• Question: What is a PhD?

    Asked by IM SO WAVEY to Kylie, Matt, Bex, RobB, Sam on 14 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Rob Brass

      Rob Brass answered on 14 Jun 2016:

      It stands for Doctor of Philosophy and is (usually) awarded after completing a piece of original research in your field which is at a level that should allow it to be published in an academic journal. I think normally you also have to stand before a panel of experts and defend your work – like a kind of exam – before it gets awarded. It allows you to use the title ‘Doctor’ so-and-so.

      I dont have one but hope to study for mine part time while i work, perhaps one of the others can tell you more?

    • Photo: Rebecca Thompson

      Rebecca Thompson answered on 14 Jun 2016:

      Rob is right 🙂

      You write a thesis (book) with details of your research. Mine was 270 pages and 75,000 words, so it took quite a long time to write! You then have a ‘viva’ exam, where two experts in the field (normally one from inside the university and one from outside) question you on your work. After, they might give you some alterations to make. Luckily I only had a few spelling mistakes! Once you have made these alterations, you can submit your thesis and you can call yourself Doctor! I still find it a bit weird seeing my name written ‘Dr Rebecca’!

    • Photo: Matt Dunn

      Matt Dunn answered on 14 Jun 2016:

      A PhD stands for Doctor Of Philosophy, but don’t get it confused with a doctor you see when you are ill, they are a Medical Doctor!

      When we finish our PhDs we will have the title of Doctor, which shows that we have completed an original bit of research and published a thesis (which is usually big enough to be a book!).

      Some jobs in academia or industry ask you to have a PhD, so they expect you to be a Dr at least, which is why PhDs are a natural progression from doing a degree and a master’s degree

    • Photo: Kylie Belchamber

      Kylie Belchamber answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      PhD’s normally take 3 or 4 years to complete, so are big pieces of work! Mine took me 4 years, was 250 pages and 56,000 words.
      In science, you normally get paid to do a PhD, although in some other subjects like history and english it is harder to get money to fund it. They cost quite a lot to do in science. I think where I work (Imperial College, London), it costs £16,000 per year to pay a PhD student, plus £20,000 a year in money for chemicals and stuff, plus £20,000 a year to pay the university for space, so thats aboout £56,000 a year to pay for a PhD student. This is not much compared to other scientific research though, it is expensive!

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