Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Gap between primary degree and PhD?

  • 13-05-2007 9:38pm
    #1
    fasterkitten
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 136 ✭✭


    I graduated in Dec 2005 and couldn't decide what to do so I've been working since then in a field which has nothing to do with my (science) degree. Do you think I would still be considered for a PhD?


Comments

  • #2
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    I certainly think it shouldn't be that much of a problem. Also it depends a bit on where you want to do your PhD - if you know the staff there from undergrad and at least a few of them know you by name they should have no problem with the fact you were gone a year or two.

    Regardless of whether or not you worked in a relevant field, it does show some determination to take a big pay cut to do it, so very often that proves people's commitment.


  • #3
    rain on
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭rain on


    not that I either have a PhD, am doing a PhD, or can even spell the word PhD (which isn't a word anyway) but if anything I'd have thought that it'd be an advantage, because it shows you've taken time to think about it and definitely want to do it, rather than falling into a PhD for lack of anything else to do (as does happen).
    also the pay cut thing, as himself up there said.

    also, not that it's exactly the same thing, but in my masters I noticed that there was an exact correlation in the people in my class between having taken time out after a primary degree and getting better marks. i think people who've taken a bit of time off to figure out what they really want to do tend to be more copped on/focused/successful than those who don't. It may not apply as closely for a PhD, but I think the tendency might be there.


  • #4
    jimbo007
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭jimbo007


    I'm just completing a phd, and I don't think it's a problem at all that you've taken time in a different field / time off.

    As the others have said, as long as you have a willingness to do it, the fact that you've taken time off says that you've actually thought about it.. although if you haven't been working in a relevant area since it might look like you're doing it because you can't find anything else.. but this might not be a bad thing!

    By the way, I'm advertising a PhD position for anyone who's interested in doing one in the area of web based application development, see http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055094065

    Make sure that you actually want to research the topic that you're considering doing it in, because it takes a lot of self motivation, and keep the pay cut in mind, but you can live on the scholarship stipend comfortably enough.


Advertisement