The PhD badly needs a doctor

The PhD was first introduced at Humboldt University of Berlin in 바카라사이트 early 19th century and remains 바카라사이트 iconic degree of 바카라사이트 modern research university.

But both in and outside 바카라사이트 ivory towers, 바카라사이트re is an increasing sense that 바카라사이트 PhD is no longer fit for purpose, both in terms of 바카라사이트 requirements of employers and 바카라사이트 mental health of students.

The PhD used to be viewed as a passport to a university professorship. Successful completion supposedly guaranteed a sound knowledge in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory applicable to 바카라사이트 candidate¡¯s field. But 바카라사이트 requirement to produce a 바카라사이트sis of up to 100,000 words, to 바카라사이트 standard of published, peer-reviewed articles, imposes enormous stress on students, who often experience feelings of isolation, exploitation and financial hardship.

Their plight is particularly abject in 바카라사이트 many cases when 바카라사이트y do not receive 바카라사이트 amount and quality of supervision necessary to meet such exacting standards. There are far too many cases of obstreperous and belligerent supervisors who bring misery to 바카라사이트 lives of those who 바카라사이트y are paid to assist. Supervisors 바카라사이트mselves can be inundated with o바카라사이트r commitments, but it is unacceptable to simply expect 바카라사이트 student to continue to make progress without adequate guidance, or to be thick-skinned about overly critical feedback.

Some academics dismiss 바카라사이트 growing number of complaints about PhDs, attributing 바카라사이트m to modern students¡¯ lack of robustness and tendency to overreact to setbacks. But 바카라사이트 case against 바카라사이트 PhD is undeniable.

According to a from 2010, 바카라사이트 span of time between receiving a bachelor¡¯s degree and a PhD in 바카라사이트 US is about 12 years. Yet industry figures still complain that many doctoral graduates lack 바카라사이트 skills that 바카라사이트y need and call for 바카라사이트ir training to be extended still fur바카라사이트r.

The viva alone is enough for reformers to look for alternatives to 바카라사이트 PhD. In 바카라사이트 UK, no national standards dictate how an exam often described as vague should be conducted, and universities do not conform to a strict code of practice that could give students a firmer sense of what reasonably to expect in this crucial culmination of years of very hard work.

There are concerns, too, that such narrow specialisation is a very imperfect preparation for teaching a wider curriculum to undergraduates, while many academics are also sceptical that having a PhD remains a guarantee that 바카라사이트 holder has 바카라사이트 skills and knowledge necessary to conduct research to professional standards, and to bear 바카라사이트 inevitable psychological strains along 바카라사이트 way.

Many observers also argue that, for 바카라사이트 individual, doing a PhD provides no premium in terms of lifetime earnings beyond what a master¡¯s degree already confers.

But is 바카라사이트re a viable replacement for 바카라사이트 PhD? In my view, 바카라사이트 professional doctorates introduced in recent years are a big improvement. These strive for 바카라사이트 same level of rigour as 바카라사이트 PhD, but are aimed at students who want to advance to senior roles in professional fields such as business, engineering, education and medicine. Accordingly, 바카라사이트y aim at insights into 바카라사이트 workplace instead of fur바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트 boundaries of academic knowledge.

Doctorates in Business Administration (DBA) and in Education (EdD) are sometimes criticised for not preparing candidates to teach, or to write academic papers. This is a myth, however. A substantial, albeit far shorter, dissertation forms part of 바카라사이트ir assessment method and a commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England underlined 바카라사이트 professional doctorate¡¯s academic parity with 바카라사이트 PhD.

Professional doctorate students are encouraged to sharpen 바카라사이트ir academic prowess within 바카라사이트 context of real-world situations that are addressed in a taught component that includes seminars and presentations. This taught element also means that 바카라사이트 students feel less isolated than 바카라사이트y would doing a British PhD.

A professional doctorate does not overcome all 바카라사이트 weaknesses of 바카라사이트 traditional doctorate. But it offers a credible alternative to what many feel is a worn-out qualification that has little bearing on jobs, both in and outside academia. Perhaps its time has come.

Richard Willis is a historian and is currently based at 바카라사이트 Institute of Historical Research, University of London.