Should I Do a PhD?
(Especially if I already have a Masters)
What are the disadvantages of having a PhD if the person already has a Master’s, is working, and doesn’t want to enter academia after the PhD? Would it be redundant?
We live in a competitive world dominated by materialism and credentialism in which case it is no surprise when people automatically equate advanced learning with career advancement and whatever benefits one expects to come with it.
My advice to anyone considering doing a PhD (and I have given this advice to postgrad students more times than I can recall), is do not attempt this level of study unless you desire to change yourself into someone more intellectually accomplished than you were at the start.
Because that is the only sure outcome of (successful) completion of a PhD.
Do not do a PhD for your career, your ego, nor because your parents expect you to.
Do not do a PhD because you hope to become a professor or academic.
Do not do a PhD if you are not sure what you want to research and are hoping a supervisor will tell you.
Do not do a PhD because you think having one will socially elevate you.
Do not do a PhD because you hope to make money from doing so.
Do not do a PhD because you hope to write and sell a lot of books.
And finally, do not even consider a PhD unless you are prepared and able to make it your life’s priority from the moment you write the first draft of your proposal to the day you finally graduate (for some doctoral students that gap can be many years).
If you are rationalising doing a PhD by weighing up the material costs and benefits, then a PhD is not for you.
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Since 2017, Dr Stephen Whitehead has answered over 10,500 Quora questions, mostly on education, relationships, sociology, life and living, and philosophy. To date, his answers have received over 3.5 million views increasing at the rate of 75,000 a month. He has over 1000 followers. For more info, head here.
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Dr. I am surprised you didn't mention the EdD. I was considering it instead of a PhD specifically because I wasn't into the academic focus of PhD. Anyway, EdD might be a future topic for you.
Boom! Well said Stephen. I attended a conference with fellow PhD students recently and it was interesting to see that many cited some of the 'do nots' that you mention in this post. I'm 1 year into the PhD journey and agree with your line, "do not even consider a PhD unless you are prepared and able to make it your life’s priority from the moment you write the first draft of your proposal to the day you finally graduate". I started my PhD in 2019, but realised I couldn't fulfil that requirement. I just couldn't give it that sort of attention. After a year of reshuffling in 2020, I was able to give it the attention it required in 2021 (and hopefully onwards from here!).