How Do You Know When a PhD Is Right for You?

[michigan girl]

I wonder if I should pursue a doctorate in the near future. I like the salary and benefits at my current workplace, but I miss reading academic journal articles and writing about topics unrelated to the workplace. I also get excited when I look up graduate programs during my free time. Is a doctorate recommended if I want to enter senior management at an education nonprofit organization?

 

I have master's degrees in education and social work. I am open to suggestions: how do you know if PhD is the next step?

Edited July 12, 2015 by michigan girl

[fuzzylogician]

The best advice I can give is to look at the profiles of the people who currently hold the kind of jobs you'd like to have. If they have PhDs, then you need to get one to get the job you want. If not, then you'd be doing it just for fun but not for professional development. That's still alright of course, but then you'd want to weigh the costs and benefits. If you go to a full-time 5-year PhD program, then you are losing on work experience and connections as well as potential earnings. There is a question of whether you'd be able to come back to your old workplace or have a temporary position there throughout, and/or how difficult it would be to get a job once you're done, if a PhD makes you over-qualified. You need to decide if the enjoyment you'd get out of the PhD is worth the costs.

[xolo]

I wonder if I should pursue a doctorate in the near future. I like the salary and benefits at my current workplace, but I miss reading academic journal articles and writing about topics unrelated to the workplace. I also get excited when I look up graduate programs during my free time. Is a doctorate recommended if I want to enter senior management at an education nonprofit organization?

 

I have master's degrees in education and social work. I am open to suggestions: how do you know if PhD is the next step?

 

A psychologist asked me this very question about why did I want a PhD, and what I blurted out was met with a comment about how shallow I am. After thinking about it, I guess I can answer the question now, but most people cannot, so don't over-think it.  I'm not getting a PhD for job prospects which seems to irritate some people on GC. I do think it's good to ponder these big questions, it shows you are really thinking things through.

[St Andrews Lynx]

I wonder if I should pursue a doctorate in the near future. I like the salary and benefits at my current workplace, but I miss reading academic journal articles and writing about topics unrelated to the workplace. I also get excited when I look up graduate programs during my free time. 

It sounds like it's intellectual stimulation you crave, rather than a PhD specifically. 

There are plenty of ways to get that kind of stimulation without entering a PhD program (new hobbies, freelance work, volunteering). Many of which are less stressful, expensive and time-consuming than 5 years in grad school.

[rising_star]

Hi michigan girl, long time no see!

 

If what you're missing is reading and discussing academic articles, why not take a grad class (or even upper level undergrad seminar) every semester or once a year at a nearby university? I totally understand missing the reading and writing about things unrelated to your job but perhaps you could get some of that by taking just one class, rather than pursuing another degree.