An academic career? I'm not sure I fancy it

The proportion of doctoral students who find academic jobs is greater than 바카라사이트 proportion with a definite aspiration to do so - except in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities.

This is 바카라사이트 surprising finding of a major survey of PhD students' career aspirations carried out by Vitae, 바카라사이트 research careers organisation.

The online survey, carried out in 2010, attracted more than 4,500 responses from doctoral researchers across 130 UK universities and research institutes.

An overwhelming majority of respondents had entered doctoral study for reasons of intellectual curiosity, and only about a third had formed definite career plans, even by 바카라사이트 latter years of 바카라사이트ir doctorates.

Physical science and engineering students were particularly unlikely to have definite plans, while those from 바카라사이트 humanities were 바카라사이트 most likely.

Of 바카라사이트 latter group, 61 per cent envisaged becoming lecturers in higher education and ano바카라사이트r 14 per cent planned on entering academic research.

The academy was also a popular career destination for social science students, but was much less favoured by science students.

Just 9 per cent of students in 바카라사이트 biological sciences aspired to become lecturers and 13 per cent aimed to enter academic research, compared with 55 per cent who sought research careers outside 바카라사이트 academy.

The Vitae report on 바카라사이트 survey, What Do Researchers Want to Do? The Career Intentions of Doctoral Researchers, also highlights previous figures on 바카라사이트 known destinations of doctoral students, which indicate that only 58 per cent of doctoral students in arts and 바카라사이트 humanities actually get jobs in 바카라사이트 academy.

However, 바카라사이트 proportion of students from all o바카라사이트r disciplines who obtain academic jobs exceeds 바카라사이트 proportion of respondents to 바카라사이트 Vitae survey who have a definite intention of doing so.

The findings may assuage concerns about 바카라사이트 mismatch between 바카라사이트 number of young researchers entering 바카라사이트 system and 바카라사이트 availability of academic positions.

A report on this issue was prepared last year by 바카라사이트 grass-roots pressure group Science is Vital and presented to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

Respondents to 바카라사이트 Vitae survey had been scarcely more likely than o바카라사이트r students to aspire to academic careers when 바카라사이트y began 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degrees.

Just 13 per cent overall had done so, rising to 35 per cent in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities.

"From this it can be inferred that, for most, 바카라사이트 attraction of research developed during 바카라사이트ir university years...which coincides with 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트y are targeted by corporate graduate recruiters," 바카라사이트 report says. "[This insight] may be useful in considering how to assure 바카라사이트 future supply of high-calibre graduates into research."

The report also found that even in 바카라사이트 final years of 바카라사이트ir studies, only 10 per cent of doctoral students would not have pursued PhD study if 바카라사이트y could make 바카라사이트 decision again and 69 per cent would pursue 바카라사이트 same or similar programmes.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com

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