Will Ph.D. programs accept an applicant who doesn't want to pursue a career in academia and says so in their application? I would like to get a Ph.D.--I like the idea of dedicating 5+ years to study and research--but I would like to spend the bulk of my career in the government. I'm also under the impression that it's easier to get funding for a Ph.D. than a master's program which is part of the reason I would prefer a Ph.D. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) Is a Ph.D. worth it for me?
Ph.D. and non-academic careers
(21 posts) (2 voices)-
Posted 9 months ago #
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You would be better served by just getting an MA and working in government. Many PhD do go on to work with various government agencies, but many of the same positions are staffed by people with just MAs. MA is much more efficient route, that will eventually get you to the same point.
Posted 9 months ago # -
^ Is probably right. Yes, you're more likely to get funding with a Ph.D., but if you go for the MA, you'll start making money a lot sooner.
Posted 9 months ago # -
^I don't think I would mind waiting for a regular paycheck. Like I said earlier, I like studying and performing research. I think a Ph.D. program would be very rewarding--maybe not financially at first, but I think I could deal with that.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Do you even know what "performing research" entails? Most students starting a PhD program don't. And it's often a rude surprise.
Posted 9 months ago # -
I am working on a senior thesis which will give me the closest approximation to real research that an undergraduate education can give me. I have enjoyed the process so far.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Will Ph.D. programs accept an applicant who doesn't want to pursue a career in academia and says so in their application?
As someone who has been involved with graduate admissions at a top-20 and a top-10, I can say this would be a definite turnoff for us: anyone stating an interest in something other than being an academic was a non-starter. We didn't get many, but when we did I don't recall admitting any.
This might be myopic or parochial on our behalf but that's how it was. The logic is always "do we really want to advise the person and help them work through research ideas for 5--7 years for them to (deliberately) not end up 'using' our efforts to contribute to the field".
Posted 9 months ago # -
PhD programs are preparing you for a particular outcome, and that is to be a college professor. They are rigorous and targeted. You will be learning methods (quantitative and qualitative) and learning about key intellectual debates in your field, most of which are far divorced from reality. If you plan to work in the government, you will likely not enjoy this "studying and performing research."
Posted 9 months ago # -
Don't say that you're not planning on staying in academia, focus on your interest in research.
Get funded, then leave after you complete the requirements for a master's.
All but the most stultifying dissertations (where you're just doing your advisor's work) will not be fun and instead will suck your soul (even if you love the topic--possibly especially if you love the topic).
Get a Master's degree and then apply to the PMF program.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Yeah just don't say one way or another. There is no incentive for schools to prepare people for non-academic jobs.
Posted 9 months ago # -
You could also look into the international affairs schools with PhD programs that routinely place people in government (Princeton, Denver, American, etc). There aren't many of these programs, but they generally have a mix of academic and policy-oriented PhD students.
Posted 9 months ago # -
And here I thought the thread would be about how unemployed PhDs should go about finding cushy non-academic jobs.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Didn't you ask this already on duck of minerva?
Posted 9 months ago # -
For what it's worth, the marginal value of a PhD over an MA is huge in the DoD. If you want to do a dissertation, don't let anybody discourage you. At the same time, I would indicate that you are keeping your options open when you apply and interact with faculty members at your prospective universities.
Posted 9 months ago # -
phd good for prestige and ego; ma is weak
Posted 9 months ago # -
Seriously, are you retaded?
For what it's worth, the marginal value of a PhD over an MA is huge
Posted 9 months ago # -
The marginal value of a PhD in political science over an applied MA or MPP is not large enough to justify many years of your life. Trust me, I know from experience.
The only advantage to a PhD over an applied MA is that it gives you better research chops for some of the research positions at IOs, NGOs, or in the federal government. That sounds nice, but the problem is that you'd probably still be better off with an MA in econ or an MPP from a truly top-tier school than a PhD in poli sci for those jobs.
Posted 9 months ago # -
^^^^^Yup, just soliciting more opinions.
Thanks for the thoughts, everyone.Posted 9 months ago # -
There has always been debate over whether and how to prepare PhD students for non-academic jobs. I'm sure there have been previous threads on here about it as well.
Posted 9 months ago # -
It's a shame that there is prejudice against admitting candidates who pitch for a non-academic career from the get-go, as Little.Wonder sets out. I hope that current admissions folk would be more open about this, not least as by no means all PhDs can get TT academic posts. Many of the best graduates do not pursue academic careers: something academics can be forgetful about.
To your question. A PhD can be longer and useful training for government (for example) if you deliberately choose a) a policy-relevant subject and b) to use your time to build skills and knowledge that will help you in that world, as well as differentiate you from (say) other candidates with a Masters. But do think about communication/policy/teamworking skills - you need to make sure you come out of a program able to write clearly (for policy) and prove you can work with others (a crucial element of government).
Academic departments can be sniffy about a candidate for a PhD program who says they are not interested in an academic career. This reflects narrow thinking about the value of research and knowledge. I did get a PhD place and funding some time back despite setting out a preference for a non-academic career. My only specific recommendation to you would be to present yourself as open-minded, interested in both potential academic and non-academic options following a PhD.
Depending on which bit of government you go for, you could also get a salary bump coming in with a PhD instead of a Masters. But that does not compensate for the additional time invested and lost income/seniority.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Bump
Posted 9 months ago #