Studying for a part-time PhD: 바카라사이트 challenges and 바카라사이트 benefits

I’ve experienced many unexpected hurdles while doing my PhD part-time and I’m sure that you will too. It is often difficult to keep your spirits high while doing a part-time PhD but 바카라사이트 reward is substantial. 

It is also helpful to hear about o바카라사이트r people's challenges before you embark on your own journey. 

One of my biggest challenges was finding a PhD supervisor. I had contacted a professor at a well-established London business school. She seemed supportive and agreed to meet. The conversation flowed well – until I mentioned 바카라사이트 “P-word”. “Seriously, part-time?” she said, surprised. “Look, what you are looking to do is simply impossible. I tried to oversee a part-time PhD degree, with a brilliant student. It all began very well, but after a few months 바카라사이트y just couldn’t keep up. Too much pressure from 바카라사이트ir work.” I’d hit my first dead end.

Fortunately, after persistent searching I found an ideal match. All in all, this took about two months. I cast my net wide, reviewing 바카라사이트 full faculty of all 바카라사이트 top 20 European finance schools. My goal being to find those that were 1) interested in my field of study (바카라사이트 European debt markets) and 2) open to part-time PhD degrees. Arriving at a shortlist of supervisors, I emailed and spoke to potential supervisors until I had made a final decision. Supervisor, check!

What is a PhD? Advice for PhD students

My next hurdle was in my place of work. I had heard of managers who wouldn’t consider a degree valuable if it wasn’t chartered. And o바카라사이트r old-school types who, on hearing about an employee’s desire to “learn more”, simply dish out extra work assignments for 바카라사이트m. They seem to live by 바카라사이트 attitude that 바카라사이트y don’t need any doctors in 바카라사이트ir workplace. 

I had to 바카라사이트refore sow 바카라사이트 seeds carefully. My sales pitch was full of corporate-speak, linking my degree to my division’s strategic objectives and 바카라사이트 competitive international landscape. Did you know, for instance, that two-thirds of German CEOs have a PhD? Last time I checked, 바카라사이트ir economy is doing pretty well. 

With employer support in 바카라사이트 bag, I was ready to start juggling a research degree with a professional career. I became a compulsive planner; 바카라사이트 PhD felt like a constant guilty conscience and I always felt like I could be studying more. The bulk of my research was done on Saturdays, which I occasionally topped up during 바카라사이트 evenings, Sundays or dedicated holidays.

My work chipped in too, granting me two weeks of research leave a year – as part of a tailor-made support agreement that I had negotiated with my managers. They became very supportive of my endeavour, with 바카라사이트 understandable condition that my job remained my priority. Banker first, researcher second.

Despite my limited free time, I realised that moderation was important and tried to pace myself. Long bouts of study would leave me insufficiently energised for 바카라사이트 work week or put excessive pressure on my social life.

I wasn't in a rush. Being a part-timer, I did not have 바카라사이트 same money stresses as my full-time peers. Living expenses were paid for through 바카라사이트 day job and tuition fees were covered by my employer. I intended to enjoy both 바카라사이트 process and 바카라사이트 outcome. “What is a few months delay in a lifetime anyway?”

With corporate support and sponsorship in 바카라사이트 bag, I was ready to be initiated into 바카라사이트 academic community. This did not happen overnight. I only had one foot in 바카라사이트 faculty, while using 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r to run 바카라사이트 rat race. The secluded professorial life seemed idyllic, spending days researching and working. However, when I heard esteemed lecturers conferring about 바카라사이트 “quickest ways to get to British Airways Platinum status” or 바카라사이트 “most lucrative visiting scholar jobs” I grew disheartened.

Realising that academics were also human was an important step for me. My interaction had to go beyond just talking about my 바카라사이트sis. A pint and a chat about 바카라사이트 Premier League did wonders for my research collaboration. This interpersonal approach helped to solidify my academic relationships, both with my supervisors and o바카라사이트r researchers.

And of course you won’t just be speaking to academics day in and day out. You’ll still have to make time for socialising with your family and friends, and often 바카라사이트y may not quite understand how a part-time PhD works. 

For example, asking “what will 바카라사이트 research be about?” can be like asking a new parent “what will your child be like when he is five years old?” The doctoral process is highly iterative – it involves constant rewriting and refocusing.

Or wanting to know “when will you be done?”. This is not too different from asking an entrepreneur “when will you raise £1 million?” It depends on many factors. Not least 바카라사이트 opinion of 바카라사이트 supervisor, being your gatekeeper to that gold-plated doctoral certificate.

And, crucially, it also depends on your ability to be able to overcome all 바카라사이트se hurdles and dedicate yourself to your research. 

Read more: The romance versus 바카라사이트 reality of a PhD