What to consider before pursuing a PhD?

9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

• Actively seek out information about PhD programs.
• A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.
• Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

What is it like studying for a PhD?

The main element of a PhD is individual research. While your supervisor might help point you in the right direction, it is up to you to do the work and interpret your findings. As the progress of a PhD will be almost entirely on you, you will need to learn to prioritise tasks and justify the routes you take.

Is it a bad idea to do a PhD in English literature?

Frankly, yes, it’s a bad idea – if you don’t like writing. Towards the end, you are expected to write a dissertation. That’s academic writing, a requirement without which you cannot graduate your Ph.D. Dissertation is the biggest part of the course.

How hard is writing and reading as a PhD student?

Writing and reading is about 50\% of the work you do as a PhD student. It is hard and brutal. If the work is not good enough, it will be returned to you. Over and over and over again until you get it right. Only then do you get to submit it to a journal and the process will start all over again.

Is a PhD worth it?

When I began my course, my supervisor wrote an email that said: “PhDs are almost indispensable if you want to be an academic but it remains extremely difficult to get into the academic job market even with one, so please don’t walk into this lightly”.

Do I have to take any courses during my PhD program?

You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master’s degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors. At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses.