A research degree can open up all sorts of career opportunities, but making the decision to spend three or four years concentrating on just one question can be hard. Katherine Brown, Graduate Admissions Officer at Cambridge University gives some tips on making the right decision.
Starting, and, more importantly, finishing a research degree within a reasonable period is a big commitment in time, energy and money and it is important for potential research students to be sure that this is really what they want to do.
So what should you think about when deciding whether or not to go on to research after your first degree or to return to study after some years at work?
• Do you have an overwhelming interest in your subject? You will spend a long time thinking about your topic area so it’s crucial that it interests you strongly.
• Can you analyse material? Do you refuse to take your own findings and results and those of others at face value? As a research student you will spend time with some of the finest minds in your subject area – expect to be challenged about your assumptions!
• How much time do you have? For a Ph.D. Degree expect to spend three to four years researching and writing up. At Cambridge it is also possible to do research for two years for an M.Sc./M.Litt. Degree and, in some subjects, one year for an M.Phil. Degree.
• What can you afford? Living and studying for several years away from home can be expensive so you need to be sure you can afford the costs. Costs will vary but will range from under £10,000 per year including all fees and living expenses to over £20,000 per year. In general students researching in arts subjects pay less than those in the sciences. Clinical medicine and business courses are usually the most expensive. Many institutions can provide some financial assistance; in Cambridge, for example, the Cambridge Trusts offer funding to over 1,000 students coming from outside the UK every year.
• Finally, are you good at finishing things on time? A research degree, particularly in the arts, can be quite lonely as you may find yourself working in libraries or in archives away from your institution. Even in the sciences where you are more likely to be working in a group with other students and post doctoral workers you may have to spend long hours in the laboratory to complete your experiments. You need to be motivated to finish your work to submit it for examination. An unfinished degree can leave a quite a hole in your C.V!
If you decide that research is for you, then you’ll want to think about where you might study. With the growth of the world-wide web there are a wide variety of quality sources of information about universities and colleges. Find out from the web and from ‘traditional’ paper prospectuses and brochures.
• Which Universities offer teaching and research in your subject area?
• Who supervises in your topic? What have they published?
• How well regarded for research is the Department you want to study in? In the UK there is a Research Assessment Exercise every 4 or 5 years. Find out the Departmental score from the web. Scores range from 5* and 5 which are the best scores to 1 which is the lowest. 44 Departments in Cambridge scored either 5* or 5 in the last Exercise.
• What research facilities will you have access to? Check out laboratory equipment or library resources. If the web doesn’t give enough detail ask the Department direct, most have email contact addresses for interested students to use.
• If you will need to do fieldwork, how will it be paid for? How much time will you need to spend searching for funds?
• What sort of skills training will you receive? You should expect training both in the techniques needed to make a success of you research into your subject and in more general skills like conference presentations.
• What facilities does the University offer if your first language isn’t English? If you decide to come to an English speaking country for your research you will be asked by your University to provide evidence of a high level of fluency in English. Many institutions, however, also provide on-going assistance to students in improving their English skills;
• Is the institution experienced in managing research students? What support facilities are available for students? Cambridge University, for example, approves over 800 students for the Ph.D. Degree every year, together with many hundreds who pass one year graduate courses. At Cambridge the College system ensures that research students have a Graduate Tutor who takes a special interest in your welfare and is on hand if you should have work or welfare problems. Colleges are small, independent institutions and complement the University where students do their work.
Committing yourself to research can be exciting and challenging, even life-changing. Successful students reap the benefits in both personal growth and career development. With the guidance of your supervisor research allows you to unlock your full intellectual potential.
