Lecturing with a PhD/Where to do a PhD

PeterPan92 · 08-11-2016 5:15pm #1

Hi,

I am a primary school teacher (qualified less than 3 years), and got my Master in Education recently. I really want to get into lecturing, and wish to pursue this. However, I have a few questions that I hope you can help me with.

1. At this point in time, is it essential to have a PhD before pursuing any type of lecturing? I would love to get some experience in lecturing before doing my PhD, but I am wondering if I need to have a PhD before a college would seriously consider me for any lecturer/assistant lecturer position.

2. The second question refers to WHERE to do a PhD. I spoke to a few lecturers in my former college, and the feedback was mixed. Some stated that to be considered as a serious academic, you should go abroad. Others seemed to disagree, and just stated that going to another college in the country would suffice. I'm wondering what are others opinions on the matter?

3. Do I need experience in the primary sector before pursuing lecturing? For the past few years I have been doing substitute work, but have not gotten a maternity/fixed-term contract as of yet. In order to be considered for a lecturer position/PhD scholarship, would I need more experience in the primary sector first?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

PeterPan

gaiscioch · 09-11-2016 12:05am

1. If you're going to do a PhD you're better off finding the most dynamic/prolific/best professor/supervisor/university in the world in the area you're interested in and going there. That will open doors to lecturing positions more than anything else.

2. There are very, very few tenure-track lecturing positions, and a frightening number of people applying for them when they are offered. Networks matter. It is a connection such as No. 1 above which can matter more, though (it also matters greatly in many academic fields if you can go to an interview in Ireland and show you've a record of successfully securing funding)

09-11-2016 2:30pm

Do you want to teach primary education?
There are only a handful of places in the country that offer this so I would consider carefully whether there will be lecturing opportunities available after you qualify.

How many people are currently employed as lecturers. How many are likely to retire soon.
How many people will be chasing those jobs.
Will any colleges close.

Geuze · 09-11-2016 2:34pm

PeterPan92 wrote: »

Hi,

I am a primary school teacher (qualified less than 3 years), and got my Master in Education recently. I really want to get into lecturing, and wish to pursue this. However, I have a few questions that I hope you can help me with.

1. At this point in time, is it essential to have a PhD before pursuing any type of lecturing? I would love to get some experience in lecturing before doing my PhD, but I am wondering if I need to have a PhD before a college would seriously consider me for any lecturer/assistant lecturer position.

To be hired as a permanent, FT lecturer in a uni, yes, you need a Ph.D.

In an IoT, no you don't. However, it is heading that way, and many applicants for jobs will have a Ph.D.

In a College of Education, not necessarily, but again, younger applicants will tend to be doing, or have a Ph.D.

Geuze · 09-11-2016 2:35pm

PeterPan92 wrote: »

Hi,

3. Do I need experience in the primary sector before pursuing lecturing? For the past few years I have been doing substitute work, but have not gotten a maternity/fixed-term contract as of yet. In order to be considered for a lecturer position/PhD scholarship, would I need more experience in the primary sector first?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

PeterPan

I presume you want to be an Education lecturer?

Experience teaching will definitely help, yes.

Does it have to be at a particular level? I doubt it.

me_right_one · 09-11-2016 2:39pm

Am I right in saying lecturers only get 21 annual leave days, as opposed to the hols a primary / secondary teacher gets?

Geuze · 09-11-2016 2:40pm

PeterPan92 wrote: »

1. At this point in time, is it essential to have a PhD before pursuing any type of lecturing? I would love to get some experience in lecturing before doing my PhD, but I am wondering if I need to have a PhD before a college would seriously consider me for any lecturer/assistant lecturer position.

There are plenty of part-time and casual staff teaching without Ph.D, so this should be possible.

peckerhead · 09-11-2016 2:40pm

Colleges of Education, inherently conservative, Catholic and Irish-promoting, also have a habit of 'looking after their own'. Have you asked about signing up for a PhD at your undergraduate institution?

Geuze · 09-11-2016 5:24pm

me_right_one wrote: »

Am I right in saying lecturers only get 21 annual leave days, as opposed to the hols a primary / secondary teacher gets?

No.

In IoT they get 60-70 days leave

9 weeks from late June to end of Aug = 45 days

Xmas = 2/3 weeks, Easter = 2 weeks

The contracts that I am familiar with, in a university, do not specify the number of days. It would be typical for staff to take 15-20 days off during July and Aug.

me_right_one · 09-11-2016 5:30pm

Geuze wrote: »

No.

In IoT they get 60-70 days leave

9 weeks from late June to end of Aug = 45 days

Xmas = 2/3 weeks, Easter = 2 weeks

The contracts that I am familiar with, in a university, do not specify the number of days. It would be typical for staff to take 15-20 days off during July and Aug.

Where could one get "official" figures on this? Is it per IoT / University, or is it covered under civil service contracts?

Geuze · 09-11-2016 5:45pm

me_right_one wrote: »

Where could one get "official" figures on this? Is it per IoT / University, or is it covered under civil service contracts?

I only know about one HEI.

Leave days not specified in typical academic contracts.

It's "custom and practice".

Other HEI may be different.

Geuze · 09-11-2016 5:49pm

gaiscioch wrote: »

2. There are very, very few tenure-track lecturing positions, and a frightening number of people applying for them when they are offered. Networks matter. It is a connection such as No. 1 above which can matter more, though (it also matters greatly in many academic fields if you can go to an interview in Ireland and show you've a record of successfully securing funding)

I had assumed that "tenure" is a US concept, but I see UCD use it:

https://hrportal.ucd.ie/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.display_form

Geuze · 09-11-2016 5:54pm

Excerpt from UCC vacancy information:

3. A comprehensive Annual Leave and Sick Leave scheme is in operation, details of which will be
sent on appointment. Annual leave will be in accordance with the University’s custom and
practice but ordinarily shall not be more than a total of seven weeks per annum inclusive of
Christmas and Easter College Closure days. All leave arrangements must be agreed in advance
with your Head of School. Sick leave will be granted in line with University policy in this regard
which may change from time to time. You should familiarise yourself with the University Sick
Leave Policy and University Sick Leave Management Policy.

GeneralSherman · 17-11-2016 11:21am

The vast majority of posts advertised by the IoT's now require a Phd as they attempt to move into research. Lecturers without a phd probably are in the post a long time. ioT lecturers are on different contracts than the Universities and have longer holidays July and August off for sure as well as Easter and Christmas.
When I worked for UCD lecturers were involved in research projects, supervising postgrads over the Summer so they took holidays in August and were in and out over the rest of the Summer.

Tom Dunne · 17-11-2016 1:59pm

GeneralSherman wrote: »

The vast majority of posts advertised by the IoT's now require a Phd as they attempt to move into research.

That's not the case. The vast majority of posts advertised are either at Lecturer or Assistant-lecturer levels and do not require a PhD. Senior Lecturer level requires a PhD and they are quite rare (usually appointed as promotions from within).

me_right_one · 17-11-2016 6:43pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

That's not the case. The vast majority of posts advertised are either at Lecturer or Assistant-lecturer levels and do not require a PhD. Senior Lecturer level requires a PhD and they are quite rare (usually appointed as promotions from within).

Where do these posts be advertised?

Tom Dunne · 17-11-2016 10:49pm

me_right_one wrote: »

Where do these posts be advertised?

In newspapers and on the institution website.

Steve456 · 17-11-2016 11:11pm

me_right_one wrote: »

Where do these posts be advertised?

Try https://www.universityvacancies.com/

Geuze · 18-11-2016 4:08pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

That's not the case. The vast majority of posts advertised are either at Lecturer or Assistant-lecturer levels and do not require a PhD. Senior Lecturer level requires a PhD and they are quite rare (usually appointed as promotions from within).

Although a Ph.D. isn't essential, you'll be up against other candidates who have one.

21-11-2016 12:19am

If holidays are a dealbreaker for you then forget about lecturing. Publish or perish is a real thing, and summers are the only time when you can get a decent run at it.

Tom Dunne · 21-11-2016 9:56am

Geuze wrote: »

Although a Ph.D. isn't essential, you'll be up against other candidates who have one.

You'd be surprised. The vast majority of posts advertised are Assistant Lecturer, starting at around €35,000, generally part-time, with little or no prospect for continuation.

There are not as many applicants with PhDs for such posts as you might think.

GeneralSherman · 21-11-2016 1:22pm

"There are not as many applicants with PhDs for such posts as you might think."[/QUOTE]

Probably because the money is so bad considering the number of years spent in education and the associated costs for someone with a doctorate.

Geuze · 21-11-2016 11:08pm

Deleted User wrote: »

If holidays are a dealbreaker for you then forget about lecturing. Publish or perish is a real thing, and summers are the only time when you can get a decent run at it.

True in unis.

In the IoT that I am familiar with, they are off from 20/25 June to 1 Sep.

me_right_one · 22-11-2016 1:03am

Deleted User wrote: »

If holidays are a dealbreaker for you then forget about lecturing. Publish or perish is a real thing, and summers are the only time when you can get a decent run at it.

Geuze wrote: »

True in unis.

In the IoT that I am familiar with, they are off from 20/25 June to 1 Sep.

Why is this? Why is there a need to constantly be publishing? Are Uni lecturers paid per paper or something?

Grolschevik · 22-11-2016 1:45am

Original research is part of the job. Some would say the main part. You can't get a university job these days without a substantial record of peer-reviewed publications in good academic journals.

And those are supposed to be a distinct advancement on the prevailing knowledge in the particular specialist area of the author. Basically, an advance in human knowledge.

It's not just teaching! And no, there's no extra pay. It's something that is expected of you if you want to get/keep/move between academic jobs at university level.

Tom Dunne · 22-11-2016 9:42am

Grolschevik wrote: »

You can't get a university job these days without a substantial record of peer-reviewed publications in good academic journals.

This, as I found to my bitter disappointment last summer, is exactly it. I've 10+ years industry experience, 10+ years academic experience, nearing the completion of a PhD, but "only" one published article. Didn't even get shortlisted for interview.

I'm not bitter.

me_right_one · 22-11-2016 4:59pm

^^^^ How feckin many are they expecting?

22-11-2016 5:00pm

Geuze wrote: »

True in unis.

In the IoT that I am familiar with, they are off from 20/25 June to 1 Sep.

In my discipline anyway, IoTs are putting more pressure on staff (who are already teaching 18hr per week) to research.

22-11-2016 5:01pm

me_right_one wrote: »

Why is this? Why is there a need to constantly be publishing? Are Uni lecturers paid per paper or something?

Mostly due to rankings.

GeneralSherman · 22-11-2016 8:55pm

Research projects are funded by for example the EU, SFI, private industry etc. Money is used to pay for postgrads. Lecturers don't get extra pay but some like to be involved in research as well as teaching.

Tom Dunne · 23-11-2016 10:14am

me_right_one wrote: »

Why is this? Why is there a need to constantly be publishing? Are Uni lecturers paid per paper or something?

No, it's to bring money into the institute, basically. And to add to the prestige of the institute, which in turn brings in more international staff/students, which in turn brings in more money. It's commonly referred to as the marketisation of higher education.

Deleted User wrote: »

In my discipline anyway, IoTs are putting more pressure on staff (who are already teaching 18hr per week) to research.

This is an interesting paradox. While yes, pressure is being put on staff in IoT's to research, particularly with the race* towards Technological University, there is no incentive for staff to engage in research. Staff can simply say "no" and there's not a damn thing management can do, staff cannot be fired.

Grolschevik wrote: »

It's not just teaching! And no, there's no extra pay. It's something that is expected of you if you want to get/keep/move between academic jobs at university level.

And that's the crux of the issue. If you are content to stay in one job until retirement, you don't have to engage in research. If, however, you want to move around, you would have to demonstrate a commitment to research.

*I use the term "race" very generously

Lecturing with a PhD/Where to do a PhD

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