Hi all,
I thought this might be a helpful discussion to have. I'm planning on applying to PhD programs for commencement in 2020 and was curious what ya'll think.
What are some advantages/disadvantages of doing a European/Australasian style PhD, which typically takes 3-4 years, rather than an American style PhD which typically takes 5-7 years? Here are some advantages I can think of:
Less opportunity cost. If you get a PhD in 3ish years and either decide to leave academia or don't get a suitable academic job, you'll be younger and (presumably) more flexible about other options.
You get to go straight into research rather than worrying about coursework. Granted, some non-US/non-Canadian places do require a bit of coursework in the first year (LSE, for example), but it seems to be mostly proseminars and things like that. Of course, going straight into research could be a disadvantage for those who feel underprepared. In my own case, I have a research-MA and an honours degree with a substantive research component, so I'm not worried about diving straight in.
Relatedly, you can focus solely on the areas of philosophy that interest you. Most places don't seem to have the same sorts of distribution requirements as US universities do, e.g. there's none of this 'take 2 courses in metaphysics and epistemology, 2 courses in the history of philosophy, 1 course in logic, 1 foreign language' business. Again, this might be a disadvantage for some.
Disadvantages of a 3-4 year PhD:
Less time to publish, which is primarily what will get you a job.
Concerns about being over-specialized or niche. I'm not sure how much of an issue this really is, but it seems as though coursework requirements might help one become a more well-rounded philosopher.
The application process adds a layer of stress that isn't there in US-style applications: the research proposal and finding a supervisor. Most European and Australasian PhD programs require applicants to draft a research proposal and sometimes secure the support of a prospective adviser prior to applying. In most cases you probably can't just use a generic research proposal - you'll need to tailor it to each department's strengths. This is in addition to everything else (writing sample, LoR, SoP, etc). Of course, the GRE isn't required, so maybe it balances out.
Would be great to hear what everyone thinks!
