Dropping Out?

[GPT]

(Long-time lurker here. Grad Cafe was very helpful with my applications last year. Keeping the personal details to a minimum for obvious reasons.)

I'm currently in the first year of a philosophy PhD program and I think I want to drop out. My program is good, the department has a welcoming atmosphere, but I just don't feel like I enjoy philosophy enough to keep doing it indefinitely. I like philosophy but I think I'd be happier in another job. Given how tough the job market is at the moment I don't feel like it's worth staying on the program when I could be happier doing something else.

I'm sorry if the above sounds ungrateful. I realize that a lot of people desperately want to get into a PhD program and get shut out. I really thought I wanted to do a PhD in philosophy this time last year. Only when I started my program did I realize that academia probably isn't right for me.

So here's my question: Should I drop out at the end of my 1st year or should I hold out for a second year?

At the moment, I think staying on for a second year would be the better option. If I stay for 2 years I will leave my program with some teaching experience, and by teaching I will also be able to give something back to my department. Plus, if I stay on for two years I might have a shot at applying for a Master's degree. Does anyone know what the chances of being awarded a master's degree after 2 years on a PhD program are? Obviously I can't ask other grad students or faculty in my department without letting them know I'm thinking of dropping out.

Thoughts appreciated.

Edited November 27, 2015 by GPT
Removing personal info

[fuzzylogician]

It sounds to me like you are making the right decision by quitting. There is no point in getting a PhD in the Humanities if you are not passionate about it and want that faculty job (or other job you couldn't do without a PhD). It's hard enough as it is, and if you can do other things, I think it's good to realize that early and pursue them. I also think that taking your time before you leave might be a good idea, for several reasons, some of which you've mentioned. You could get some teaching experience and find out what you'd need to do to get an MA (I'll get back to that point in a bit). More importantly, I think, you can start adjusting your goals and your work to fit whatever it is you want to pursue next. Take advantage of your university's career center to help you turn your CV into a resume. Start exploring options for the next job or career you'd like to have. Attend career fairs, pursue internships, etc. There are many resources graduate students are often not aware of. Since I assume you have a fellowship and you are not suffering, I think you want to take the time to make a plan for your next move before you quit. As part of that plan, you need to figure out if having some teaching experience would be useful, and if having the MA would be useful. They may or may not be.

As for getting the MA, this is something that we can't help you with without knowing more details, which I understand why you would not want to share. You can start by reading through whatever official materials are distributed to current students in your department. Does the website mention that this is an option? Does the university/graduate school discuss it? Also, can you think of any students who have recently left your program and what happened to them? Maybe more senior students can tell you about what's happened to students who've quit in the past, say, 5 years. I'm sure they exist, no program has 100% retention. Maybe they know if the MA is ever awarded by your department and under what circumstances. Other ways to discreetly ask questions might be to chat up the department's admin person or other staff, who would have the knowledge and are unlikely to tell your professor that you asked questions. If you're concerned that asking questions might make you a target for unwanted behavior from the faculty, you could consider reaching out to the ombudsperson at your school and having them do some fact-finding for you. If you do trust your advisor or another faculty member, you could initiate a conversation whose gist is basically "I am unsure that I should stay, and wanted to talk to you about my options," not saying that you'll quit but just asking what's out there. One question could be about what would happen if you choose to leave now and/or if there an MA option. 

[maxhgns]

There's nothing wrong at all with deciding that the PhD isn't for you after all. In fact, it's an important realization, and it's better that it come earlier than later.

I know a number of people who left their programs after completing the coursework, and their departments did confer them with an MA. It's worth looking into, and it's probably worth toughing it out a little longer to get the extra credential (at worst, you'll have delayed your real-world market entry for a year but will have been funded for that year, and will have a credential to show for it, along with some new and different experiences).

I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you, however, that almost everyone goes through periods of serious doubt, especially at the start of graduate studies. For some of us, that doubt eases after a little while (although it can come back periodically). It might be worth giving yourself just a little longer to be sure, especially if that little longer gives you a better sense of what it's like to teach and research, or to do something altogether different. Alternately, you could look into taking a semester's leave, and then decide after that break whether you care to continue or not.

[Contretramp]

What other kind of work are you interested in? 

One way of looking at this might be to ask whether those other options you want to pursue will reward you for the MA/1 year of PhD. Depending on what sort of thing you're interested in, there might be different trade offs involved in committing for the extra year. 

I've been working for a few years and am now trying to go back and do a PhD, so I'd be happy to give you some comments on that from my experience (and what I've heard from friends) in strategy, management consulting and finance. 

[Catria]

Please, a resource I would strongly consider would be mental health services as well. Perhaps a mental health issue belies either why you wanted a PhD in the first place or why you doubt yourself by now...

[GPT]

Thanks all, some really helpful responses here. It sounds like most are agreeing that staying on for a second year would be best. I do think getting an MA would help me out in the long-term, while gaining some teaching experience would be a useful way of demonstrating professionalism to immediate potential employers.

jorou - I can't disclose the line of work I'm interested in because others in my department could identify me from it. Not directly related to any of the areas you mentioned, but thanks for the thought.

Catria - Again, thanks for the thought but I am 100% sure my doubts are not motivated by mental health issues.

[PorchlightPhilosopher]

Choose, that is, invent.