PHD candidate in 2016

[Jessica2014]

Hello, 

 

One of my friends has done a master degree in linguistics from UK and now she is currently restudying the same program in USA and she told me that the main reason she restudying the same program is that America does not recognise the British education system! does she just kidding with me or she is telling the truth? she know that I want deeply to study my master in USA at first place, but I put this on hold because of LOW of G.P.A. she also know that I will go to UK and study there because I want to correct that weakness in my c.v for P.H.D. 

 

As for my roughly C.V it goes like this:

 

English is my second language and I am intending to self-study French starting this coming January because I want to study it like forever also I think it will look good on my c.v. Besides that I got an offer to study MA in Linguistics in one of the UK's leading school along with that I will apply for Oxford summer school for a month or so furthermore, I have countless on-line classes from recognisable institutions and I am currently applying for Harvard on-line classes. Also I am taking Cambridge proficiency  exam. I didn't took the G.R.E exam yet, but I will be taking it through next academic year. Aside from that I am working through my first novel (does it help to have publication in a related MA field?) 

 

 

this is the summery of what I have so far and what I am plaining to have in  2015.

 

I am planing to take the P.H.D in English; so I don't know if a master in linguistics would help my application or not. 

 

what you guys think, I am not talking about IVY League as I realise it is a long shoot, but other respectable school would be nice.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Jessica2014

[Bleep_Bloop]

Deciding on whether to do a PhD in the US or UK depends largely on where you want to work after. If you want to work in the UK or Europe, a degree from a university in the UK would probably serve you better. However, it's very difficult to get an academic job in the US with a PhD from an institution in the UK. This isn't because we think that the degree is worthless, but because the structure of programs is very different. Depending on the field, the focus of research may also be quite different between the American and British academies (it is in my field, at least). In terms of getting a non-academic job here with, say, a masters from the UK...you'll also have some trouble. Again, this isn't because of a prejudice against the quality of the entire system but rather because people just don't recognize the British institutions apart from Oxbridge and, say, the LSE. Employers would rather hire someone with a degree from an institution with which they're familiar.

 

Whether or not to get a masters in linguistics first or go straight to the PhD depends on your prior preparation in the field and how strong of a PhD application you can prepare right now. Remember that letters of recommendation are a very important part of the PhD application in the US, so it might be a good idea to do a masters even if you feel ready to jump right into a PhD just to secure good letters from well-connected professors.This would help your application a lot. 

[Jessica2014]

Deciding on whether to do a PhD in the US or UK depends largely on where you want to work after. If you want to work in the UK or Europe, a degree from a university in the UK would probably serve you better. However, it's very difficult to get an academic job in the US with a PhD from an institution in the UK. This isn't because we think that the degree is worthless, but because the structure of programs is very different. Depending on the field, the focus of research may also be quite different between the American and British academies (it is in my field, at least). In terms of getting a non-academic job here with, say, a masters from the UK...you'll also have some trouble. Again, this isn't because of a prejudice against the quality of the entire system but rather because people just don't recognize the British institutions apart from Oxbridge and, say, the LSE. Employers would rather hire someone with a degree from an institution with which they're familiar.

 

Whether or not to get a masters in linguistics first or go straight to the PhD depends on your prior preparation in the field and how strong of a PhD application you can prepare right now. Remember that letters of recommendation are a very important part of the PhD application in the US, so it might be a good idea to do a masters even if you feel ready to jump right into a PhD just to secure good letters from well-connected professors.This would help your application a lot. 

 

 

hey LKS, 

 

currently I am not interested in pursuit the job market. it goes like this, as soon as I finish my MA from a recognisable institution weather is it from UK of USA I likely would rewarded from my country by A) having a job B ) financial award and C) financial support to travel and get a P.H.D that is if I want it.

 

SO, my main reason I want to have a P.H.D is because it something I always want it from the moment I got into my undergrad school and I know it is not reflecting in my undergrad grades, but imagine that you was on a ship to your promising land and all of a sadden you got lost due to some circumstances I am not ready to mention it yet and the only option in front of you is to get to undergrad college that ranked 8000 and something! luckily I 'revenge' on the education system in my country and applied just out of the honour of the experiment and applied to a university that ranked among the first 50th on the world in languages and got acceptance. I mean from my point of view, if I got acceptance to a university ranked that advance I consider it is a huge jump from where I was! 

 

my question is really simple, Do I have a chance to get acceptance in one of respectable grad school in USA baring in mind that I already have grant?

Edited November 27, 2014 by Jessica2014

[ExponentialDecay]

I have a question for Jessica: what is your country, and how hard is it to get citizenship in your country? I want free money to pursue a PhD in whatever too!

[Bleep_Bloop]

hey LKS, 

 

currently I am not interested in pursuit the job market.

SO, my main reason I want to have a P.H.D is because it something I always want it from the moment I got into my undergrad school

 

That's a bad reason to get a PhD, no offense. A PhD is job preparation to be a professor and researcher. You have to ask yourself why you want to do this, it's a serious commitment on your part and on the part of an academic department. If you're not interested in the academic job market, why would you put yourself and others through this process? You seem pretty concerned about rank, prestige, and "honor." (As an aside, just what is a "respectable grad school?"). Believe me, those are all the wrong reasons for getting into this game.

[xolo]

There are a lot of reasons for getting a PhD beyond "getting a job". 

[Eigen]

There are a lot of reasons for getting a PhD beyond "getting a job". 

 

Not really. There are other reasons to want to work in a field, and lots of reasons to want to learn more about an area, but you don't need a PhD for those. 

 

You get a PhD if you want a job that requires a PhD. 

 

If you just want to study a field and don't need a PhD to do so, there's really no reason to get a PhD- you'll get further and be far happier without it. If you want to learn more about an area, you can read and follow that field without being enrolled in a  program or getting the degree. 

[Bleep_Bloop]

There are a lot of reasons for getting a PhD beyond "getting a job". 

 

I can't think of many. Eigen makes good points above. There are many ways you can pursue an intellectual passion outside of a PhD program that are far more practical and rewarding. I wouldn't recommend anyone enter a program unless they want to pursue a career that requires the training a PhD provides. This doesn't necessarily have to be within academia: in the sciences this could be research in industry and in the humanities it might mean museum work or public service. But most PhD programs in the humanities are set up to train future professors.

 

I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but doing a PhD solely because you love the material, because it's been a dream of yours since childhood, or because you want the cultural capital a PhD provides is frankly a waste of a program's time.

[Eigen]

Also likely not the best use of your time. To quote from faculty on the CHE forums:

If there is something in life that you feel you must do,

something you can't imagine going on without doing,

something your are willing to sacrifice years of your life for, and

something that requires a PhD,

then you should apply to the best PhD programs for that something.

If that is not the case, you are better off not pursuing a PhD.

Note the 4th line. Other than to get a job, nothing really requires a PhD. Loving a field and spending a lifetime studying it certainly don't.

[xolo]

Hi Eigen, nice quote and I enjoyed it, but it does not mention anything about a job. 

[Eigen]

What other than a job requires a PhD?

[GeoDUDE!]

Eigen, there is another reason to get a PhD other than getting a job after: what if you enjoy working 50-70 hours a week while getting severely underpaid ? There are sadists out there...

[Eigen]

Yes, but there are lots of things you can do working 50-70 hours a week while getting severely underpaid!

[duran0]

hey LKS, 

 

currently I am not interested in pursuit the job market. it goes like this, as soon as I finish my MA from a recognisable institution weather is it from UK of USA I likely would rewarded from my country by A) having a job B ) financial award and C) financial support to travel and get a P.H.D that is if I want it.

 

SO, my main reason I want to have a P.H.D is because it something I always want it from the moment I got into my undergrad school and I know it is not reflecting in my undergrad grades, but imagine that you was on a ship to your promising land and all of a sadden you got lost due to some circumstances I am not ready to mention it yet and the only option in front of you is to get to undergrad college that ranked 8000 and something! luckily I 'revenge' on the education system in my country and applied just out of the honour of the experiment and applied to a university that ranked among the first 50th on the world in languages and got acceptance. I mean from my point of view, if I got acceptance to a university ranked that advance I consider it is a huge jump from where I was! 

 

my question is really simple, Do I have a chance to get acceptance in one of respectable grad school in USA baring in mind that I already have grant?

 

Brutal honesty, from one (former) international student to another: Without drastically improving your English skills, it will be extremely difficult for you to get into an English PhD program. I also don't understand why you're doing an MA in Linguistics if you want to get a Literature PhD. Likely you won't be writing papers with the critical analysis/close textual reading necessary for a good writing sample, and you won't be making relationships with literary scholars for recommendations. 

 

You're already fighting an uphill battle, as your undergrad record is poor. I did my undergrad at the #1 university in my country, and graduated at the top of my class. It still wasn't enough to get into a funded American PhD program. No one recognizes my country's universities in the West. It's just a fact. Furthermore, among my network of international student friends in the humanities who did their MA in non-U.S. countries, it is extremely common for them to do a second masters here before transitioning to a PhD program, especially if their MA was in a different field from their PhD program. I'm in that boat, as I'm now getting my THIRD MA en-route to a PhD.    However, without that experience, my English never would have gotten to the point where I could succeed in a "top" humanities grad program. (Caveat: my understanding is that this is totally different in STEM.) 

 

I really recommend that you think long and hard about this, because I would never suggest anyone to follow my path, which was long and arduous and STILL might not lead to a good job at the end of it. If I were you, I'd just do the MA in Linguistics and take option A (get a job). However, if you're still committed to the PhD despite all the difficulties, I suggest the following:

 

1. Do an MA in the field that you want to do your PhD in. An MA in Linguistics probably will not translate into a Literature PhD program.

2. A 1-year MA program is not enough time to improve your language and academic skills. Look for 2 year programs.

3. Be realistic about your abilities. Get a native English tutor who understands something about academia to work with you on your writing. That is probably more important than your French. 

 

Sorry again for the tough advice, but you should know the reality of the situation. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more about being an international student in a humanities PhD program.