically for graduate students dealing with challenging financial situations.

Graduate Financial Aid  homepage :

https://financialaid.stanford.edu/grad/funding/

Cash Advance:  https://sfs.stanford.edu/gradcashadvance

Emergency grant-in-aid :  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/emergencygrant-in-aid.pdf, family grants:  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/gradfamilygrant2021.pdf, housing loans:  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/loans/other/gradhousing.html, program characteristics.

Our program is well known for its small size, streamlined teaching requirements, and low average time to degree.

The program regulations are designed to efficiently provide students with a broad base in their first two years. In the third year students transition to working on their dissertations. During the summer prior to the third year, students are required to attend a dissertation development seminar. This seminar introduces students to what is involved in writing a dissertation. During the third year the course load drops to just under one course per quarter.

The rest of the time is spent working closely with a faculty member, or a couple of faculty members, on the student's area of research interest. The goal of the third year is that this process of intensive research and one-on-one interaction will generate a topic and proposal for the dissertation. During the fourth and fifth year the student is not required to take any courses and he or she focusses exclusively on research and writing on the dissertation.

Stanford University

Being a part of  Stanford University  means that students have access to one of the premier education institutions in the world. Stanford is replete with top departments in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition, our professional schools, such as the  Stanford Law School , are among the best. The range of research in a variety of areas, many of which touch on or relate to philosophical issues, is simply astounding. Students have the freedom to take courses across the university. Graduate students also regularly earn joint degrees with other programs.

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Online PhD in Philosophy degree is a distance learning program that enables students to earn their Philosophy doctorate degree online. The Philosophy online PhD curriculum is largely the same as traditional Philosophy doctorate programs, and students take courses in subjects such as epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, historical concepts and other Philosophy topics. In addition to coursework, students must also complete a research dissertation.

An online PhD in Philosophy can be an excellent way to pursue your passion for Philosophy while maintaining your current lifestyle and commitments. Online courses offer flexibility and convenience, allowing you to study at your own pace and on your own schedule. In addition, online PhD programs typically allow you to choose from a variety of courses, giving you the opportunity to tailor your studies to your specific interests. And because online programs are often more affordable than traditional programs, an online doctorate in Philosophy can be a great option for those on a budget.

Yes. A doctorate in Philosophy opens up many career opportunities for graduates. While many people assume that those with a doctoral degree in Philosophy will only be able to find work as professors in academia, this is not the case. In fact, there are many more positions that a PhD Philosophy diploma holder can work in.

See some examples below:

• Research positions:  Many businesses and organizations hire research staff to help them gain a better understanding of their customers or target market. A PhD in Philosophy can be an excellent foundation for a career in research, as it develops critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Policy analysis:  Policy analysts use their skills to assess the impact of government policies on issues such as economic growth, social welfare, and environmental protection. If you’re interested in working in this field, then a PhD in Philosophy can give you the ability to think deeply about complex problems and develop well-reasoned solutions.
• Writing:  A PhD in Philosophy can lead to a career as a writer or editor. If you enjoy communicating ideas through writing, then this could be an excellent way to use your skills. There is a growing demand for top tier writers who can communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely, making this an exciting field to consider.
• Consulting:  Many businesses hire consultants to provide them with expert advice on various topics. If you have high level expertise in a particular area of Philosophy, and of course a PhD is the highest level, then you may be able to find work as a consultant. This can be an excellent way to use your skills to help businesses make better decisions and solve problems more effectively.

PhD philosophers at the top of their career can expect to make an average of about  $90,000 per year. With time and experience, you could make much more than that.

An online doctoral degree program in Philosophy usually takes four to four to six years to complete. The first two years are typically spent completing coursework, with the remaining time devoted to writing and defending a dissertation. Many online PhD programs allow applicants to complete their coursework at their own pace, which can help to shorten the overall duration of the program. Some programs offer students the opportunity to complete their degree in as little as three years. While pursuing a PhD philosophy online may take longer to earn than a traditional PhD, it can come with the kind of flexibility that is suitable for those who are not in so much hurry – those who want to study while attending to other commitments of work or personal life. .

The best Philosophy Online PhD programs in 2024

This list of the top online Philosophy PhD certificate programs is based on analyzing the universities that do offer this program online. Of course, it must be noted that while many universities offer this course, not all of them offer the online option. The universities on this list are all highly accredited and respected institutions, and they all provide an excellent education in Philosophy. So if you’re looking for the best online Philosophy PhD program, you can find a suitable one here.

The  PhD in Philosophy  at Birmingham University is a research-intensive degree that equips students with the right skills to pursue their goals in career or personal interests.  Birmingham University is a top-rated university for Philosophy PhDs, and students may expect excellent education and research opportunities from the faculty. The faculty are experienced and passionate about their work, and you’ll be able to learn from the best while you’re in the program.

The program is highly competitive as the university accepts only a limited number of students each year, meaning they only admit not everyone but the very best.

You can choose to study for your Philosophy PhD in the traditional PhD approach, or through the PhD by Papers option. The latter means that you’ll have the chance to submit thematically unified papers on a range of topics, and you’ll also be given the opportunity to attend research seminars and present your papers. Either way, you’ll be supervised by a team of experienced academics, and you’ll have access to world-class PhD support.

Birmingham is among the very first Philosophy departments to offer a PhD by Papers option in the United Kingdom. This style of PhD thesis is common in the U.S. so students and graduates really love it. But not many UK Philosophy departments are offering it.

The program’s supervision is organized into the following areas:

• Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Logic
• Philosophy of Mathematics
• Moral Philosophy (theoretical and practical)
• Metaphysics and Epistemology
• Philosophy of Religion

It might interest you to learn that Birmingham’s department of Philosophy was ranked 1st in the United Kingdom in the “Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021,  based on Grade Point Average (Times Higher Education)”. So you can be confident that you’re going to be learning from some of the best philosophers you can think of.

The  PhD in Philosophy  from the University of Buffalo is a well structured doctorate that has led many graduates to exciting careers paths. Graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy from the University of Buffalo are prepared for careers as college professors, researchers, or professionals in a variety of fields such as law, medicine, business, and government. The coursework for a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Buffalo includes studies in the history of Philosophy, ethical theory, logic, and more. Students also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of Philosophy such as metaphysics, epistemology, or aesthetics. With a PhD in Philosophy from the University at Buffalo, graduates are prepared to enter into a variety of intellectually stimulating and rewarding careers.

The University of Buffalo’s Philosophy department is widely acknowledged among Anglo-American departments in the field of Philosophy. It’s indeed one of the best in the core sub disciplines of Philosophy that also cut across historical periods. Special interests, deep philosophical orientations, and a strong bond between students and faculty are some of the attributes that define the Philosophy department as a whole.

The program applies a hybrid learning model, meaning  some courses  can be taken on campus while others can be taken online. Students are required to complete 72 credit hours over a 5 year period of full time study. The application fee is $75, but can vary with time.

This PhD Philosophy program is formally registered and duly recognized by the New York State Education Department (SED).

The  doctoral program in Philosophy  at Sofia University St.Kliment Ohridski is a prestigious program that is highly competitive, and only the most qualified students are admitted. The program offers a comprehensive high-quality education in Philosophy, with a focus on research and writing. Students in the program will have the opportunity to work with some of the most respected scholars in the field. The program is designed to prepare students for careers as philosophers, teachers, or researchers. Graduates of the program have gone on to careers in academia, government, and the private sector.

This program allows students to take on-campus courses and distance learning taught online in what the University describes as the Bulgarian version.

Key areas of the Western Philosophy are covered in the course. Students have the option of writing their doctoral dissertation on a topic of their choice in the area of Eastern Philosophy. An expert in Eastern Philosophy is provided by the University for the students who would like to base their dissertation on this area of study.

While the faculty is responsible for the overall direction that the research takes, students are also given the freedom to pursue their preferences upon discussing with their supervisors.

The program enjoys recognition around the world, including North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The  Philosophy PhD program  at Sussex University is an excellent way to pursue advanced studies in this fascinating field. The Philosophy department at Sussex is one of the most highly regarded in the UK, and the online PhD program feature is a flexible and convenient way to earn your PhD. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad foundation in the history of Philosophy, as well as in-depth knowledge of specific areas of interest. You will have the opportunity to work with leading scholars in the field, and the program provides ample opportunity for independent research. Whether you are interested in ancient Philosophy or contemporary issues, a Philosophy PhD at Sussex University will give you the tools you need to become a leading thinker in the field.

The Philosophy department is friendly, inclusive and open-minded, like all the departments across the programs in this list. These attributes are important for a PhD program like this where studies are based on subjects that require a lively  environment where students can comfortably engage in critical thinking plus healthy sharing.

Students get a chance to work with some of the most accomplished scholars, some of whom are working on revolutionary projects. Weekly workshops provide the perfect environment for students and faculty to engage in robust discussions that bring out the best in the program.

A thesis of 80,000 words is the climax of this program, signaling the end of a beautiful PhD Philosophy journey that will open doors to lucrative opportunities. Should your thesis project workload demand, the faculty can allow you to work with up to two supervisors .

Some of the research experiences at Sussex University’s Philosophy department include but are not limited to subfields:

• Political Philosophy
• Epistemology
• Post-Kantian Philosophy
• Islamic Philosophy
• Feminist Philosophy; sex and gender
• Philosophy of logic

The  Philosophy Ph.D  at Staffordshire University is designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field of philosophy. The program is delivered in a flexible manner, allowing you to study at your own pace and from anywhere in the world.

This program is best suited for students who are interested in pursuing the with a keen interest the below areas of Philosophy:

• The work of Friedrich Nietzsche
• Phenomenology (especially Heidegger)
• Poststructuralism
• The work of Michel Foucault
• The work of Michel Serres
• Posthumanism
• French epistemology and Philosophy of science
• Theory and practice based Philosophy subjects

One of the best things about the Philosophy program at Staffordshire University is that students are allocated a lead supervisor plus up to two other supervisors in support capacity. The supervisors are committed to assisting their students to create a strong foundation and build up towards solid success not only in the classroom but also in their career goals.

Besides the core research , students are also expected to participate in departmental activities. This could be anything from contributing in research seminars to taking part in reading groups with fellow students. You might also be called  upon to help organize conferences and play active roles in the coordination of visiting speakers.

Final Remarks

Philosophy is perhaps one of the most interesting areas of study. A PhD in philosophy makes it even more exciting as it propels your specialization to the highest level. Besides unlocking a world of opportunities, you also get to appreciate the finer aspects that define our lives. Not long ago, many aspiring PhD Philosophy students could not have fulfilled their dreams of reaching this level. But things have changed these days and now the availability of PhDs in philosophy online programs means that the costs have come down considerably, making it accessible for many people who may not have been able to afford it.

Cost is not the only parameter that makes this a great time to pursue online Ph.D. Philosophy programs.  It’s also about convenience. For those who are passionate about studying philosophy to the highest level but have no time or do not wish to attend in person full-time, then these programs no doubt present the perfect opportunity to fulfill your desires.

PHD in Economics, Associate Professor, Department of Business Process Management, Faculty of Market Technologies IOM

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As a PhD student in the Harvard philosophy program, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your ideas, knowledge, and abilities. You'll work with other doctoral students, our faculty, and visiting scholars, all in a stimulating and supportive environment. The program has strengths across a broad range of topics and areas, so you'll be able to pursue your interests wherever they may lead, especially in moral and political philosophy, aesthetics, epistemology, philosophy of logic, philosophy of language, the history of analytic philosophy, ancient philosophy, Immanuel Kant, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. In addition, students can pursue joint degrees with classics, Harvard Law School, and in Indian philosophy.

Incoming cohorts consist of five to eight students per year. You will have substantial access to our renowned faculty and all the resources that Harvard makes available. This relatively small size also gives students a sense of intellectual community.

The curriculum is structured to help you make your way towards a dissertation: graduate-level coursework, a second-year research paper, a prospectus to help you identify a dissertation topic, and then the dissertation itself. Past dissertations in the department have addressed a broad range of topics: Aristotle, Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau; contemporary moral and political philosophy; metaphysics; epistemology; and logic.

In addition to your research, you will also have the opportunity to develop your teaching skills in many different settings across the University.

You can find graduates of the PhD program in many universities. Some of our students have gone on to faculty positions at Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, and Stanford University. Other graduates have gone on to diverse careers in, among others, the arts, the law, secondary education, and technology.

In addition to the standard PhD in philosophy, the department offers a PhD in classical philosophy in collaboration with the Department of the Classics and a coordinated JD/PhD program in conjunction with Harvard Law School.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Philosophy and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Philosophy | Classical Philosophy | Indian Philosophy 

For information please consult the Department webpage on the  graduate program overview .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Philosophy .

Academic Background

Applicants to the program in Philosophy are required to have a solid undergraduate background in philosophy, indicating that they have a good grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as familiarity with contemporary work in ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and logic.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be between 12 to 30 pages long. The sample must address a substantial philosophical problem, whether it is an evaluation or presentation of an argument, or a serious attempt to interpret a difficult text. The upload of the writing sample should be formatted for 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper, 1-inch margins, with double-spaced text in a common 12-point font, such as Times New Roman.

Applicants seeking admission to the coordinated JD/PhD program must apply to and be separately admitted to Harvard Law School and the Department of Philosophy.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Philosophy

See list of Philosophy faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Doctor of Philosophy

The PhD programs advance scientific discovery by training and supporting students doing in-depth research that solves the world’s biggest public health challenges. At the forefront of efforts to benefit the health of people worldwide, the School offers students the opportunity to join in shaping new ideas in public health and implementing them effectively. PhD students benefit from collaborations across public health disciplines and a broad range of academic fields through connections with other Harvard faculties.

All PhD students conduct research through a dissertation, in addition to other avenues of discovery. All PhD programs at Harvard University are administered by the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), and applications are processed through the GSAS online application system . Choose from one of four PhD programs offered collaboratively between Harvard Chan School and GSAS.

• Abbreviation : PhD
• Degree format : On campus  
• Time commitment : Full-time  
• Average program length : Varies between 4 to 7 years based on program

When applying to the PhD, applicants must choose one of the following specialized fields of study. Eligibility requirements vary by program and field of study.  

• Biological Sciences in Public Health
• Biostatistics
• Health Policy
• Environmental health
• Epidemiology
• Global health and population
• Social and behavioral sciences

Career outcomes vary based on field of study and research, but in general, PhD graduates will be prepared for a career in academia, health policy, government agencies, consulting, the pharmaceutical or biomedical industry, and generally improving lives through qualitative and quantitative research.

Admission information

Like all PhD (doctor of philosophy) programs at the School—and the University—the PhD in health policy is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Applications are processed through the GSAS online application system located at gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply .

wonderphilosophy

What can you do with a philosophy phd, the glorious path.

The “expected” career choice for philosophy, as it is for many humanities fields, is still the professorship. Professorship comes in different degrees of prestige, too. At the top of the ladder is someone who has job security (“tenure”, which is a status that makes it extremely difficult for a university to fire you) who works at a research-focused university (colloquially called an “R1”). More concretely, an R1 university for a philosopher is one where its philosophy department trains PhD students. There are also departments that only train master’s students. They may be at schools with comparably less research (sometimes referred to as “R2″s), but can also be at a large R1 who happens to have a small philosophy department.

Other than these, there are also universities that do no have graduate programs. They tend to be liberal arts colleges, or LACs (sometimes SLACs for small LACs or selective LACs). Another term you might encounter is PUIs, or primarily undergraduate institutions, which include both LACs and regional universities that grant 4-year degrees but do not have graduate students. One can also hold a tenured position at a community college (CC).

In general, professors at R1/R2s are expected to spend most of their time researching — publishing papers and attending conferences — and secondarily on supervising graduate students and doing administrative work. Most of them are not rewarded for undergraduate teaching. If you have had bad professors as an undergrad in a big research university, this might be why. In contrast, PUIs and CCs place a lot more emphasis on teaching.

Traditionally, the highest-regarded job is the tenured R1 professorship. Many graduate programs (especially prestigious ones) still assume that R1 is the obvious goal of their graduate students. Some academics still believe that choosing a teaching job (PUI or CC) over an R1 when one has the ability to pursue R1 is a waste of talent. Graduate students who find themselves enjoying teaching more than research often feel the need to hide this from others.

It is my impression that more programs are starting to recognize and respect the desire of philosophically talented students to pursue teaching careers. However, teaching jobs are very different from research jobs and, by definition, professors at graduate programs hold research jobs. Consequently, not all programs go out of their ways to provide students with adequate teaching training. If teaching is something you are seriously considering, it is worth some effort assessing the degree of openness and support a department has on this front.

The shadowy isles

Not all teaching staff has tenure. In fact, if you come from a big research university, chances are that some lower-level classes you took were taught by “adjuncts”. Adjuncts are teaching personnel who work on a contract basis. They hold PhDs just like tenured professors, but are often paid less than a fraction in salary, sometimes putting them below the poverty line. In fact, the “adjunctification of higher education” (the increased use of adjunct staff over full-time staff) is a huge social justice problem right now. If you are interested, just google “adjunct crisis”.

The problem (one of the many problems) adjuncts face is that, while most people take on adjunctship as a temporary financial solution in the search of the tenure track, many end up being stuck as adjuncts. This is because adjuncts often have to work extreme hours to keep financially afloat, leaving no time to build a competitive research profile.

Another form of temporary employment is the post doctoral fellowship (or “post-doc”). Post-docs differ vastly, with some offering great salary with no teaching duty and others being essentially the same as adjuncts.

According to the 2017 report by the Academic Placement Data and Analysis of “graduates between 2012 and 2016 … 36% are in permanent academic positions, 40% are in temporary academic positions”. In other words, being a professor in the way that your undergraduate professors are is far from guaranteed by a PhD from even the best programs. In fact, it is perhaps more rational to approach the “should I pursue a PhD?” question with the assumption of not able to land a professorship.

The rest of the world

What about the world outside of academia? The situation is similar to that of teaching jobs, except many times more extreme. That is, many academics still consider jobs outside of academia (also known as “industry” jobs) as a sign of professional failure and last resort. Students who have such aspirations often have to hide them from their departments, as departments sometimes withhold resources, intentionally or not, from students who are “wasting talent and education” by not pursuing academic jobs. In general, alternative to academia (or “alt-ac”) career path is still a delicate issue.

I believe the situation is improving, if only slowly. Graduate students, including some of the founders of wonderphilosophy, are calling attention to alt-ac acceptance and support. I know of a number of professors who are supportive of alt-ac. Nevertheless, since successful academics tend to be life-long academics, it is difficult for them to provide alt-ac support. I believe the APDA (mentioned above) is trying to contribute in that direction.

If alt-ac is something you’d like to consider, it is also important to assess the general attitude a department holds in this regard. Alt-ac attitude is, in my experience, easier to assess than teaching attitude, since academics tend to be less apologetic at declaring their contempt (if they do hold it) towards industry jobs than towards teaching.

And the chaos in between

Many things can happen during the 5, 6, 7 years it takes (Note: do not go to a program whose normative time to degree is more than 6 years) for you to complete a PhD. It is probably unwise to plan to stick to one plan.

Still, PhD training is, at the core of it, a professional training . It trains you for a specific profession, and all statistics show that this specific professional demand does not meet the trained supply, and PhD training has been slow to adapt to this fact. While I certainly think it’s not true to claim (as some do) that graduate training in philosophy is a “waste of time” if you do not go into professional philosophy, I think it’s wise to keep your eyes, minds, and options open during the entirety of this process.

If you have questions about this page, or would like to suggest additions/corrections, please let us know through our contact form.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Additional Information

• Download the Doctoral Viewbook
• Admissions & Aid

The Harvard Ph.D. in Education trains cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines to generate knowledge and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

Offered jointly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Ph.D. in Education provides you with full access to the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and prepares you to assume meaningful roles as university faculty, researchers, senior-level education leaders, and policymakers.

As a Ph.D. candidate, you will collaborate with scholars across all Harvard graduate schools on original interdisciplinary research. In the process, you will help forge new fields of inquiry that will impact the way we teach and learn. The program’s required coursework will develop your knowledge of education and your expertise in a range of quantitative and qualitative methods needed to conduct high-quality research. Guided by the goal of making a transformative impact on education research, policy, and practice, you will focus on independent research in various domains, including human development, learning and teaching, policy analysis and evaluation, institutions and society, and instructional practice.   

Curriculum Information

The Ph.D. in Education requires five years of full-time study to complete. You will choose your individual coursework and design your original research in close consultation with your HGSE faculty adviser and dissertation committee. The requirements listed below include the three Ph.D. concentrations: Culture, Institutions, and Society; Education Policy and Program Evaluation; and Human Development, Learning and Teaching . 

We invite you to review an example course list, which is provided in two formats — one as the full list by course number and one by broad course category . These lists are subject to modification. 

Ph.D. Concentrations and Examples

Summary of Ph.D. Program

Doctoral Colloquia  In year one and two you are required to attend. The colloquia convenes weekly and features presentations of work-in-progress and completed work by Harvard faculty, faculty and researchers from outside Harvard, and Harvard doctoral students. Ph.D. students present once in the colloquia over the course of their career.

Research Apprenticeship The Research Apprenticeship is designed to provide ongoing training and mentoring to develop your research skills throughout the entire program.

Teaching Fellowships The Teaching Fellowship is an opportunity to enhance students' teaching skills, promote learning consolidation, and provide opportunities to collaborate with faculty on pedagogical development.

Comprehensive Exams  The Written Exam (year 2, spring) tests you on both general and concentration-specific knowledge. The Oral Exam (year 3, fall/winter) tests your command of your chosen field of study and your ability to design, develop, and implement an original research project.

Dissertation  Based on your original research, the dissertation process consists of three parts: the Dissertation Proposal, the writing, and an oral defense before the members of your dissertation committee.

Culture, Institutions, and Society (CIS) Concentration

In CIS, you will examine the broader cultural, institutional, organizational, and social contexts relevant to education across the lifespan. What is the value and purpose of education? How do cultural, institutional, and social factors shape educational processes and outcomes? How effective are social movements and community action in education reform? How do we measure stratification and institutional inequality? In CIS, your work will be informed by theories and methods from sociology, history, political science, organizational behavior and management, philosophy, and anthropology. You can examine contexts as diverse as classrooms, families, neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, religious institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and more.

Education Policy and Program Evaluation (EPPE) Concentration

In EPPE, you will research the design, implementation, and evaluation of education policy affecting early childhood, K–12, and postsecondary education in the U.S. and internationally. You will evaluate and assess individual programs and policies related to critical issues like access to education, teacher effectiveness, school finance, testing and accountability systems, school choice, financial aid, college enrollment and persistence, and more. Your work will be informed by theories and methods from economics, political science, public policy, and sociology, history, philosophy, and statistics. This concentration shares some themes with CIS, but your work with EPPE will focus on public policy and large-scale reforms.

Human Development, Learning and Teaching (HDLT) Concentration

In HDLT, you will work to advance the role of scientific research in education policy, reform, and practice. New discoveries in the science of learning and development — the integration of biological, cognitive, and social processes; the relationships between technology and learning; or the factors that influence individual variations in learning — are transforming the practice of teaching and learning in both formal and informal settings. Whether studying behavioral, cognitive, or social-emotional development in children or the design of learning technologies to maximize understanding, you will gain a strong background in human development, the science of learning, and sociocultural factors that explain variation in learning and developmental pathways. Your research will be informed by theories and methods from psychology, cognitive science, sociology and linguistics, philosophy, the biological sciences and mathematics, and organizational behavior.

Program Faculty

The most remarkable thing about the Ph.D. in Education is open access to faculty from all Harvard graduate and professional schools, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School, the Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Learn about the full Ph.D. Faculty.

Jarvis R. Givens

Jarvis Givens studies the history of American education, African American history, and the relationship between race and power in schools.

Paul L. Harris

Paul Harris is interested in the early development of cognition, emotion, and imagination in children.

Meira Levinson

Meira Levinson is a normative political philosopher who works at the intersection of civic education, youth empowerment, racial justice, and educational ethics. 

Luke W. Miratrix

Luke Miratrix is a statistician who explores how to best use modern statistical methods in applied social science contexts.

Eric Taylor

Eric Taylor studies the economics of education, with a particular interest in employer-employee interactions between schools and teachers — hiring and firing decisions, job design, training, and performance evaluation.

Paola Uccelli

Paola Ucelli studies socio-cultural and individual differences in the language development of multilingual and monolingual students.

View Ph.D. Faculty

Dissertations.

The following is a complete listing of successful Ph.D. in Education dissertations to-date. Dissertations from November 2014 onward are publicly available in the Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) , the online repository for Harvard scholarship.

• 2022 Graduate Dissertations (265 KB pdf)
• 2021 Graduate Dissertations (177 KB pdf)
• 2020 Graduate Dissertations (121 KB pdf)
• 2019 Graduate Dissertations (68.3 KB pdf)

Student Directory

An opt-in listing of current Ph.D. students with information about their interests, research, personal web pages, and contact information:

Doctor of Philosophy in Education Student Directory

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Philosophy in Education experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

The Human Element of Data and AI

Gahyun Callie Sung's journey to HGSE and the LIT Lab is reflected in her research into data and using AI to improve student outcomes

Improving the Teacher Workforce

With her research work, doctoral marshal Mary Laski, Ph.D.'24, is trying to make teaching in K–12 schools more sustainable and attractive

• 3 . 01 . 20
• Leaving Academia

Is a PhD Worth It? I Wish I’d Asked These 6 Questions First.

• Posted by: Chris

Updated Nov. 19, 2022

Is a PhD worth it?

Should I get a PhD?

A few people admit to regretting their PhD. Most—myself included — said that they don’t ( I wrote about why in this post ).

But we often say we don’t regret stupid things we’ve done or bad things that happen to us. This means we learned from them, not that we wanted them to happen.

So just because PhDs don’t regret it, doesn’t mean it was worth it.

But if you were to ask, Is a PhD worth it, it’s a different and more complicated question.

When potential PhD students ask me for advice, I hate giving it. I can’t possibly say whether it will be worth it for them. I only know from experience that for some PhDs the answer is no.

In this post, I’ll look at this question from five different directions, five different ways that a PhD could be worth it. Then I give my opinion on each one. You can tell me if I got the right ones of if I’m way off base. So here we go.

This is post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Roostervane!

tl;dr It’s up to you to make it worth it. A PhD can hurt your finances, sink you in debt, and leave you with no clear path to success in some fields. But PhDs statistically earn more than their and have lower unemployment rates. A PhD also gives you a world-class mind, a global network, and a skill set that can go just about anywhere.

Should I Get a PhD?

tl;dr Don’t get a PhD by default. Think it through. Be clear about whether it’s going to help you reach career goals, and don’t expect to be a professor. A few rules of thumb- make sure you know where you want to go and whether a PhD is the ONLY way to get there, make sure it’s FUNDED (trust me), and make sure your program has strong ties into industry and a record of helping its students get there.

1. Is a PhD worth it for your finances?

My guess: Not usually

People waste a lot of their best years living on a grad stipend. To be honest, my money situation was pretty good in grad school. I won a large national grant, I got a ton of extra money in travel grants, and my Canadian province gave me grants for students with dependents. But even with a decent income, I was still in financial limbo–not really building wealth of any sort.

And many students scrape by on very small stipends while they study.

When it comes to entering the marketplace, research from Canada and the United States shows that PhD students eventually out-earn their counterparts with Master’s degrees. It takes PhDs a few years to find their stride, but most of us eventually do fine for earnings if we leave academia. Which is great, and perhaps surprising to many PhDs who think that a barista counter is the only non-academic future they have .

The challenge is not income–it’s time. If you as a PhD grad make marginally more than a Master’s graduate, but they entered the workforce a decade earlier, it takes a long time for even an extra $10,000 a year to catch up. The Master’s grad has had the time to build their net worth and network, perhaps buy a house, pay down debt, invest, and just generally get financially healthy.

While PhDs do fine in earnings in the long run, the opportunity cost of getting the PhD is significant.

The only real way to remedy this—if you’ve done a PhD and accumulating wealth is important to you, is to strategically maximize your earnings and your value in the marketplace to close the wealth gap. This takes education, self-discipline, and creativity, but it is possible.

I tried to calculate the opportunity cost of prolonging entry into the workforce in this post .

2. Is a PhD worth it for your career?

My guess: Impossible to tell

Most of my jobs have given me the perfect opportunity to see exactly where I could be if I’d stopped at a Master’s degree, often working alongside or for those who did and are further ahead. In terms of nuts and bolts of building career experience section on a resume, which is often the most important part, a PhD is rarely worth it. (Some STEM careers do require a PhD.)

However, at the start of my post-graduate educational journey, I was working part-time running teen programs and full time as a landscaper. I had an undergraduate degree. Despite my job and a half, I was still poor. My life had no direction, and had I not begun my Master’s to PhD journey I probably would have stayed there.

The PhD transformed me personally. It did this by developing my skills, or course. But even more so, it taught me that anything is possible. It took a poor kid from a mining town in northern Canada and gave me access to the world. It made my dreams of living abroad come true. I learned that anything is possible. And that will never go away.

It’s changed the course of my life and, subsequently, my career.

It’s impossible for you to know if it’s worth it for your career. But you can build a hell of a career with it.

So it wouldn’t be fair for me to say, “don’t get a PhD.” Because it worked out for me, and for some it does.

But there are a heck of a lot of people who haven’t figured out how to build a career with this thing. Which is one of the reasons Roostervane exists in the first place.

Psst! If you’re looking at doing a PhD because you don’t know where to go next with your career–I see you. Been there. Check out my free PDF guide– How to Build a Great Career with Any Degree.

3. Is a PhD worth it for your personal brand?

My guess: Probably

There’s some debate over whether to put a Dr. or PhD before or after your name. People argue over whether it helps in the non-academic marketplace. Some feel that it just doesn’t translate to whatever their new reality is. Some have been told by some manager somewhere that they’re overqualified and pulled themselves back, sometimes wiping the PhD off their resume altogether.

The truth is, if you have a PhD, the world often won’t know what to do with it. And that’s okay. Well-meaning people won’t understand how you fit into the landscape, and you may have to fight tooth and nail for your place in it. People may tell you they can’t use you, or they might go with what they know—which is someone less qualified and less-educated.

It happens.

But someone with a PhD at the end of their name represents an indomitable leader. So grow your possibilities bigger and keep fighting. And make your personal brand match those three little letters after your name. Do this so that the world around can’t help but see you as a leader. More importantly, do it so that you don’t forget you are.

Should I put “PhD” after my name on LinkedIn?

5 reasons you need to brand yourself

4. Is a PhD worth it for your sense of purpose?

Is getting a PhD worth it? For many people the answer is no.

PhDs are hurting.

If you’ve done one, you know. Remember the sense of meaning and purpose that drew you towards a PhD program? Was it still there at the end? If yours was, you’re lucky. I directed my purpose into getting hired in a tenure-track job, and got very hurt when it didn’t happen.

And people have vastly different experiences within programs.

Some people go through crap. But for them their research is everything and putting up with crap is worth it to feel like they have a sense of purpose. Many PhDs who are drawn into programs chasing a sense of purpose leave deeply wounded and disenchanted, ironically having less purpose when they started.

While new PhDs often talk about the PhD as a path do doing “something meaningful,” those of us who have been through entire programs have often seen too much. We’ve either seen or experienced tremendous loss of self. Some have friends who didn’t make it out the other end of the PhD program.

But there are some PhDs who have a great experience in their programs and feel tremendously fulfilled.

As I reflect on it, I don’t think a sense of purpose is inherently fulfilled or disappointed by a PhD program. There are too many variables.

However, if you’re counting on a PhD program to give you a sense of purpose, I’d be very careful. I’d be even more cautious if purpose for you means “tenure-track professor.” Think broadly about what success means to you and keep an open mind .

5. Is my discipline in demand?

Okay, so you need to know that different disciplines have different experiences. Silicon Valley has fallen in love with some PhDs, and we’re seeing “PhD required” or “PhD preferred” on more and more job postings. So if your PhD is in certain, in-demand subjects… It can be a good decision.

My humanities PhD, on the other hand, was a mistake. I’m 5 years out now, and I’ve learned how to use it and make money with it. That’s the great news. But I’d never recommend that anyone get a PhD in the humanities. Sorry. I really wish I could. It’s usually a waste of years of your life, and you’ll need to figure out how to get a totally unrelated job after anyway.

TBH, most of the skills I make money with these days I taught myself on Skillshare .

6. Is a PhD worth it for your potential?

My guess: Absolutely

Every human being has unlimited potential, of course. But here’s the thing that really can make your PhD worth it. The PhD can amplify your potential. It gives you a global reach, it gives you a recognizable brand, and it gives you a mind like no other.

One of my heroes is Brené Brown. She’s taken research and transformed the world with it, speaking to everyone from Wall-Street leaders to blue-collar workers about vulnerability, shame, and purpose. She took her PhD and did amazing things with it.

Your potential at the end of your PhD is greater than it has ever been.

The question is, what will you do with that potential?

Many PhD students are held back, not by their potential, but by the fact that they’ve learned to believe that they’re worthless. Your potential is unlimited, but when you are beaten and exhausted, dragging out of a PhD program with barely any self-worth left, it’s very hard to reach your potential. You first need to repair your confidence.

But if you can do that, if you can nurture your confidence and your greatness every day until you begin to believe in yourself again, you can take your potential and do anything you want with it.

So why get a PhD?

Because it symbolizes your limitless potential. If you think strategically about how to put it to work.

PhD Graduates Don’t Need Resumes. They Need a Freaking Vision

By the way… Did you know I wrote a book about building a career with a PhD? You can read the first chapter for free on Amazon.

So if you’re asking me, “should I do a PhD,” I hope this post helps you. Try your best to check your emotion, and weigh the pros and cons.

And at the end of the day, I don’t think that whether a PhD is worth it or not is some fixed-in-stone thing. In fact, it depends on what you do with it.

So why not make it worth it? Work hard on yourself to transform into a leader worthy of the letters after your name, and don’t be afraid to learn how to leverage every asset the PhD gave you.

One of the reasons I took my PhD and launched my own company is that I saw how much more impact I could have and money I could be making as a consultant (perhaps eventually with a few employees). As long as I worked for someone else, I could see that my income would likely be capped. Working for myself was a good way to maximize my output and take control of my income.

It’s up to you to make it worth it. Pick what’s important to you and how the degree helps you get there, and chase it. Keep an open mind about where life will take you, but always be asking yourself how you can make more of it.

Check out the related post- 15 Good, Bad, and Awful Reasons People Go to Grad School. — I Answer the Question, “Should I Go to Grad School?” )

Consulting Secrets 3 – Landing Clients

Photo by Christian Sterk on Unsplash There’s a new type of post buzzing around LinkedIn. I confess, I’ve even made a few.  The post is

You’re Not Good Enough… Yet

Last year, I spent $7k on a business coach. She was fantastic. She helped me through sessions of crafting my ideas to become a “thought

$200/hr Expert? Here’s the Secret!

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash I was listening to Tony Robbins this week. He was talking about being the best.  Tony asks the audience,

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Is a Doctorate Degree Worth It?

Know before you read At SNHU, we want to make sure you have the information you need to make decisions about your education and your future—no matter where you choose to go to school. That's why our informational articles may reference careers for which we do not offer academic programs, along with salary data for those careers. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

Earning a doctorate takes time, money and discipline. Like many things worth doing, the process is challenging but also rewarding. Becoming an expert in your subject area and immersing yourself in your chosen area of study makes the process of earning a doctorate important to many people. Certain professions require or value a doctorate for promotion potential.

In fact, career advancement, love of the subject matter and personal satisfaction are three of the top reasons why Dr. Bridgitte Kiprop '23 , Dr. Jennifer Barry ’23 and Dr. Torialyn Draper Crook earned their doctorates.

• For Kiprop '23, part of her motivation for earning a doctorate in International Business was setting an example for her six children.
• For Barry, ’23, who earned a doctor of education degree in educational leadership, part of her motivation was to prepare for success in meeting her long-term career goal to become a university president.
• And for Crook, earning her doctorate in education was a commitment that she undertook to honor her family’s legacy of valuing education.

How Difficult is Earning a Doctorate?

For Kiprop, time management was her key to success. With six children, she had to make the most of any time in the day that she could find. “If I had … five minutes, I would use the five minutes,” she said. “Other times, I was luckier (and had) two hours.”

Despite the time-management  challenges of earning an advanced degree while raising her family, Kiprop feels that the process of earning that degree was a way to inspire her children to work hard to meet their own goals.

“I really hope that my children will ... know that whatever it is they feel called to do, whatever their ambitions, their goals are achievable,” she said.

To manage the challenge of advanced studies, having the right people around you as you work on your degree is essential, according to Crook. “Surround yourself with family, friends, colleagues and mentors who can provide encouragement during challenging times,” she said.

Crook stresses that everyone’s journey to earning their doctorate is unique. She recommends being prepared for the unexpected, and remaining flexible in adjusting your path as you work toward completing your degree.

How Long Does a Doctorate Take?

Students may have family commitments, health challenges or need to work full or part-time while attending school . Many students face all of these circumstances. Crook managed to complete her doctorate in 5 years, though it wasn't easy for her. She faced a significant personal health challenge and was raising two children while also attending school.

For Barry, earning her doctoral degree is part of an educational path that started with her bachelor’s degree at SNHU (formerly New Hampshire College) in 2000. She then continued her education to earn a master's degree throughout several jobs and geographic moves.

Barry views her entire educational journey as part of the process that led to meeting her ultimate goal of earning a doctorate.

What Skills Are Needed to Earn a Doctorate?

While every academic program is different, Crook finds certain skills and competencies necessary for success, regardless of field. These skills include:

• Building relationships
• Organizational skills
• Self-motivation
• Writing skills

Crook finds building relationships particularly important. While working on her degree, the strong relationship that she developed with her dissertation chairperson proved essential. She also built positive relationships with other doctoral students, which led to a strong peer support network throughout her program.

Kiprop echoes the importance of building relationships in her field as well. For her, building new relationships is a way to open your mind to new experiences and opportunities.

Find Your Program

What types of jobs can you get with a doctorate.

While a doctorate is helpful for working in leadership roles at colleges and universities, there are many opportunities for doctoral degree holders to work at the highest levels in their profession outside of higher education as well.

Some of the top professions that require a doctoral or professional degree and have a faster-than-average predicted growth rate, according to the BLS, are:

• Astronomers* (SNHU does not currently offer graduate degrees in astronomy or physics)
• Biochemists and biophysicists* (SNHU does not currently offer graduate degrees in biochemistry or biophysics)
• Clinical and counseling psychologists* (SNHU does not currently offer doctorates in psychology, but you could start with a bachelor's in psychology , followed by a master's in psychology )
• Higher education teachers and professors — particularly business, computer science and engineering teachers*

Two more examples of areas where a doctorate can help prepare you for advancement in your career are educational leadership and international business.

A doctorate in educational leadership can be a Doctor of Philosophy degree, known as a PhD, or a Doctor of Education degree, known as an EdD. The PhD in Education Leadership typically leads to higher education roles in teaching and research. The EdD in Educational Leadership , which Barry earned, typically leads to leadership and strategy roles in an education setting that may be at the higher education or secondary school level.

A PhD in International Business  may include addressing a gap in an existing body of knowledge by conducting research. Kiprop, who earned her doctorate at SNHU, plans to use her degree to research entrepreneurship in small business finance.

Motivated by being from a developing country — Kenya — she has a personal interest in helping grow small businesses in similar developing areas. “I can also use that same knowledge at the New Hampshire level because the issues there perhaps are different but still … relevant,” she said.

Regardless of your program field, the process of earning a doctorate can help you explore ways of applying your newfound and existing knowledge that you may not have considered prior to starting your program.

Is it Better to Have a Master’s or Doctorate?

Both a master’s degree  and a doctorate offer opportunities for career advancement. Choosing which to earn, or whether to earn both, is a highly personal decision based on your personal and professional goals and aspirations, according to Crook.

Before deciding which degree is right for you, consider your goals. Speaking with a career counselor  or graduate admissions counselor to learn about career options and pathways toward earning the degree can be a helpful step toward making this decision.

In many fields, a master’s degree is enough  to move forward in your career. But, earning a doctorate is an opportunity to take your career a step further, according to Crook. That step “gives one the opportunity to direct their career trajectory specifically through research and other specialized skills and knowledge,” she said.

How Valuable is a Doctorate?

A doctorate isn’t for everyone, but it can be right for you depending on your chosen field and career path.

For many people, earning a doctorate is just as important as a personal accomplishment as it is a professional one. “I (always) understood the significance of progressing in my career and staying connected to my field of higher education,” Crook said. “My doctoral journey was worthwhile as it aligned with my career goals  and personal aspirations,” she said.

For Barry, the doctorate was worth it because she believes strongly in the power of education . “You see how (education) transforms people’s lives and … gives people opportunities that they didn’t see before,” she said.

She has seen many people earn degrees only for their family members to then continue in their footsteps. “I just think that generationally, (education) is creating pathways for people,” she said.

Deciding whether to pursue a doctorate is ultimately a very personal decision, but one that can lead you to build new relationships and a new knowledge base while helping you reach or exceed your career goals.

A degree can change your life. Find the SNHU doctorate degree  that can best help you meet your goals.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill. 

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli  is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

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Getting a Ph.D. in Psychology

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Verywell / Evan Polenghi

Ph.D. vs. Psy.D.

Job opportunities, earning a degree, specialty areas, alternatives.

Getting a Ph.D. in psychology can open up a whole new world of career opportunities. For many careers paths in psychology-related career paths, a doctoral degree is necessary to obtain work and certification. A Ph.D. is one option, but it is not the only educational path that's available to reach some of these goals.

A Ph.D., or doctor of philosophy, is one of the highest level degrees you can earn in the field of psychology . If you're considering pursuing a graduate degree, you might be wondering how long it takes to earn a Ph.D. in psychology . Generally, a bachelor's degree takes four years of study. While a master's degree requires an additional two to three years of study beyond the bachelor's, a doctoral degree can take between four to six years of additional graduate study after earning your bachelor's degree.

Recently, a new degree option known as the Psy.D. , or doctor of psychology, has grown in popularity as an alternative to the Ph.D. The type of degree you decide to pursue depends on a variety of factors, including your own interests and your career aspirations.

Before deciding which is right for you, research your options and decide if graduate school in psychology is even the best choice for you. Depending on your career goals, you might need to earn a master's or doctoral degree in psychology in order to practice in your chosen field. In other instances, a degree in a similar subject such as counseling or social work may be more appropriate.

A doctorate in psychology is required if you want to open your own private practice.

If you want to become a licensed psychologist, you must earn either a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. in clinical or counseling psychology.

In most cases, you will also need a doctorate if you want to teach and conduct research at the college or university level. While there are some opportunities available for people with a master's degree in various specialty fields, such as industrial-organizational psychology and health psychology , those with a doctorate will generally find higher pay, greater job demand, and more opportunity for growth.

In order to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, you need to first begin by earning your bachelor's degree. While earning your undergraduate degree in psychology can be helpful, students with bachelor's degrees in other subjects can also apply their knowledge to psychology Ph.D. programs . Some students in doctorate programs may have a master's degree in psychology , but most doctorate programs do not require it.

After you’ve been admitted to a graduate program, it generally takes at least four years to earn a Ph.D. and another year to complete an internship. Once these requirements have been fulfilled, you can take state and national exams to become licensed to practice psychology in the state where you wish to work.

Once you enter the graduate level of psychology, you will need to choose an area of specialization, such as clinical psychology , counseling psychology, health psychology, or cognitive psychology . The American Psychological Association (APA) accredits graduate programs in three areas: clinical, counseling, and school psychology.   If you are interested in going into one of these specialty areas, it's important to choose a school that has received accreditation through the APA.

For many students, the choice may come down to a clinical psychology program versus a counseling psychology program. There are many similarities between these two Ph.D. options, but there are important distinctions that students should consider. Clinical programs may have more of a research focus while counseling programs tend to focus more on professional practice. The path you choose will depend largely on what you plan to do after you complete your degree.

Of course, the Ph.D. in psychology is not the only graduate degree option. The Psy.D. is a doctorate degree option that you might also want to consider. While there are many similarities between these two degrees, traditional Ph.D. programs tend to be more research-oriented while Psy.D. programs are often more practice-oriented.

The Ph.D. option may be your top choice if you want to mix professional practice with teaching and research, while the Psy.D. option may be preferred if you want to open your own private psychology practice.

In the book "An Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology," authors John C. Norcross and Michael A. Sayette suggest that one of the key differences between the two-degree options is that the Ph.D. programs train producers of research while Psy.D. programs train consumers of research. However, professional opportunities for practice are very similar with both degree types.

Research suggests that there are few discernible differences in terms of professional recognition, employment opportunities, or clinical skills between students trained in the Ph.D. or Psy.D. models. One of the few differences is that those with a Ph.D. degree are far more likely to be employed in academic settings and medical schools.

Social work, counseling, education, and the health sciences are other graduate options that you may want to consider if you decide that a doctorate degree is not the best fit for your interests and career goals.

A Word From Verywell

If you are considering a Ph.D. in psychology, spend some time carefully researching your options and thinking about your future goals. A doctoral degree is a major commitment of time, resources, and effort, so it is worth it to take time to consider the right option for your goals. The Ph.D. in psychology can be a great choice if you are interested in being a scientist-practitioner in the field and want to combine doing research with professional practice. It's also great training if you're interested in working at a university where you would teach classes and conduct research on psychological topics.

University of Pennsylvania; School of Arts and Sciences. Information for applicants .

American Psychological Association. Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?

U.S. Department of Labor.  Psychologists . Occupational Outlook Handbook .

Norcross JC, Sayette MA. An Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (2020/2021 ed.) . New York, NY: The Guilford Press; 2020.

Davis SF, Giordano PJ, Licht CA. Your Career in Psychology: Putting Your Graduate Degree to Work . John Wiley & Sons; 2012. doi:10.1002/9781444315929

US Department of Education. Bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degrees conferred by postsecondary institutions, by sex of student and discipline division: 2016-17 .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

The Practical Value of Studying Philosophy

Posted in: Why Study Philosophy?

Transferable Skills

By studying philosophy, students develop cognitive transferable skills that pay off in a variety of professions—transferable skills such as Logical Reasoning • Analysis • Abstract Conceptualization • Problem-Solving • Creative Thinking • Clear and Persuasive Writing • Mental Dexterity • An Ability to Assess Different Perspectives and Frameworks • Information Management.

Earning Potential

The national median salary of Philosophy graduates is higher than nearly every other major in the social sciences, humanities, and higher than many other majors—higher than Psychology, Criminology, Communication, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Business Management, Political Science, History, English, and so on (data source:  payscale.com ).

Which professions do philosophy graduates pursue? • Technology • Business • Law • Publishing • Government • Advertising • Journalism • Teaching • Sales • Human Resources • Public Relations • Activism • Public Policy, and so on.

Read about the practical value of studying philosophy

• Forbes  (2017) – “ A Case For Majoring In Philosophy ”

“Every year, college students choose their majors with an eye toward the return on investment. Among the usual lucrative suspects like finance and engineering, one liberal arts field stands out: philosophy. It turns out that philosophy majors earn significantly more than most majors, especially over the long term.”

“The surprisingly robust ROI [return on investment] for philosophy majors can be traced to its intellectual rigor. Philosophers are taught to seek out the pressure points in arguments and to reason for themselves. They dive into highly technical conversations, construct their own positions and arguments, and analyze relevant problems from multiple perspectives.”

“Beyond finances, the study of philosophy can also help students learn for themselves how they define the good life and how to go about living it.”

• U.S. News & World Report  (2020) – “ What You Can Do With a Philosophy Degree ”

“Philosophy students learn how to question conventional thinking, which is a marketable skill.”

“A Wall Street Journal analysis of the long-term earning potential of people with various college majors revealed that philosophy majors tend to get raises and promotions more quickly than individuals with other majors, and a result of this rapid career progression is that philosophy majors’ mid-career earnings are usually double the size of their starting salaries.”

• CNBC  (2018) – “ Mark Cuban says studying philosophy may soon be worth more than computer science—here’s why ”

“’I’m going to make a prediction’, Cuban told AOL in 2017. ‘In 10 years, a liberal arts degree in philosophy will be worth more than a traditional programming degree’…He views previously lucrative jobs in industries like accounting and computer programming as subject to the powers of automation. To remain competitive, Cuban advises ditching degrees that teach specific skills or professions and opting for degrees that teach you to think in a big picture way, like philosophy.”

• Times Higher Education  (2019) – “ What Can You Do with a Philosophy Degree? ”

“Philosophy graduates have highly transferable skills that are valuable to employers.”

“Graduates secure work in a variety of disciplines after their degree, such as teaching, PR or politics. Communications, publishing, HR and advertising can be attractive options for philosophy graduates, as well as law, banking, the civil service, business and science. Others go on to further study, research, academia and/or lecturing in philosophy or a related field.”

• Entrepreneur Magazine  (2017) – “ 5 Reasons Why Philosophy Majors Make Great Entrepreneurs ”

“When accomplished entrepreneurs like Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel and Carly Fiorina credit their philosophy backgrounds for their success, you have to wonder if they’re on to something.”

• New York Times  (2018) – “ A Wall Street Giant Makes a $75 Million Bet on Academic Philosophy ”

“Philosophy, he [Bill Miller] added, ‘has made a huge difference both to my life outside business, in terms of adding a great degree of richness and knowledge, and to the actual decisions I’ve made in investing’.”

“Mr. Miller, 67, is not the only old-guard Wall Street figure with a background in philosophy. George Soros was heavily influenced by the Austrian philosopher Karl Popper. Carl Icahn was a philosophy major at Princeton . . . (On the watchdog side of the street, Sheila Bair, the former chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, was also a philosophy major.)”

• Harvard Business Review  (2014) – “ How Philosophy Makes You a Better Leader ”

“A CEO client . . . found that contemplating the teachings of an ancient philosopher (Socrates) and a 20th century philosopher (Habermas) empowered him to implement an enhanced process of dialogue, consensus building, and ‘communicative rationality’ with his leadership team.”

• National Bureau Of Economic Research  (2017) – “ The Costs Of And Net Returns To College Major ”

“Health and Engineering majors, where earnings returns are large on a per graduate basis, have per-dollar returns similar to those observed in education, math, philosophy , and language degrees. .  .”

Graduate Study

Some philosophy majors go on to graduate studies in philosophy in order to pursue an academic career. The philosophy major is also exceptional training for many other post-graduate paths, such as law school. In fact, statistics indicate that philosophy majors perform very well on standardized tests for post-graduate and professional study.

• The GRE (“the SAT for graduate school”) – Philosophy majors come out on top.

“When students are compared by major on how far above average they do on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), a standardized test used in many disciplines to assess applicants to graduate programs, philosophy majors come out on top , according to a new look at test score data over the past few years.” (Daily Nous)

• Our philosophy department and Montclair State’s Feliciano School of Business have partnered for a “4 + 1” Philosophy BA/MBA program .
• The LSAT (the entrance exam for law school admissions) – Philosophy majors tie for first place with Economics majors.
• Medical School – The Philosophy major is a solid path to medical school. Consider the data and facts as explained by Paul Jung, M.D: “ If you think biochemistry is your ticket into medical school, think again. “

Is a PhD Worth it UK

• Maisie Dadswell
• September 6, 2023

If you are wondering if it is worth doing a PhD in the UK the answer is yes! Whether you want to become a PhD candidate through an unquenchable thirst for knowledge in any given field or to further your career by becoming more employable, PhDs are highly valuable in the UK. 

PhDs provide candidates with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue research in an area of interest. When candidates reach the writing-up stage, they are genuine experts in their field. Once your thesis has been submitted and the viva examination has been passed, your intellectual prestige will be on par with the academic panel, which possesses the authority to award you your doctorate title. Naturally, PhDs can improve your standing in academia and outside of it. 

The only qualification higher than a PhD is a Doctor of Science degree, which makes it one of the most well-respected qualifications you can strive to gain. Whether you want to continue your career inside academia or research or outside of it, a PhD can help to prepare you for a range of high-paying and desirable professional positions. 

In addition to contributing creative knowledge to your field, you will also obtain a range of other valuable skills that will look great on your CV! These transferable skills that are valued by employers and institutions across innumerable sectors and industries include public speaking, professional networking, research capabilities, academic writing, and project management. 

It is only natural that students wonder if a PhD is worth it in the UK before they commit the time, money and energy to pursue their doctorate title. Thankfully, there is solid evidence available which proves that even if your PhD takes four to eight years to complete, it will be worth it in the long run. The increased earnings a PhD can provide you with can also easily reimburse you for your investment in time.

A PhD or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest level of degree that you can earn in any field. It typically takes several years of study, and involves original research that contributes new knowledge to your chosen field. You can learn more about PhD here . 

Employability After Obtaining a PhD in the UK

Is it worth doing a PhD in terms of future employability? In 2023, data provided by the UK government outlined that, in comparison to students who only hold Masters postgraduate degrees, the rates of employment for PhD graduates are far higher. This data came from the Graduate Outcomes survey conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) after they looked at the career paths of graduates from the 2019 – 2020 academic year, 15 months after they completed their Masters degree or PhD courses. The information outlined below is a great way to gauge your future career prospects after graduating; it is not a guarantee that the benefits you will enjoy will be the same – you could end up in a far higher-paying position, depending on which way you decide to go with your career, along with several other factors, including age, location, and experience.

After completing a taught Masters degree, 62% of graduates from the 2019 – 2020 academic year were in full-time employment, 9% were in part-time employment; a further 8% were employed and participating in further study, and 1% were solely focused on additional higher education. As for the graduates who had completed their doctoral research and passed, 71% were in full-time employment, 9% were employed part-time, 10% decided to further their studies around employment and 1% stayed committed to studying. Meaning that doctoral researchers are, on average, 7% more likely to hold a full-time position. 7% is a slim margin, but this quantitative data doesn’t allude to the seniority of job roles following graduation or how much they are earning, which are the main reasons people undertake doctoral research if their motivators revolve around career advancement. 

Job Opportunities After Obtaining a PhD in the UK

Obtaining a PhD in the UK won’t only ensure that you can find full-time work; according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the majority of PhD graduates boast professional occupations. Regardless of your field of study, if you have a PhD, you have an 8% advantage over graduates with a taught Masters title when it comes to being offered a professional tole. From the surveyed 2019 – 2020 graduates, 83% of PhD students had a professional occupation 15 months after their study, as opposed to 64% of postgraduates holding Masters degrees.

Do UK PhDs Increase Salaries?

As a hattrick of employability benefits, PhDs can also improve earning potential. After writing up their dissertation and earning their title, PhD students in the UK are far more likely to earn over £30,000 a year. While many PhD graduates earn significantly more after they enter the postgrad workforce, HESA showed that 43% of Masters graduates earn over £30,000 a year, compared to 87% of their PhD counterparts. This makes the £30,000 figure an excellent benchmark for earnings success after completing a PhD. 

The HMRC also provides valuable data on PhD graduate salaries. As the statistics don’t solely rely on the information shared by a sample of graduates surveyed, it is infinitely more reflective of the earnings and employability outcomes that PhD candidates can expect when they finish their doctoral research. One, two, three, five and ten years after graduation, the median annual salary for PhD students was £33,200, £37,000, £39,200, and £43,000, respectively. For Masters graduates, the figures were £26,700, £31,500, £33,700, and £35,900, respectively. Once again, remember that these median averages aren’t the limits of your income potential after graduation. Nor do they account for your previous experience or how in demand your freshly acquired skills are in your respective field.

Preferential Professions for PhD Students in the UK

Though it is far from the only option, many PhD students, after completing their thesis and being awarded their doctorate title, become professors. To 3 – 4 years after finishing their programme, 20% of PhD-holders are higher education teaching professionals; a further 10% remain in academia through involvement with research. 

Modern PhDs, in all fields, are very versatile qualifications with the ability to develop a vast array of transferrable skills in candidates. Many UK universities, such as UWS London, also work with PhD candidates to create highly employable PhD graduates, meaning that the job market for doctoral researchers is a diverse landscape – you certainly won’t be scrambling for the same professional teaching and research roles as the rest of your PhD peers! Other desirable roles in higher education for PhD graduates include administration and leadership positions. But if you want to look beyond academia, your options won’t be limited.

How to Assess the Value of a UK PhD for You

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, is a PhD worth it in the UK, as this will very much depend on your plans and aspirations after you have submitted your thesis and performed your oral examination. It is common for PhD candidates to enrol on a research course with no particular academic career in mind – they are simply inspired by the fields their undergraduate and postgraduate studies allowed them to graze in before they found the inspiration to dig a little deeper and plant their own seeds of creative knowledge.

If you don’t share this same passion for knowledge, even if you are tempted by the promise of a certain career, a PhD may not be for you. However, if you have read this far, you likely possess the drive and determination to see your doctoral research through to the end with the world-class supervisors at UWS London. If the cost of your PhD is one of the major factors in why you are questioning the value of a PhD, you will be relieved to learn that undertaking doctoral research is cheaper than you think. In UK universities, PhD fees are far lower than the cost of acquiring an undergraduate degree and typically below the cost of a taught Masters degree. However, you will need to take into account more than just the tuition fees – you must also consider how you will support yourself for the three+ years while you are studying. 

The good news is that funding is available for researchers participating in pre-funded projects. Doctoral loans and individual scholarships are also available to qualifying students. Before deciding to become a PhD candidate, always take the time to research what funding options are available; this process can automatically add value to your doctoral research!

Other Benefits of Obtaining a PhD in the UK

If money and employment status aren’t your main motivators and you are driven by intellectual curiosity and academic achievement, PhDs are still valuable for home and international students in the UK. Through studying for and writing your PhD thesis, you will research topics and phenomena that no one has ever conducted before to make a distinctive contribution to your field of interest. 

Making a contribution to the sum of all human knowledge is a massive achievement in itself, that is before accounting where your new title can take you in the professional realm. Furthermore, you will hold a prestigious title that has only been granted to a tiny fraction of the global population. A 2022 study outlined that, globally, only 25 – 64-year-olds have a PhD. In the UK, the figure is slightly higher at 2%, and the figure is growing yearly as more potential PhD candidates see the value in participating in doctoral research.

What can a PhD lead to?

Naturally, you’ll be thinking about what you can do with a PhD , but the potential career paths for students after completing their PhD will depend on the nature of their research and previous experience and skills. While we can’t outline every possible employment option, just know that many different avenues and institutions typically only welcome employees with specialised knowledge and advanced higher education statuses.

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Do You Get Paid for a PhD? For many students who don’t have the luxury of never worrying about money, one of the main considerations

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me?

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me? In the dynamic world of finance, a PhD is not just an academic accolade; it’s a launchpad

Should I Do a PhD in London?

​​Should I Do a PhD in London? Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant decision, one that shapes your academic and professional future. Once

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Grapple with the insights of great thinkers from across the world and throughout history while developing skills in critical thinking, argument analysis and cultural literacy.

We prepare graduates to meet a rapidly changing world. Students will study ancient and contemporary philosophers as they engage in rigorous debate, ask the big questions and sharpen their critical thinking skills.  Students will study problems arising in contemporary movements such as analytic philosophy, existentialism and American philosophy; students will be introduced to the major subdivisions of philosophy, including logic, ethics, aesthetics, philosophy and law, philosophy of science and philosophy of religion.

Learn More:

• Department of Philosophy & Religion Website
• Program Requirements
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The major is part of the Department of Philosophy and Religion , an academic unit within the College of Arts and Letters .

The major in philosophy empowers students to analyze diverse worldviews and value systems. In a world that is increasingly pluralistic, ideologically driven and globally connected, skills in critical thinking and cross-cultural understanding are more important than ever. Our students apply this degree to a wide variety of career fields.

Students choose from two concentrations: general philosophy and interdisciplinary philosophy. The interdisciplinary concentration allows students to count relevant courses in another field toward the major and is a particularly good fit for students choosing philosophy as a second major.

Philosophy and Religion

• B.A. in Philosophy and Religion, Major in Philosophy
• Interdisciplinary Philosophy
• Logic and Reasoning

For detailed program information and curriculum, please visit:

• Department of Philosophy & Religion website
• Undergraduate catalog

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Recent PhD, Kathryn Lawson, has published her first book.

May 29, 2024

Kathryn Lawson, recent PhD and current lecturer at Carleton University, Ottawa, has published her first book, a revised version of her PhD dissertation, with Routledge's Environmental Ethics series. The book is entitled  Ecological Ethics and the Philosophy of Simone Weil: Decreation for the Anthropocene .

From the publisher: This book places the philosophy of Simone Weil into conversation with contemporary environmental concerns in the Anthropocene. It offers a systematic interpretation of Simone Weil, making her ethical philosophy more accessible to non-Weil scholars. Weil’s work has been influential in many fields, including politically and theologically-based critiques of social inequalities and suffering, but rarely linked to ecology. Kathryn Lawson argues that Weil’s work can be understood as offering a coherent approach with potentially widespread appeal applicable to our ethical relations to much more than just other human beings. She suggests that the process of "decreation" in Weil is an expansion of the self which might also come to include the surrounding earth and a vast assemblage of others. This allows readers to consider what it means to be human in this time and place, and to contemplate our ethical responsibilities both to other humans and also to the more-than-human world. Ultimately, the book uses Weil’s thought to decenter the human being by cultivating human actions towards an ecological ethics. This book will be useful for Simone Weil scholars and academics, as well as students and researchers interested in environmental ethics in departments of comparative literature, theory and criticism, philosophy, and environmental studies.

Critic's Review: "In response to the traumas of climate catastrophe, Lawson’s Ecological Ethics shows us that suffering and beauty can be integrated at the heart of environmental consciousness. Like Keller’s Face of the Deep and Leopold’s Sand County Almanac, this is a rare treasure that unites profound intellectual insight and ethical urgency." - Daniel O’Dea Bradley, Professor of Philosophy, Gonzaga University, USA

Ecological Ethics and the Philosophy of Simone Weil: Decreation for the Anthropocene

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DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D)

Programme Code: LVA Programme Duration : Min : 4 normal sem Max : 12 sem (4 years) Mode of Study : Research

The PhD programme is a full research programme leading to the submission of a thesis based on an individually supervised research. All research proposals must be approved and supervised by the Faculty.

ENTRY REQUIREMENT

A Master’s degree by way of research; or

A Master’s degree by coursework with CGPA of not less than 3.7; or

A Master’s degree by coursework with CGPA between 2.0 and 3.69 and a Bachelor degree with CGPA not less than 3.0; or

A Master’s degree by coursework with CGPA between 2.0 and 3.69 and a Bachelor degree with CGPA between 2.5 and 2.99 and one of the following criteria :

• Relevant work experience;
• Publication in the relevant field;
• Applicant is a scholarship holder;
• Applicant is a Universiti of Malaya graduate;
• Applicant is a civil servant.

General Information:  Registrations are open all year. However, selection of proposals will be made by the Taskforce Research Candidate Selection that convenes four (4) times a year - March, June, September, and December. For example, if you apply for our PhD programme in July, the committee will only convene in September and the decision will be made thereafter.   Below is our application process for the PhD programme and Master of Legal Studies.

• Receipt of application of PhD or MLS through Maya portal (to comply with all the requirements stated on our website).
• Selection of Proposal by PhD and MLS Committee members.
• If accepted, the proposal will be sent to the proposed supervisor(s) for their consideration.
• If the Taskforce and Supervisor(s) are agreeable to the student’s proposal, an offer letter will be issued to the student through our Maya portal.
• If the Taskforce or the proposed Supervisor rejects the proposal, the decision will be conveyed to the student through our MAYA portal.

  Enrolment for the PhD and MLS programme are on:

Sem 1 – October (current year) Sem 2 – March (current year)

Any application needs to be submitted with a 1000-words proposal in the following format:

• Introduction
• Problem Statement
• Literature Review
• Research Objectives
• Research Questions
• Methodology

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

English Language for Non-Malaysians TOEFL – score 600; OR IELTS (Academic) – band 6.00

Bahasa Malaysia for Malaysians Passed in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)

Bahasa Malaysia for Non-Malaysians citizens Required to attend at a satisfactory level and pass a course in Bahasa Malaysia conducted by the University before being conferred the Degree.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The PhD programme is a full research programme leading to the submission of a thesis based on an individually supervised research.  All research proposals must be approved and research be supervised by the Faculty. 

PhD candidates are required to register and pass a Research Methodology course (LVX8001) with 3 credits and complete the GLT7001- Bahasa Malaysia (for the Non-Malaysian candidates only). The Research Methodology class is compulsory and candidates are required to attend the Research Methodology class in person- physical class attendance in class. For international students, you are required to make necessary arrangements and reside in Malaysia for at least six (6) months to be able to attend the Research Methodology class. Minimum attendance is at least 80% according to the visa requirement.

All international students are encouraged to reside in Malaysia throughout the duration of their PhD candidature although this is not compulsory. At the end of the candidature, a candidate is required to produce a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words on the subject of  his/her research.

Faculty Seminars

Candidates are require to deliver three (3) Seminars

• Research Proposal seminar-to be delivered at the Second Semester. The candidates are required to submit a research proposal of 3,000 – 5,000 words.
• Candidature Defence seminar - to be delivered at the Fifth Semester. The candidates are required deliver a research progress report of about 10,000 words.
• The Third seminar,which is to be delivered prior to submission of the thesis, requires the candidate to submit a summary of the thesis of 3,000 to 5,000 words, and an abstract of 500 words.

Faculty's Policy on the Academic Residential Requirement :

"Notwithstanding any other existing regulations, an international candidate shall comply with the academic residency requirement and attend the Research Methodology class in person (physically). This means that the candidate is required to be in Malaysia for a minimum period of one (1) semester or six (6) months (whichever is later)."

During this period of time, the candidate is required to have a face to face (physical/in person) consultation with the respective Supervisor, both at the beginning and at the end of the Semester. The Student shall also abide to the Role and Responsibilities of Candidate attached.

Attachment B

University of Malaya’s Research Ethics Committee (UMREC)

Please refer to the website of University of Malaya’s Research Ethics Committee (UMREC) below for guidelines and policies pertaining to research involving human participants & etc prior to the beginning of your research work if applicable.

https://umresearch.um.edu.my/research-ethics/

File 1.  (UMREC) File 2.  Ethics Approval Chart

PUBLICATION

• Candidates are required to show proof of acceptance for publication of: 
• at least one (1) paper in the Category of  Web of Science (WoS); or
• at least one (1) paper in the Category of  Scopus Q1/Q2; or
• at least one (1) paper in the Category Scopus/Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) / ERA Journal List (Australian Research Council); or
• at least one (1) paper in the Category Scopus and two (2) articles in UM Journal; or
• at least one (1) paper in the Category Web of Sclence (WoS) Master Book List or Universiti Malaya Publisher or Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka or Majlis Penerbitan Ilmiah Malaysia (MAPIM) or refereed journal recognized by the Faculty.

GUIDELINE POLICIES & RELEVANT FORMS

Last Update: 28/05/2024