PhD’s: Do you have one? Would you consider doing one? ?

Unlike other titles (prince/princess/lord) Dr is something you achieved by your own efforts rather than inheriting it from your parents at no credit to yourself. Thats how I see it.

I once did once use my title to put a cf neighbour in her place. She asked me my first and second name, but made no attempt to tell me hers. Eventually she asked "Is that Miss or Mrs?"

"Well before I tell you any more about myself suppose you have the courtesy to tell me your name!"

No reply.

"Well its neither. Its Dr. My first name is for my close friends and family. You may call me Dr Biglouis"

I subsequently looked up her name (and a great deal of other information besides) on the land registry.

I did a doctorate part-time while also working and as a single parent. It took seven years in total. My research still gets quoted in books and academic papers 16 years on. I got a nice job as a result of being ‘Dr’ even though I was otherwise under-qualified for the role. I don’t much like any titles, but once in a while it’s useful to insist on it, usually when I’m being talked down to by someone less qualified.

I did think about it once and had an interview at Essex but decided it was too expensive at that time. SIL has a doctorate in intestinal worms! We do call him Dr Jon to tease him. He teaches medical students biochemistry now.

It's quite possible to do a PhD while still working. I planned it all out meticulously. I do love a GANTT chart!

I'd love to do a PhD. I know my topic and have a friend who has offered to be my supervisor. I'm not sure I'm ever going to get the time though, since I'm going to have to work more or less full-time up to state retirement age.

My neighbour (about my age) is studying and I'm jealous.

DH did one after he retired. Cost a fortune and some of his lump sum soon disappeared. He did his PhD at the same time as having cancer operations and chemo.

I always had a sneaking admiration for a Consultant Anaesthetist acquaintance who, on retirement, enrolled on an MA degreee (Research) course in Egyptology.

I had to get ethical approval for my research and complete a huge IRIS form etc to register the research. I had absolutely no problem deciding the topic of my doctoral thesis as it was something I really wanted to know about. Nobody calls me doctor but it makes me secretly happy that they could!

I suppose it depends on which industries you work in. I worked in the energy industry for many years, part of it for the gas exploration and production arm of the company I worked for where, I think, the majority of the geologists and geophysists had PhD.

At one point one of the directors, a jumped up little man, insisted he should always be addressed as Dr Smith and this was greeted with derision by most of the staff, including other directors, because with so many PhDs about in that part of the industry nobody used their honorific or were bothered about it..

It is worth looking at the PhD by published work route.

This means that you could start researching and trying as a goal to get something original published without needing to apply, be registered or pay any fees.

At some stage registration would be required and probably a thesis-like document prepared explaining the relevance of the publications and so on, paying a fee and an examination, but you could get started now on your own initiative and if you get anywhere with it get retrospective academic credit for what you have done before the formal registration.

Regulations vary greatly from university to univeristy, some only for their own academic staff, some for their own academic staff and their own graduates, the graduates sometimes only becoming eligible to apply after at least a number of years have passed since graduation, yet some allow any graduate, not necessarily from that particularly university, to apply.

As lots of source material is now freely available on the web for some subjects this could be a good option for home study.

It depends which subject interests you, such as whether you would need access to an equipped laboratory or not.

Please note that the oral examination can take place anywhere agreed, so potentially, if someone needed it, in an office in a care home where the candidate is living at the time, with the examiners visiting.

It is known by various similar names at various places, but searching for PhD by published work on Google gives lots of links.

I would love to.

I have a BA and MSc and often think it would be lovely to do a PhD on retiring.

There are two problems, though. Unless I win the lottery, I'd never be able to afford it. And I don't think I could ever decide on a subject as I have a never-ending, but always changing, flow of passions. Which to choose?

I did a PhD in my 50s. I did it on the side while working full time. It certainly focuses the mind when you don't have the luxury of full time study. It took four years in all with a master's after the first two years. I already had a masters though. (Am a real swot!) My various degrees were all related to my work so really helped to develop my career and because I was so interested in the study it seemed relatively easy.
My two novels were written as a relief from formal academic writing. It was great to just write a pack of lies with no need to reference everything after so much academic writing.
I'll say one thing for research studies - you always have something to think about when you're stuck at traffic lights or in a queue!

I've done a pg dip and a MSc ....I said after those I would never ever do an academic course again ....I know some people enjoy it...but not me...I was paid to do them through work.

I don't have a PhD, but I have typed a good few whilst working as a seretary at the University.

threat = thread.

Unfortunately having a doctorate does not cure typos!

I really enjoyed the intellectual challenge of doing my doctorate. I was in the "right place at the right time" as the internet (as we know it) was evolving rapidly in the early - mid 1990s. I was fortunate to get government funding for three years and managed to complete within that time period. I did have a brilliant supervisor - one of the few "bosses" I have ever really respected.

There was recently a threat in mumsnet on this subject. Many people who did a Ph.D now find that it was not relevent to their career unless they became an academic. Some even say it hindered them because it made other colleagues wary of them. However my degree involved examination of how people interact with computers, how they navigate the internet, and so on. I now run a company selling online so much of that knowledge formed a useful background to how I now operate my business.

All very well being addressed as 'Dr' until someone highlights their complaints or asks if you could just take a look at...
Really.

My thesis wasn’t really very good so it’s probably best quietly forgotten about as a bit of an embarrassment.
Recently out of curiosity I did some interest searches to see if anyone had quoted it and found five books that had mentioned it in their footnotes or quoted from it. They were a nice range of books and one in particular pleased me as it was clearly based on someones very specialised hobby interest and was for a quite different area, but the the reference fitted very well. Out of vanity I bought copies of all five books and put them on display in the lounge for a year or so They are now gathering dust in a bookcase.

I did a PhD in "Human computer interaction" at a RG university in the 1990s and it led me into an academic career. Not bad for a kid who failed the 11 plus and only have O level GCSE!

I was proud of what I achieved as it showed me how far someone can go even if they come from a poor background and get no encouragement from their family. It led me to some interesting experiences such as a year as a visiting professor at uni or Nevada (which is just outside Las Vegas).

Yes I do use the title Dr as its something I earned, and not something I inherited as with the royal family and the aristos. Working in the USA taught me to have pride in my achievements and not to hide them as something to be ashamed of.

There is still an assumption that "doctors" are male so I believe those of use who are female should use it as an alternative to Ms.

It was supposed to be Hons not horns

FannyCornforth

Dinahmo

I know several people who have PhDs and none of them have ever considered being addressed as Dr... by friends and family.

I’d insist upon it at all times!

Hear, hear!

Now I am mostly ( a few weeks) retired I have wondered about studying something- I'm not sure what yet- there are so many interesting fields that I know little about! I want something much lighter than another PhD style study.

Both my masters degree dissertations have since been cited by other scholar, so to that extent aan be assumed to having been ‘an original contribution to knowledge’ to to. One became a journal article.

I am like Shelmiss I just love resaerch and writing my findings up. My MSc was for sound career reasons and did my career a power of good. The second, just after I retired was done for the pure joy of investing a whole year of my time studying a subject I love and researching an aspect of it that had fascinated me for years.

I supported my husband and took care of the babies and house while he worked full time and did his PhD in his ‘spare’ time. It wasn’t the easiest of routes!

Maybe. But I'm not a very patient person so I might be better doing two additional quicker first degrees.
What's a Scottish MA horns degree? Is it in musical instruments or in long haired ??
Joking.