Work and Study full-time

[hellovn]

Hi All,

 

I am in a weird situation. I am currently working full-time for the provincial government in my city. I have started my PHD program last year and my current supervisor allowed me to do this as he does not have to pay me anything. I got a scholarship to cover my tuition fee and my work salary is for my family expense and house mortgage . Unfortunately, my current supervisor got an offer from another university and moved on. He is currently on a sabbatical leave for a year so I will have to find a new supervisor in the next few months and my current one will become my co-supervisor.

 

I took two courses last term and both got A+. Both are interested in supervising me but I will focus on the professor that I would like to be his student. I did a directed studies course with him last term and he is one of my thesis committee members. He is a very well-known professor in his area and has a lot of funding. He has more than 3 postdocs and more than 10 PHD and Master students. I have been collaborated with a few students in his lab so we have a good relationship. After the course, we have had a few meetings (me, him, his postdoc, and his other collaborated profs) to discuss further work about my course project. He also booked an appointment with my current supervisor which will be in town next month to discuss my PHD plan. 

 

My problem is this professor already knew that I am currently working full-time as he asked and I told him . My fear is that he will ask me to stop working and focus on studying as funding is not a problem for him. For my current job, I just work one hour a day and spent most of my time for studying so I don't really want to quit working and lose all of its benefits (medical, salary, pension, and more). If he asks me to stop working, I am not really sure what I will do. I enjoy studying but with a family, a young son, and a mortgage), it is not a realistic to do that.

 

Please advise

 

Thanks.

Edited February 7, 2015 by hellovn

[husky]

At my university, an RA contract is 0.5FTE and therefore requires 20 hours per week. As long as you can guarantee to spend that time on research, nothing else you matters. Your work boss can't tell you what to do when you leave work. Why should you allow your advisor to dictate what you do when you leave campus? All you have to do is assure the new advisor that you have and will continue to spend the the required amount of time required in your contractor research.

[hellovn]

At my university, an RA contract is 0.5FTE and therefore requires 20 hours per week. As long as you can guarantee to spend that time on research, nothing else you matters. Your work boss can't tell you what to do when you leave work. Why should you allow your advisor to dictate what you do when you leave campus? All you have to do is assure the new advisor that you have and will continue to spend the the required amount of time required in your contractor research.

 

Thanks Husky for your reply. I think I already convinced him last semester that I could handle both working and studying at the same time. Hopefully, he won't ask me to stop working full-time because I don't want to upset him as he is still one of my thesis committee members.

[ritapita]

I know that all of the schools I applied to, as well as the one I am at now do not allow any outside employment if you are at a funded .50 FTE position as a TA or RA.  I have heard of some people having problems with this, and others not at all.  I am sure you signed a contract when you accepted your PhD position.  I would review the contract, and also just see what happens.  Obviously it's selectively enforced in your program.  And your circumstance seems to require the employment.  You have already proven that you can manage both.  Make a good case for yourself if there is a problem. Also, he may come back with funding that puts you better off than your job.  You don't know until you have that chat.

[CrunchCrunch]

Hi All,

 

I am in a weird situation. I am currently working full-time for the provincial government in my city. I have started my PHD program last year and my current supervisor allowed me to do this as he does not have to pay me anything. I got a scholarship to cover my tuition fee and my work salary is for my family expense and house mortgage . Unfortunately, my current supervisor got an offer from another university and moved on. He is currently on a sabbatical leave for a year so I will have to find a new supervisor in the next few months and my current one will become my co-supervisor.

 

I took two courses last term and both got A+. Both are interested in supervising me but I will focus on the professor that I would like to be his student. I did a directed studies course with him last term and he is one of my thesis committee members. He is a very well-known professor in his area and has a lot of funding. He has more than 3 postdocs and more than 10 PHD and Master students. I have been collaborated with a few students in his lab so we have a good relationship. After the course, we have had a few meetings (me, him, his postdoc, and his other collaborated profs) to discuss further work about my course project. He also booked an appointment with my current supervisor which will be in town next month to discuss my PHD plan. 

 

My problem is this professor already knew that I am currently working full-time as he asked and I told him . My fear is that he will ask me to stop working and focus on studying as funding is not a problem for him. For my current job, I just work one hour a day and spent most of my time for studying so I don't really want to quit working and lose all of its benefits (medical, salary, pension, and more). If he asks me to stop working, I am not really sure what I will do. I enjoy studying but with a family, a young son, and a mortgage), it is not a realistic to do that.

 

Please advise

 

Thanks.

A government job isn't really hard, as you've pointed out.  Why would a professor tell you that and why do you care? Just do what works for you.