Primary education and higher education are the classifications. Well, while we talk about Ph.D. definitely, it comes under higher education because not everyone and anyone are interested, or, in other words, is capable of doing it. Is Ph.D. just an education leading to an academic degree or it is more than that? First of all, I will try enlightening the people from small places without much exposure to the degree Ph.D. It is a doctoral degree having the full form “Doctor of Philosophy” or “Doctor Philosophiae” in Latin. This terminology is irrespective of the specialization-Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, Law, Humanities. If you have a bit of curiosity and common-sense, you should be able to understand why this degree is called the “Doctor of Philosophy”? This is because it is more than just an academic degree in which the bookish knowledge, specific course curriculum and passing the exams and getting good grades does not count much. In fact, there is no particular course curriculum for a Ph.D. degree except for the Ph.D. course-work in the early part of Ph.D. that makes you acquainted with the recent advances in the field. It is your novel work in the area that takes somewhere from 3 to sometimes even 9 years renders you eligible for a Ph.D. degree. After the completion of your work, you need to publish the same in the form of your Ph.D. thesis, and also manuscripts in journals of international repute.
It is hence, crucial for the candidates aspiring for a Ph.D. position to be aware of the things mentioned above. Once you are aware, you will try doing your homework by first understanding yourself whether your inner voice drives you to do Ph.D. and then collecting information/data on how to go about enrolling for your Ph.D. Before registering for a Ph.D. degree, there are often stringent selection criteria. In this blog, I am highlighting the requirements that make a Master’s/ or else Honors-Bachelor’s degree holder enroll in a Ph.D. position in Science.
This goes without saying that one needs to have all eligibilities such as should have secured moderately good grades in their previous degree. Many of the places, Ph.D. aspirants also need to qualify the entrance examinations to be eligible for Ph.D. coursework followed by taking of qualifying examination proving the initiation of their research topic. The trick is once you clear the qualifying exam, or else are directly called for an interview, the respective research institutes look for various attributes. Such attributes include one’s curiosity and energy to understand new out of the box research questions. Often, it means the formulation of smart research questions. For this attribute, the research institutions look forward to a curious bent of mind that is able to think “out of the box.” “Out of the box” thinking is not a vague term, but if one exercises his/her mind, various research questions will flow. The second attribute is skill-sets to do the specific experiments. Many people join their Ph.D. research after being trained in the particular skill sets. However, other gets themselves trained only during the first couple of years of Ph.D. either from their peers and colleagues or from their superiors. Indeed, the most important thing that is being looked from a Ph.D. aspirant is their grit and determination to carry them through the entire Ph.D. process. The Ph.D. process is very rosy in the beginning when your supervisor and you decide the Ph.D. topic, messy in the middle when you are already finished with your Ph.D. questions, and also some training, but not sure whether your experiments are heading in the right direction. This is the most challenging phase of your Ph.D. Most of the Ph.D. researchers tend to blame their supervisors, Ph.D. topic, the institute, the lab environment, etc during this messy period of their PhDs. This phase of Ph.D. will actually decide whether you will come up with excellent work, mediocre work or else end up being a Ph.D. drop out. The Ph.D. researchers who find everyday excitement by turning their failed experiments into new directions come out with outstanding Ph.D. work. Of course, some mediocre researchers somehow manage to pull through the messy phase of their Ph.D. and draw some conclusions out of their failed experiments and end up with some quick results.
Most importantly, in Ph.D. work, it can be either excellent or mediocre; there is no scope of a poor Ph.D. work. Poor Ph.D. work does not lead to a Ph.D. thesis, and hence such people are drop-outs. Finally, in the end, one comes out with gorgeous and clear answers to the Ph.D. questions, and that makes your Ph.D. thesis.
Summarizing,
A Ph.D. aspirant:
1. Needs to understand that Ph.D. is just not an academic degree through classroom teaching like Master and Bachelor.
2. Needs to have a lot of genuine curiosity for the subject.
3. Needs to have grit, patience, and discipline to pull through the tough times of Ph.D.
4. Needs to burn the midnight oil for experiments when their friends/peers in regular jobs are enjoying the time.
5. Needs to understand that Ph.D. work is not meant for attaining prestige or a high position in society.
6. Needs to realize that earning money cannot be directly linked to the Ph.D. degree.
Finally, that is the reason the degree is known as the “Doctor in Philosophy” irrespective of the specialization.
This blog is especially for the PhD position aspirants and those who are in their first and mid phase of their PhD work.
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