Hi All

I recently received an offer to pursue a PhD at one of the world’s top 10 engineering schools on the following arrangement:

- Fully funded by my company for 4 years. Condition is I’ll have to stick with the company for 2 years post-graduation and I’ll have to repay the funding if I leave before then. Doesn’t count if I’m made redundant.
- Working with familiar supervisors (we have collaborated on different projects).
- PhD topic is work related. I will still be working for my company for 4 days with 2 remaining days (including weekend) spent in the university. The research and my work are inter-related / complimentary.
- Because I’m working for 4 days, I will have to take a 20% pay cut.

I’ve considered the pros and cons.

Pros
- Connection between work + research will mean after I graduate, I have enough knowledge and experience to be an expert in my field.
- Promotion to director level as a technical expert. This is as discussed with the company manager responsible for this.
- Additional opportunities to move into lecturing at university. This aligns with my longer term plan.
- Satisfy my personal aspiration of contributing to the scientific knowledge.
- A subject that I like (I’m already doing research in this area on my own time). A PhD is to formalise this.

Cons
- Loss of 20% additional income for 4 years.
- Will be 35-36 by the time I graduate.
- Primary focus for four years will be on the PhD and not developing my career.
- Not being able to finish the PhD (time wasted).
- Change in company manager, i.e. reporting to a new manager not as keen on these things.
- Stuck with the same company + manager for the duration of the PhD. Less flexibility to change company.

In short, I’m trying to decide, and see if there’s anything I need to be mindful of.

All opinions welcomed, many thanks!

This post has been edited by Geminist: Aug 18 2015, 02:18 PM

Listing pros and cons is a good start, I see that you've more interest in pursuing pHD than to worry about your career. This opportunity to study pHD coincides with your career, plus your company agreed to fund your pHD and promoted to the Director level, which is a great bonus!

I am for pursuing your pHD; because ultimately I see that you would find pHD to be more fulfilling, plus you get to continue your career later on. Don't worry about the "What If's" (such as unable to complete pHD or new manager or age). Deal with them when the time comes. Thats my 2 cents though, if you're still unsure, you have to ask yourself this one question,

1. Can you foresee yourself being capable of balancing between work and pHD? pHD students in my uni dedicated full time for 4 years. Adding career/work into the mix might increase your overall workload.

TL/DR: I am for pHD!

This post has been edited by RisingTide: Aug 18 2015, 12:53 PM

Many thanks for the opinion.

This was one of my worries, i.e. why the supervisor thinks I can do it in 4 years part time and if so, why would a full time PhD also take 4 years.

The career workload was a worry and I discussed this with past students of the supervisors who completed it under similar arrangement, i.e. work + study. I have the advantage I will be continuing the research I did with the supervisors and I am coming in with my own topic, so I've done a lot of the initial leg-work.

Are you married? Have any family commitments?

If no, I would say go for it as you would not be too adversely affected by the 20% paycut (think of it as subsidising your PhD course) while you can/should be able to handle the workload with no fear of a kid popping up in that 4 years.

At the end of the day, its well worth the effort as you gained some very marketable skills/qualification to propel you along your career path.

The 2 year bond is also very minimum, atleast its not 4~5 yrs some company is asking for.

The time frame for pHD is broken down into few parts,

Data Gathering + Analysis + Writing Thesis.

Writing thesis takes a month (two months max) according to my friends who have pursued their pHD. Data collection and data analysis is the most time consuming part, which is why most pHD takes up to 4 years.
I have a friend who will be pursuing her pHD in finance, and she told me her about the time frame of her pHD, that it would require about 1 year to collect all the necessary data for her model.

Since (assuming) you've done most of the initial work, you've allocated more time for subsequent phases (data analysis) or to be used up as spare/buffer time for your career.

The only worry you have now is to be able to come up with a proper time management, or a work/phd schedule.

Care of share what are you other worries besides career workload?

I'm single currently. That's one reason why I want to do it now, than say when I'm 40 with more commitments.


Yes I've done the initial work, but will obviously need to do more digging. The work / PhD schedule concern is more of my company plucking me away on a major project and that eats into my PhD time.

My other worry is it'll be quite intensive, and whether I can deal with the PhD pressure or not. There is also the concern I may not be technically good enough to finish the PhD. The supervisors seem to think I can handle it (we've worked together before), but self doubt is one of my traits!

Thanks again for the comments.

This post has been edited by Geminist: Aug 18 2015, 01:25 PM

If given a chance like that, I definitely go for it.

TS,

1) Social / Family

A) Are you married?? -> No.

B) Do you have a girl friend now??

Essentially, you are delaying starting a family for 4 to 6 years. It may or may not matter to you. But, your future wife need to be less than 40 years old. Or else fertility could be a problem. I have friends that delayed starting a family until their wives is above 40 and they could not have a child even they tried all those fertility treatment.

This may or may not be a concern for you but it is something for you consider.

2) Financial

A) Financially, could you save money and grow investment with 20% pay cut?

B) How much more can you make a director? 10%?? 20%?? 30%??

C) If you do not make it as director, do you make more money as lecturer??

D) Will you get pay raise during this 4 years?

3) Career

A) Is it possible that being a Phd that you are too specialized and over-qualified for most jobs??

B) What is the likelihood that this specialization could turn out to be useless aka not marketable??

C) How bad is the problem of age discrimination in your area?? Please note that most engineering career has only a limited time span due to age discrimination. You are trading off 6 years of your best earning years for a Phd.

Dreamer

This post has been edited by dreamer101: Aug 19 2015, 12:39 AM

TS,

My gut instinct tell me that you want to do it and you are willing to pay the price. So, my general advice to you is to take up the Phd offer. My question is more along the line of letting you know the full price that you are paying by taking up this offer.

Unfortunately or fortunately, for most major decision in life, we have to THINK with our MIND but go with our HEART. That is what I LEARN.

Dreamer

Many thanks for the comments!

Thanks for the advice. I wanted to ask the question publicly as I know how narrow our vision can get when we are emotionally invested in a decision. My gut feeling tells me I want to do it, but I still want to make sure I weigh the pros and cons, and understand what potential mess / downfall I could be walking into.

Geminist,

I am ENTP. I met and dated my wife for less than 8 months. We had been married for 20+ years. So, do not try to get a mate. Just be what you are. Somehow and some where, at the right time, you will meet the right person..

Dreamer

From what I've read I can see that your heart is fixed on pursuing your pHD, but your mind is weighing out the pros and cons of future events (once you've undertaken your pHD).

I'd weigh the pros and cons of my decisions (that would affect future outcomes) to a certain extent; however I always kept reminding myself that "no future is set in stone", and I would always make the best out of my situation.

I tend of overanalyze things that would ruin my day, hence my advice is to keep things simple; focus on your main priority, and everything will eventually falls into place.

This post has been edited by RisingTide: Aug 19 2015, 11:48 AM

Let's just say that people have quit their jobs and have given up more than you have for a PhD so I think most people here would give you a resounding "yes" in taking up your PhD, especially if promotion is conditional on your completion.

Am in a similar position myself. Though could I ask, when you say you're doing research in your own spare time even without the pursuit of a PhD, why would you do research if not for publication, PhD?

Thanks for the comment.

Re the research, I am actually publishing them and also doing some peer reviewing work. I currently have one paper under review and I'm writing up the other. Publication is quite a good motivator for me to get things done!

My personal target is to submit one manuscript a year.

The own research done is for my own interest, but by publishing them, I can use them in my work as well.

This post has been edited by Geminist: Aug 21 2015, 09:41 AM

Thanks for the example. Hopefully it pans out that way for me too!

Ha ha, I believe this is a professional habit as I do work involving risk so I always like to get a good picture of something before deciding.

Dreamer101 covers most of the aspects
Just something to add, I always think that PhD is a lonely journey and must be fully committed.
Statically proven that The drop out rate for part time PhD candidates are higher than full time students.
I don't know which Uni is Top 10 engineering school which in Malaysia (guess you work in Malaysia), if it's local uni, then the fee shd be much affordable and u can apply mybrain to cover the fees plus monthly allowance.
Just my opinion

What do u mean by being entp?im also an entp, a female entp,

rara_ana,

NT normally get along and married SJ type person...

Dreamer

Thanks for the comment. Yes re the dropout rate hence I wanted to set a realistic timescale as I don't think I'd want to pursue a PhD that takes 6-8 years.

Unfortunately the university is abroad so I don't think I'm covered by local funding.

imho, only pursue PhD if you want to contribute to humanity. PhD=/=money.

If your target later in life is for financial freedom without worries, better to channel your energy towards it, rather than been tied up with your studies.