A question for PhD holders?

Question

I really want to earn a PhD in the area of humanities. What advice can you give me? I finished my BA a year ago, and haven't been doing anything academically, but I have a passion for writing and researching and would love to be able to earn a doctorate sometime within the next 5-10 years.

Any advice or information you can provide would be greatly appreciated (for example, what type of person you need to be in order to succeed in getting a PhD, and any other valuable info/websites)!

Answer 1

First, before deciding to pursue a PhD, you really must have a passion for a very specific area of study. Perhaps you are just not stating your area of interest here, but "the humanities" is waaaay too broad.

Here's why. When you apply to PhD programs, you must choose the programs you apply to by faculty who specialize in your very particular area. Example: If you are interested in postmodern / feminist interpretations of Chaucer, you must choose programs that have noted Chaucer scholars and noted feminist / postmodern theorists. See what I mean?

So let's say you have a very specific area of interest. You must then find appropriate programs, and create an application package. Your undergraduate GPA should be 3.5 or above. You must earn excellent scores on the GREs. You must solicit three letters from former professors who are able to testify to your suitability for graduate-level study, specifically, your potential to produce original research in your area.

You must also submit a writing sample. A paper that you wrote as an undergraduate is best, and this paper should reflect your writing abilities, but also demonstrate your facility with current theories and methodologies in your discipline.

Each program will ask you to write a personal statement. This should be a couple of pages long, and should detail your background in your area of interest, explain why you are applying to that particular program (faculty, etc.), and identify your goals.

When you receive acceptance letters, you then weigh the reputation of that program along with the amount of support (fellowship, research assistantship, teaching assistantship), and make your choice. It's usually wise to "follow the money," since you've already determined that these programs will be a good "fit" for you in terms of the faculty.

When you begin your program, you will spend 2 years or so in coursework, and then you'll spend the next year studying for and taking language exams (French, German, and any other languages needed for your specific area of specialization) and qualifying exams (tailored to your specific area).

In your third year, you'll research, write and defend your dissertation proposal, and choose your committee. The next year or two will be spent further researching and writing that dissertation.

Then, you'll be faced with the need to find a job. The current 5-10 year market outlook is wretched in most fields in the humanities. Some, however, are better than others. Hopefully, you've got a supportive advisor who will help you through this process.

Okay, now that I've given you this daunting description of the application and completion process, if you still want to do it, you absolutely should!

It has been my experience that students who can imagine themselves doing ANYTHING other than doctoral work absolutely should. If they don't, they'll end up leaving academia mid-process, because it's tough. The attrition rate is high. And doctoral students and junior scholars are, well, poor. However, those student who simply CANNOT imagine doing anything else for the rest of their lives will go through the fiery hoops, and will come out as scholars. And they'll love what they do, despite the lousy remuneration and the other downsides, because they'll be happy in their careers, and will constantly strive for greater achievements.

I wish you every success, no matter what you choose!

Answer 2

that's no longer ridiculously unfair. that's significant. some PhD holders are additionally ignorant criminal liars too. There a ordinary practitioner murderers. Cezar Chavez replace into between the main influential adult adult males interior the labor circulate interior the south west of the U. S.; he had an 8th grade training. bill Gates dropped out of faculty and by no potential even have been given a bachelor's degree. bill Gates has a intense college degree. mom Theresa did no longer have a PhD. maximum Senators, Congressmen, and Presidents have not got PhD's. for my section, a guy with a PhD in theology would to boot have a PhD in Harry Potter, so why would desire to his vote count quantity greater advantageous than mine? Our society and custom has fought long and confusing to grant each and every guy the vote and it is going to stay that way. in case you disenfranchise element of the inhabitants, you invite greater injustice, resentment and revolution.