Worried about tenure-track jobs?

[Everton34]

I have been thinking about a PhD in Mass Comm for the better part of the last 5-6 years. I have my master's degree in communication, along with a professional degree that currently allows me to work in a communication-related capacity. My love for teaching and research in the field always calls me back to the consideration of a PhD. A few mentors have encouraged me to consider the PhD and it appears that I have found a novel area of research.

 

But the first step in this long journey: what comes at the end of the PhD rainbow? Everywhere I look there are more articles about declining tenure-track positions. And professional opportunities with the PhD are not likely much better than my current situation, and even if they are, certainly not worth several more years of education.

 

So I am really curious to hear all of your thoughts. Is there anxiety among communication PhD students? Should I be worried? Anyone going through my same line of thinking?

 

Hope to hear more. Thanks!

[The Pedanticist]

I always have this moral dilemma when people ask me this type of question:  If I say yes then I'm hurting my own job chances (even by such a small measure).  If I say no then I feel like I may be both holding someone back for the wrong reasons and hurting the discipline by not encouraging another voice.

 

Regardless, I'm much less worried about getting a job in comm than in philosophy.  In philosophy 5 schools control 50% of all placements.  

[Duna]

In comm it's like 15 schools that play musical chairs with their graduates. Choose your poison. 

[Everton34]

In comm it's like 15 schools that play musical chairs with their graduates. Choose your poison. 

Could you elaborate a little more? Musical chairs in the sense that only ~15 schools hire students from the same graduate programs when there are openings?

[Duna]

Yeah sorry, that was a very cynical statement lacking a reference there. However, I can't find the damn publication right now. But take a look at the NCA doctoral programs list, go through the faculty and look at the schools. You can look at a ranking (based on pubs e.g.) and then start with number 1. I promise you that 80% of the schools will show up again and again...

 

http://www.natcom.org/DoctoralProgramGuide/

http://www.cios.org/EJCPUBLIC/022/1/022122.html

http://www.unco.edu/aca/JACA%20Vol%2032%20Nos%201-2%202013.pdf 55 and onward

Edited October 20, 2014 by Duna

[lyrehc]

Here's the deal with Comm. The vast majority of schools, including community colleges, offer public speaking and introductory courses. Because of this it is still very possible to find a full-time position and gain tenure. Unfortunately, many of the full-time, tenured positions expect their faculty to focus on teaching. This means that if you hope to research and publish your chances are lower than if you want to go somewhere and "just" teach.

 

In the past few years in my department we haven't had anyone who wanted a job not find one after graduation. Some chose to go private sector, but they still found full-time, rewarding employment that they (appear to be) happy with.

 

HTH

[The Pedanticist]

Interesting read about the increasing number of comm jobs.  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/10/22/new-data-show-communication-faculty-jobs-are

[CommPhD20]

A couple more links...

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-schmitt/communication-studies-ris_b_6025038.html

http://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/More_Scholarly_Resources/2013%20Jobs%20Update%20Report%20Final.pdf

 

One interesting stat, to me - there were more BA degrees awarded in Comm. than English, which is traditionally one of the single most popular disciplines outside of the hard sciences. While there are just as many, if not more, students interested in communication, there are half as many faculty members in communication than English. The jobs will keep coming.

Edited October 27, 2014 by JLRC

[The Pedanticist]

A couple more links...

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-schmitt/communication-studies-ris_b_6025038.html

http://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/More_Scholarly_Resources/2013%20Jobs%20Update%20Report%20Final.pdf

 

One interesting stat, to me - there were more BA degrees awarded in Comm. than English, which is traditionally one of the single most popular disciplines outside of the hard sciences. While there are just as many, if not more, students interested in communication, there are half as many faculty members in communication than English. The jobs will keep coming.

 

I was talking with one POI that said that he had placed three students he was advising for in one month!  The school had like 6 placements in total that month.