Is a PhD Worth It (From Oxford University) | 7 DPhil Pros and Cons from Oxford for Academia
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- Is a PhD Worth It (From Oxford University) | DPhil Pros and Cons from Oxford for Academia
Is a PhD from the University of Oxford worth it? In this video, I weigh the pros and cons of getting a DPhil (PhD) from Oxford University. I explain why do a PhD (DPhil), what are the benefits of a PhD, and how hard is a PhD. For those who are asking “Should I do a PhD” vs a masters, or asking “Is grad school worth it.” I weigh the pros and cons of a PhD and the specific reasons to do or not to do a PhD at Oxford. Based on my postgrad experience at Oxford, I answer should you do a PhD and whether getting a doctorate is worth it nor not for academia.
#UniversityOfOxford #IsAPhDWorthIt #IsADPhilWorthIt #OxfordUniversity
Timestamps:
1:28 Con #1: Funding
5:22 Pro #1: Shorter time
7:03 Con #2: You can fail
10:42 Con #3/ pro: You are alone
12:07 Con #4: Job prospect
13:24 Pro #1 (again): Top speakers
13:54 Pro #2: Network
15:44 Pro #3: Research
17:29 Pro #4: Resources
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What're your thoughts on a Ph.D. (DPhil) degree from Oxford for an academic career? I'm curious to know your thoughts.
As you have pointed out, a DPhil from Oxford opens doors - but so does any Phd. The next question, therefore, is this: What Doors does it open? In academia, it might offer a higher likelihood of being employed by top-tier unis, based on the brand power and brand recognition alone. If that's the aim, more power to the underarm! The same brand power might have desirable financial outcomes for its students, propelling people from the bottom fifth of incomes as students into the top fifth as adults. Any way you look at it, a DPhil from Oxford is a great investment.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/harvard-university
Yep, it CAN be a great investment. It depends what you do with it.
I am from india how i can get scholarships for dphil in plant sciences please tell me the name of institution which is giving scholarships for dphil student in plant sciences
@@luckyrathore6089 You need to do your own research for that. Everyone wants funding to go to Oxford and it's difficult. Good luck!
Moreover, research suggests that elite colleges don’t really help rich white guys. But they can have a big effect if you’re not rich, not white, or not a guy.
2 out of 3 ain’t bad, in ur case, Dr! 😂
A US-only study, though.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/12/does-it-matter-where-you-go-college/577816/
Thank you for this detailed video! Really sympathetic
thank you for being so candid about your major correction as well as touching on the other 'almost-theres'. These are all part of the process!
Thanks. It’s important for people to know the truth.
Interesting stuff, didn’t know about the internal and external evaluation
Mike and Matty yep. That’s why failing’s a thing there
I really appreciate how much detail you went into for this video. Thanks for sharing Jon
Ortal Levitan thanks for stopping by 👍
Excellent outline for your video. I agree with your points from my DPhil research experience 2006-2012 at Oxford.
Great to hear!
This is a great video for some one trying to make that kind of decision because you really cover all the pros and cons. Great job!
True Stature thanks!
great information, enjoyed hearing from your pros and cons in such a prestigious university vs other competing ones. So good to do the research on this before diving in the time and commitment in full!
Totally. Research is essential to making the right choice for you career!
Really interesting to hear about the amount of resources at oxford and top level speakers. Wasn’t quite like that at my uni but I enjoyed it :) thanks for sharing.
Jonny Pardoe - Self Love and Confidence every uni’s different but Oxford has plenty of top notch people coming through
This is so interesting! Sometimes we have an idea of what a PhD actually is, but in practice it may not be the same thing! Loved hearing you weigh the pros and cons! Thanks so much for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, what you imagine and what you think can be totally different -- especially for a PhD!
This is a great breakdown. Thanks for this
Jeremy's Rock School 365 🤘
Super balanced pros and cons...thank you for sharing your perspective!
The Radical Connector thanks for watching 👍
Hi Jon, thanks for this video. It's super helpful for me because i am going to start DPhil in Sociology at Oxford in the coming October :)
Nice! Who's going to be your supervisor? Add me on LinkedIn and let's chat Oxford Sociology =)
Great video. I briefly considered getting a PhD after I was done with my MSc. I felt that there was a lot of pressure in academia to move forward with the next degree, but I didn't want to make a move that didn't work for me personally. This is a big decision, so I'm sure you'll help others to get some clarity about what they will decide.
Rachel Strivelli Yeah, the pressure to move forward with the next degree is very real. And even after that, everyone just assumes you’ll stay in academia. Hoping my story would help others figure out their next steps.
Thanks a bunch for this video Dr. Tam! Really very useful, and insightful. God Bless!
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@DrJonTam I did! If I may make a suggestion for video ideas: one on the application process for the Dphil may be quite useful too - and, possibly, on those things that may advantage that application. Just an idea. But, thanks for this video in any case.
K C I’ve definitely thought about it. Too many ideas too little time 😂
I see a very positive person in you. Great to know about your PhD experience. Never knew people need work hard to get payed for a PhD. Thanks for sharing. See you around.
a pocket full of happiness thanks for watching!
Love how you broke down getting a PhD and if its worth it by using showing the pros and cons. great information!
Ani Wey thanks!
I’ve just started my Dphil and you’re scaring me!!!
What about this is scary?
great perspective
Ajay Mathur thanks! 👍
Where must we postule to find a job as a lecturer in the UK and in the USA when we have a PhD ? Thanks.
Regarding funding: I've seen a disturbing number of people being offered a place on a PhD programme at Oxford without any funding offered. I'm going to go ahead and say please don't do it! A PhD is not like an undergraduate or even a master's where you're essentially doing make-work to help train you. You are doing real work and contributing to the field. You're doing work that will boost other people's careers and the university's reputation. It's a job and you should be financially supported while doing it. Quite frankly it's actually insulting to not only not pay you but demand that YOU pay them for the honour of doing that work. Oxford is a wealthy university, they should be able to find the money.
Either reapply in another year so you can secure funding, or simply look elsewhere. There are universities in America and Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) that are equally or more prestigious than Oxford that WILL give you funding. I think it's also worth noting that Oxford has a small number of research council-funded doctoral training programmes that they seem to try hard not to advertise too much . Apply for these opportunities that have funding attached. Another nasty habit I've seen from Oxford is advertising projects as competition-funded which haven't been entered into any competitions by the supervisor: run from these, they SHOULD be advertised as self-funded.
Hi Doc: Yvonne here again. I agree that getting a PHD depends on what you want to do with your life. I like academia and there was a time when I would have gotten a PHD because I was a lecturer in a University and to continue I would have had to get a PHD. Anyway, I came to Canada and that was the end of that pressure. To add my daughter is a PHD and so is my Ex-husband. I had to lay the framework for what I want to say. I always believe that whatever job you do is to fund your life style. A job or a business has the same outcome of funding your life style. So here is my question. Apart from the personal prestige, , is it really worth it financially? Waiting for your perspective. BTW, I watched to the end.
Great question.... my answer is... I honestly don't know 🤔
Just as a note though, American university stipends are dependent on you working RA/TAships, making the PhD funding essentially a very low wage. You *must* work these RA/TAships in order to be eligible for your stipend; these are not opportunities provided to you so much as low income work that the university contracts out to cheap laborers (you) on top of the required coursework, studying for comp exams, and your dissertation. This is why there have been many grad students striking throughout Ivy League universities (Harvard being a major one). Keep in mind also that Harvard is located in Cambridge, one of the most expensive places to live nationally. $35,000/year is the annual stipend given by Harvard to sociology students, which is in actuality lesser value than 15k pounds/year for Oxford students (if you're able to get funding) because a big chunk of that money will go to rent (which, believe it or not, rent in Cambridge by PPP index is more expensive than it is in Oxford), health insurance (don't need to explain how American health insurance is just a scam), food (food quality throughout America is lower and more expensive), etc. The grass is not necessarily greener. This is coming from an American student at an Ivy.
After making this video, I actually interviewed over 100+ PhDs who were transitioning from academia or those who have transitioned. I haven’t published much on it but I’ve posted quite a lot about it in the spring of 2021 on my LinkedIn posts. The whole phd thing is a brutal situation whichever way we look at it globally.
Congratulations sir 🎉...sir give me some information about PhD in chemistry and about application process pls sir
Hey there, the best thing to do is to conduct an informational interview with someone who’s actually in that department. You can learn how to on my playlist on informational interviews
Hello sir....want to know about phd in microbiology.
One of my best friends just completed her PhD and it was completely worth it!
🙌🙌🙌 glad it worked out for her!
Would it be possible to do a part-time DPhil and live overseas (attending oxford sporadically)?
There are residency requirements for your DPhil and from my recollection it’s 6 terms where you have to stay x kilometres from the Carfax Tower. I know some people who spend a year or two there and then go on fieldwork and complete the rest via distance learning and flying in only when you need to.
Great breakdown. How about the earning potential of the degree?
In academia, it depends where you end up. In the West, if you go to a poor private teaching university then the earning potential is meh. If you go to a public university, then it's solid. If you go to a top private R1 university, then it's awesome. It really depends.
It sure better be worth it! I can only imagine what part of the $1.6 trillion in student loan debt is specific to PHd study.
Smart Money - Personal Finance 😂 the debt is real but it’s not as bad as the USA
Great content and subscribed! Would love to hear what you think of our grad school channel. Thank you.
I matriculated as a DPhil in 2006 at Oxford. The contract was violated by the department the first week of arriving and the two content expert professors were replaced by a new professor brought in from Birmingham because of her BERA grant connections. I feel betrayed and distrust their ethical integrity. I do not forgive them. It cost me about $370,000.
Sorry to hear that you had such a terrible experience. The people who were replaced were supposed to be your supervisors?
Like.. Like
Thiên Nhiên Cảnh 25 thanks 🙏
Definitely Oxford is expensive!!
🍻
I don’t think a PhD is essential anymore personally.
Honestly, depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a professor and do research at a university, then it's still essential. It's basically the key to entry for certain lines of work.