my phd experience

The PhD student experience – What is it really like for PhDs?

Are you curious about what it’s really like to be a PhD student, navigating the world of academia and research?

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the lesser-known aspects of the PhD journey, from the profound impact of your supervisor to the competitive environment you’ll face.

Discover the truth about the importance of publishing papers and the realities of funding and job security in academia.

We’ll also give you a glimpse into the daily life of a PhD student, and explore the highs and lows of this challenging yet rewarding experience.

So, buckle up and join us as we uncover the secrets of the PhD student experience that no one else will tell you!

The little known-facts that you need to know about the PhD experience,

This is what no one else will tell you!

What does the daily life of a PhD student look like?

Embarking on a PhD journey can be a thrilling yet demanding experience, as a doctoral student is constantly immersed in:

• academic responsibilities,
• and professional development.

From the early morning, the life of a PhD student begins with checking emails, planning the day, and setting priorities.

A typical day usually involves conducting experiments or research in the laboratory, analyzing data, and reading scientific literature to stay up-to-date with their field.

PhD students often participate in regular meetings with their supervisors, who provide guidance and advice on their research projects.

These meetings are crucial for maintaining momentum and ensuring a productive working relationship.

A typical daily schedule for a PhD student might look like this:

7:00 AM – Wake up, morning routine, breakfast

7:45 AM – Check emails, plan the day, and set priorities

8:30 AM – Arrive at the laboratory, set up experiments or research tasks

9:30 AM – Attend a class or seminar (if applicable)

11:00 AM – Conduct experiments or research in the laboratory

12:30 PM – Lunch break, socialize with fellow graduate students

1:30 PM – Analyze data and read scientific literature relevant to the research project

3:00 PM – Meeting with supervisor to discuss research progress and receive guidance

4:30 PM – Continue working on experiments, data analysis, or literature review

6:00 PM – Dinner break

8:00 PM – Draft or edit thesis, work on conference presentations or publications

10:00 PM – Wind down and engage in a hobby or leisure activity for mental health and work-life balance

11:00 PM – Bedtime routine, sleep

In addition to their primary research, many PhD students assist and mentor undergraduate students, contributing to a diverse and dynamic academic community.

Balancing the demands of coursework, research projects, and administrative responsibilities can make for long working hours, which is why it’s important for doctoral students to maintain their mental health and work-life balance.

Attending conferences, participating in social events, and engaging in professional development opportunities are important aspects of the PhD experience.

Given the commitment and dedication required, full-time PhD students often rely on funded positions to support their education and living expenses.

Despite the inherent difficulties, the experience equips students with a range of new skills and expertise, setting them on a path to contribute significantly to academia and the world beyond.

How stressful is being a PhD student?

Being a PhD student can be quite stressful due to the unique challenges and demands of the program.

It varies from person to person and the supervisor will have a huge impact on how stressful a PhD will be for a student.

Here is a case study of the highs and lows of a PhD from a PhDs student’s perspective:

This PhD student experienced frustration with experiments not working or yielding results, leading to feelings of imposter syndrome and demotivation. A lack of progress was a significant source of stress during this time, as well as comparing oneself to peers who seemed to be achieving more success.

However, there were also numerous highlights throughout the PhD experience. Attending conferences and presenting research offered opportunities to gain feedback, collaborate with others, and even travel. Engaging in scientific discussions and exploring the significance of one’s work provided a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

Furthermore, working with cutting-edge equipment, such as advanced microscopes, allowed the student to appreciate the unique and privileged nature of their research.

The pressure to produce significant contributions to one’s field and the uncertainty of achieving results within a limited time frame can induce anxiety.

For instance, many students find themselves constantly juggling various responsibilities, such as conducting experiments, analysing data, attending meetings with their supervisor, and writing their thesis or papers.

Aside from academic pressure, managing work-life balance can be difficult as well. It’s not uncommon for PhD students to work long hours, often sacrificing personal time and relationships.

The lack of a structured schedule and the need for self-motivation can add to the stress and the competitive environment in academia and the constant pursuit of funding can further exacerbate stress levels.

PhD student workloads and holidays

The life of a PhD student is often characterized by heavy workloads and limited opportunities for holidays.

In a typical PhD program, students juggle numerous responsibilities, including research projects, coursework, and professional development activities, such as attending conferences and training.

This is particularly true for funded PhD students, who are expected to adhere to strict timelines set by their supervisors and the university’s academic calendar.

In the science field, the workload can be even more demanding due to the nature of research, which often involves conducting experiments that can take months or years to complete.

This commitment means that even during holidays, PhD students may feel the need to work in order to meet deadlines, leading to burnout and stress.

Later Stage PhD ( Doctorate Candidates )

When PhD students reach the later stages of their doctorate program, they become PhDs preparing to complete their research project and thesis.

This stage comes with an intense academic workload, with high demand for researcher-level skills and scientific knowledge.

A typical day for a PhD at this stage involves conducting research, analysing data, and editing their findings to complete their thesis.

In my experience it is WRITING, WRITING and more WRITING…with a touch of editing.

There are deadlines to meet, and students may face pressure, but the reward of completing a doctorate degree is worth it.

At this point, a PhD is expected to demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research and contribute to their field of study.

The latter stages of the doctorate program offer a rigorous and rewarding challenge for students who want to pursue a career in science, education, and research.

Wrapping up – PhD and Doctoral Student experience

The PhD student experience is a complex and multifaceted journey that offers a unique blend of challenges and triumphs.

As we have explored in this blog, the road to obtaining a PhD is filled with personal growth, professional development, and numerous hurdles to overcome.

But, for those who persevere, the rewards can be immense, leading to a sense of accomplishment, increased expertise, and the potential to make a significant impact in their chosen field.

In navigating this adventure, it is essential for PhD students to maintain a healthy work-life balance and develop strong support networks to help them manage stress and maintain motivation.

The journey may be demanding, but with the right mindset and guidance, the experience can be truly transformative.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

June 23, 2021 | 15 min read

By Andy Greenspon

The ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be

Editor's Note:  When Andy Greenspon wrote this article, he was a first-year student in Applied Physics at Harvard. Now he has completed his PhD. — Alison Bert, June 23, 2021

If you are planning to apply for a PhD program, you're probably getting advice from dozens of students, professors, administrators your parents and the Internet. Sometimes it's hard to know which advice to focus on and what will make the biggest difference in the long-run. So before you go back to daydreaming about the day you accept that Nobel Prize, here are nine things you should give serious thought to. One or more of these tips may save you from anguish and help you make better decisions as you embark on that path to a PhD.

1. Actively seek out information about PhD programs.

Depending on your undergraduate institution, there may be more or less support to guide you in selecting a PhD program – but there is generally much less than when you applied to college.

On the website of my physics department, I found a page written by one of my professors, which listed graduate school options in physics and engineering along with resources to consult. As far as I know, my career center did not send out much information about PhD programs. Only after applying to programs did I find out that my undergraduate website had a link providing general information applicable to most PhD programs. This is the kind of information that is available all over the Internet.

So don't wait for your career center or department to lay out a plan for you. Actively seek it out from your career center counselors, your professors, the Internet — and especially from alumni from your department who are in or graduated from your desired PhD program. First-hand experiences will almost always trump the knowledge you get second-hand.

2. A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.

Many students don't internalize this idea until they have jumped head-first into a PhD program. The goal is not to complete an assigned set of courses as in an undergraduate program, but to develop significant and original research in your area of expertise. You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master's degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors.

At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses. Grades are not critical as long as you maintain the minimum GPA requirement, and you should not spend too much time on courses at the expense of research projects. Graduate courses tend to be designed to allow you to take away what you will find useful to your research more than to drill a rigid set of facts and techniques into your brain.

3. Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

You are beginning your senior year of college, and your classmates are asking you if you are applying to graduate school. You think to yourself, "Well, I like studying this topic and the associated research, and I am going to need a PhD if I want to be a professor or do independent research, so I might as well get it done as soon as possible." But are you certain about the type of research you want to do? Do you know where you want to live for the next five years? Are you prepared to stay in an academic environment for nine years straight?

Many people burn out or end up trudging through their PhD program without a thought about what lies outside of or beyond it. A break of a year or two or even more may be necessary to gain perspective. If all you know is an academic environment, how can you compare it to anything else? Many people take a job for five or more years before going back to get their PhD. It is true though that the longer you stay out of school, the harder it is to go back to an academic environment with lower pay and a lack of set work hours. A one-year break will give you six months or so after graduation before PhD applications are due. A two-year gap might be ideal to provide time to identify your priorities in life and explore different areas of research without having school work or a thesis competing for your attention.

Getting research experience outside of a degree program can help focus your interests and give you a leg up on the competition when you finally decide to apply. It can also help you determine whether you will enjoy full-time research or if you might prefer an alternative career path that still incorporates science, for example, in policy, consulting or business — or a hybrid research job that combines scientific and non-scientific skills.

I will be forever grateful that I chose to do research in a non-academic environment for a year between my undergraduate and PhD programs. It gave me the chance to get a feel for doing nothing but research for a full year. Working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Division, I was the manager of an optics lab, performing spectroscopic experiments on rocks and minerals placed in a vacuum chamber. While my boss determined the overall experimental design, I was able to make my own suggestions for experiments and use my own discretion in how to perform them. I presented this research at two national conferences as well — a first for me. I was also able to learn about other research being performed there, determine which projects excited me the most, and thus narrow down my criteria for a PhD program.

4. Your current area of study does not dictate what you have to study in graduate school.

You might be studying the function and regulation of membrane proteins or doing a computational analysis of the conductivity of different battery designs, but that doesn't mean your PhD project must revolve around similar projects. The transition between college or another research job to a PhD program is one of the main transitions in your life when it is perfectly acceptable to completely change research areas.

If you are doing computation, you may want to switch to lab-based work or vice versa. If you are working in biology but have always had an interest in photonics research, now is the time to try it out. You may find that you love the alternative research and devote your PhD to it, you might hate it and fall back on your previous area of study — or you may even discover a unique topic that incorporates both subjects.

One of the best aspects of the PhD program is that you can make the research your own. Remember, the answer to the question "Why are you doing this research?" should not be "Well, because it's what I've been working on for the past few years already."While my undergraduate research was in atomic physics, I easily transitioned into applied physics and materials science for my PhD program and was able to apply much of what I learned as an undergraduate to my current research. If you are moving from the sciences to a non-STEM field such as social sciences or humanities, this advice can still apply, though the transition is a bit more difficult and more of a permanent commitment.

5. Make sure the PhD program has a variety of research options, and learn about as many research groups as possible in your first year.

Even if you believe you are committed to one research area, you may find that five years of such work is not quite what you expected. As such, you should find a PhD program where the professors are not all working in the same narrowly focused research area. Make sure there are at least three professors working on an array of topics you could imagine yourself working on.

In many graduate programs, you are supposed to pick a research advisor before even starting. But such arrangements often do not work out, and you may be seeking a new advisor before you know it. That's why many programs give students one or two semesters to explore different research areas before choosing a permanent research advisor.

In your first year, you should explore the research of a diverse set of groups. After touring their labs, talking to the students, or sitting in on group meetings, you may find that this group is the right one for you.

In addition, consider the importance of who your research advisor will be. This will be the person you interact with regularly for five straight years and who will have a crucial influence on your research. Do you like their advising style? Does their personality mesh with yours? Can you get along? Of course, the research your advisor works on is critical, but if you have large disagreements at every meeting or do not get helpful advice on how to proceed with your research, you may not be able to succeed. At the very least, you must be able to handle your advisor's management of the lab and advising style if you are going to be productive in your work. The Harvard program I enrolled in has professors working on research spanning from nanophotonics to energy materials and biophysics, covering my wide range of interests. By spending time in labs and offices informally chatting with graduate students, I found an advisor whose personality and research interests meshed very well with me. Their genuine enthusiasm for this advisor and their excitement when talking about their research was the best input I could have received.

6. Location is more important than you think — but name recognition is not.

The first consideration in choosing a PhD program should be, "Is there research at this university that I am passionate about?" After all, you will have to study this topic in detail for four or more years. But when considering the location of a university, your first thought should not be, "I'm going to be in the lab all the time, so what does it matter if I'm by the beach, in a city, or in the middle of nowhere." Contrary to popular belief, you will have a life outside of the lab, and you will have to be able to live with it for four or more years. Unlike when you were an undergraduate, your social and extracurricular life will revolve less around the university community, so the environment of the surrounding area is important. Do you need a city atmosphere to be productive? Or is your ideal location surrounded by forests and mountains or by a beach? Is being close to your family important? Imagine what it will be like living in the area during the times you are not doing research; consider what activities will you do and how often will you want to visit family.

While many of the PhD programs that accepted me had research that truly excited me, the only place I could envision living for five or more years was Boston, as the city I grew up near and whose environment and culture I love, and to be close to my family.

While location is more important than you think, the reputation and prestige of the university is not. In graduate school, the reputation of the individual department you are joining — and sometimes even the specific research group you work in — are more important. There, you will develop research collaborations and professional connections that will be crucial during your program and beyond. When searching for a job after graduation, other scientists will look at your specific department, the people you have worked with and the research you have done.

At the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Andy Greenspon talks with fellow graduate students from Harvard and MIT at an Ask for Evidence workshop organized by Sense About Science. He grew up near Boston and chose to go to graduate school there.

7. Those time management skills you developed in college? Develop them further.

After surviving college, you may think you have mastered the ability to squeeze in your coursework, extracurricular activities and even some sleep. In a PhD program, time management reaches a whole new level. You will not only have lectures to attend and homework to do. You will have to make time for your research, which will include spending extended periods of time in the lab, analyzing data, and scheduling time with other students to collaborate on research.

Also, you will most likely have to teach for a number of semesters, and you will want to attend any seminar that may be related to your research or that just peaks your interest. To top it all off, you will still want to do many of those extracurricular activities you did as an undergraduate. While in the abstract, it may seem simple enough to put this all into your calendar and stay organized, you will find quickly enough that the one hour you scheduled for a task might take two or three hours, putting you behind on everything else for the rest of the day or forcing you to cut other planned events. Be prepared for schedules to go awry, and be willing to sacrifice certain activities. For some, this might be sleep; for others, it might be an extracurricular activity or a few seminars they were hoping to attend. In short, don't panic when things don't go according to plan; anticipate possible delays and be ready to adapt.

8. Expect to learn research skills on the fly – or take advantage of the training your department or career center offers.

This may be the first time you will have to write fellowship or grant proposals, write scientific papers, attend conferences, present your research to others, or even peer-review scientific manuscripts. From my experience, very few college students or even PhD students receive formal training on how to perform any of these tasks. Usually people follow by example. But this is not always easy and can be quite aggravating sometimes. So seek out talks or interactive programs offered by your department or career center. The effort will be well worth it when you realize you've become quite adept at quickly and clearly explaining your research to others and at outlining scientific papers and grant proposals. Alternatively, ask a more experienced graduate student or your advisor for advice on these topics. In addition, be prepared for a learning curve when learning all the procedures and processes of the group you end up working in. There may be many new protocols to master, whether they involve synthesizing chemicals, growing bacterial cells, or aligning mirrors on an optical table. In addition, the group may use programming languages or data analysis software you are unfamiliar with. Don't get discouraged but plan to spend extra effort getting used to these procedures and systems. After working with them regularly, they will soon become second nature. When I first started my job at Johns Hopkins, I felt overwhelmed by all the intricacies of the experiment and definitely made a few mistakes, including breaking a number of optical elements. But by the end of my year there, I had written an updated protocol manual for the modifications I had made to the experimental procedures and was the "master" passing on my knowledge to the next person taking the job.

9. There are no real breaks.

In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." You might be in the lab during regular work hours or you might be working until 10 p.m. or later to finish an experiment. And the only time you might have available to analyze data might be at 1 a.m. Expect to work during part of the weekend, too. Graduate students do go on vacations but might still have to do some data analysis or a literature search while away.

As a PhD student, it might be hard to stop thinking about the next step in an experiment or that data sitting on your computer or that paper you were meaning to start. While I imagine some students can bifurcate their mind between graduate school life and everything else, that's quite hard for many of us to do. No matter what, my research lies somewhere in the back of my head. In short, your schedule is much more flexible as a PhD student, but as a result, you never truly take a break from your work.

While this may seem like a downer, remember that you should have passion for the research you work on (most of the time), so you should be excited to think up new experiments or different ways to consider that data you have collected. Even when I'm lying in bed about to fall asleep, I am sometimes ruminating about aspects of my experiment I could modify or what information I could do a literature search on to gain new insights. A PhD program is quite the commitment and rarely lives up to expectations – but it is well worth the time and effort you will spend for something that truly excites you.

Contributor

Andy greenspon.

Lessons learnt from my PhD so far

It’s been a while since I started my PhD so I’ve been reflecting a lot on my first two years and wanted to share some of the most important lessons I’ve learnt so far.

Disclaimer: as always, I am sharing my personal experiences and current opinions and thoughts. These are in no way representative of everyone’s PhD, disability, mental health, experience and opinions. They may also change over time as I am always learning and growing.

I’m now two and a half years into my PhD program temporally, and two years in registration wise as I’ve taken 6 months of temporary withdrawal so far. I passed the confirmation process (also called ‘upgrade’ or ‘transfer’ at some other UK universities) in February last year which means I’m a PhD candidate now and I have plenty of things that I’ve learnt that I want to share with you. I’ll be covering the impact of the pandemic on my PhD in a separate post so keep an eye out for that if you’re interested. Of course, everybody’s experience of a PhD is different and they work differently even between universities, let alone different countries and education systems. These points also have a bit of a skew towards the experience of being disabled in academia as that has been one of the main roadblocks for me. But I think the following lessons are fairly universal and hopefully, they might help you navigate your PhD better if you’re thinking of doing one!

Without further ado, here are the most important lessons I learnt in my first two years of doctoral study:

You need to structure your time

I guess this is fairly obvious, but it has been something I’ve really struggled with. Whereas during undergrad, I had my timetable dictated by the university which gave a good structure to my time and allowed me to plan ahead to manage my workload, my time as a PhD student is completely dictated by me. I’m in charge of booking meetings with my supervisor, booking lab equipment, making time to read, write, and analyse data. When I started out this meant I was all over the place as I hadn’t really found a good structure for me (I also didn’t disclose my autism to my supervisor for a few months so I was trying very hard to behave neurotypically as best as I could).

To overcome this lack of structure, I now implement what I like to call a ‘skeleton routine’ (which you can read more about in this post I wrote about my planning system). Research is unpredictable and you do need to be flexible in how you work. As somebody who likes predictability and routine as well as struggling with task switching, this was definitely an issue. But the skeleton routine has helped along with a reasonable adjustment to have a work from home day every Friday (which promptly became irrelevant once lockdown started and everyone had to work from home as much as possible!). This means my sensory space is completely in my control and I mitigate social fatigue from interacting with colleagues in person. I usually get the most and the best work is done on my work from home days!

Every student-supervisor relationship is different

I’m sure most PhD students have heard that you have to ‘manage’ your supervisor and there’s definitely some truth to that. It’s a really weird relationship as they are kind of your manager but also a colleague. You’re meant to bring stuff to the table and eventually be fully leading your project so the relationship also changes over time. If like me your supervisor was a lecturer of yours during your undergraduate degree then things get even more mixed up regarding knowing where you sit in the hierarchy.

Throwing into the mix a disability and some mental illnesses for good measure and I think I was a bit of a curveball for my supervisor! Because autism involves communication differences, my non-medical helper and I explained to my supervisor how autism impacts me specifically, emphasising that you need to think about accommodations on an individual basis. It’s really paid off as we now have lots of techniques in place for facilitating communication between us. For example, I find that I will sometimes go into a nonverbal state at work which is not ideal when we have our meetings as his preference is talking face-to-face. So, we’ve experimented with a few things and now we have weekly meetings via teams chat so that even if I can’t speak verbally, he can assess my progress and see my ideas. This has facilitated some great discussions and allowed me to be more confident (I am much better at both conveying my thoughts and processing what is being said to me in writing than through speech). I think we’ve both learnt a lot from each other about communication, accessibility and, of course, physics! I really look up to him both as a person and as a scientist and I know that he always wants the best for me, for me to produce great research and thrive in this environment.

Supervisor relationships are incredibly personal and it truly depends on the unique mix of personalities of the supervisor and the student. They’re not something that you can necessarily get working perfectly immediately and can take time to develop into something beneficial for both parties. Some supervisors are quite hands-on and like to have a lot of contact with you and very regular updates (like mine), but some are very hands-off and only like to meet once a month (quite a few of my peers have supervisors more like this). When applying to PhDs, it can be useful to ask current students who work with your prospective supervisor what their supervision style is so that you can assess whether you’ll be a good fit. I think that this and making sure you’re passionate about their research area are the most important things to consider.

Sometimes experiments don’t work— that’s the nature of research!

This is something I first got a taste of during my R&D internship where I worked on my master’s research project in industry. During undergrad labs, I never had an experiment not work at all. I always found that as long as I followed the lab script I would always obtain the expected results, or at least something similar to what I was expecting. It probably helped that I have a slight flair for experimental work and have discovered that I’m good at setting up and calibrating equipment. But this aside, undergraduate labs don’t really teach you what to do if your experiment doesn’t work at all or if you get some strange results that you don’t understand.

When I first encountered real-life cutting-edge research experiments, it was a bit of a shock to not always get the results that I expected from the theory. But now I love analysing it and investigating the reasons why my results might be doing something new and unexpected. Sometimes ‘failed’ experiments are the ones that give us the biggest insight and the most profound advancements in science!

So, if you can, try to isolate your self-worth from whether your experiments work or not. As scientists, we’re studying nature and finding ways to innovate with what we learn so of course, we will encounter lots of things that we don’t yet understand. If things weren’t failing, we would never make progress and learn exciting new things about our field.

Stepping back occasionally helps you look at the bigger picture

I’m such a detail-oriented person it can sometimes be hard to explain why my research is useful to people. So I’ve got into the habit of forcing myself to step back from the nitty-gritty quantum physics and focus instead on the project as a whole. So far, I’ve found that having reasonably long holidays (I usually try to take annual leave so I have two weeks off at a time) allows my brain to process my research subconsciously and to see the context better. Whenever I return to work after a break, I have so much more clarity on the impact and implications of my work which I don’t think I would get if I stayed buried in the details all the time. It can also help to explain your work to others, like friends and family as this usually forces me to talk about it more generally which inherently situates my work within a broader understanding of it.

Mental wellbeing should always be the priority

Academia is notorious for being a poor environment for mental wellbeing. I’ve written about my mental health experiences in the past here which explores this topic in a bit more detail from the autistic perspective. It goes without saying that your health should always be your top priority, but that often doesn’t seem to be the case in academia. People like to brag about how many hours they work and how they’re always in the lab on weekends. So for those of us who like to keep strict work boundaries, it can feel like we’re not living up to what is expected of a PhD student.

But this just isn’t the case. You shouldn’t be doing so much overtime that it causes you to develop a mental illness. That’s just not sustainable. As someone who already had a diagnosis of anxiety and depression going into my PhD, I already had some coping techniques in place like my medication and therapy. This, along with regular mental health check-ins with myself, helped me manage things better. But still, I fell into the overwork trap early on in my studies which resulted in a few relapses into severe depression and needing to take some withdrawal time from my program.

Since then, I’ve been a lot better at setting clear work boundaries where I don’t work in the evenings and weekends (unless it’s needed due to booking of equipment or I am in a hyperfocus state that I want to make the most of). This has helped me enormously in terms of both my energy levels and my mental health and I encourage everyone to try and set boundaries that fit in with how they work best. Don’t just work all of the time because ‘it’s what PhD students do’. The only way we can change the overwork culture in academia is to push back on it and challenge the status quo instead of falling into the trap that so many others have succumbed to in the past.

Being in limbo between being staff and student takes some getting used to

This was something that I hadn’t really considered until I was in my doctoral program. My university campus card says ‘student’ but in reality, I’m more like a member of staff. I don’t go to taught classes and all of my activities are either research or teaching-focused. I think this is a big misconception that a lot of people have and ‘PhD student’ is a bit of a misnomer, especially in places like the UK where you jump straight into the research project when you start your PhD. But even so, you’re still not a full member of faculty as a PhD student and you do sometimes feel a bit forgotten about. Owning this feeling of being not-quite-student-not-quite-staff took me so long to get accustomed to. It also plays into trying to work out where I sit in the hierarchy that I mentioned before in reference to supervisor relationships. Lecturers who taught me at the undergraduate level suddenly expected me to refer to them by their first name which just felt really odd for a long time!

Self-directed learning is key

Being a researcher is all about self-directed learning. I’ve found that my skills of teaching myself new complex concepts and seeking out information have improved so much since I’ve been a PhD student. During undergraduate degrees, we are usually still ‘spoon fed’ a little bit so transitioning to a PhD can be a bit of a shock. Luckily I had already been reading around subjects I studied during my degree but not having a syllabus to guide me still took some getting used to! As a PhD student, you sit right at the top of Bloom’s taxonomy of learning – create: where you’re producing new or original work.

The only taste of this that I had prior to starting my doctorate was during my research placement and in writing my master’s dissertation. I’ve found that I really have to take my learning into my own hands and this includes identifying suitable people to reach out for help and advice on understanding new concepts. If you’re an undergraduate hoping to do a PhD one day, I definitely recommend reading widely and practising this form of learning whenever you can. Not only will it improve your own understanding of your subject but it will also put you in good stead for a research career.

Writing papers takes way longer than you think it will

I’ll be honest, when I started my PhD I thought I’d have at least one paper published within the first two years. Due to a myriad of factors (mostly thanks to the pandemic), this has not happened. I don’t think that I would have had something published, even if we hadn’t had this strange year to deal with. I don’t know how common this is for other PhD students, but I struggle a lot with my confidence when it comes to academic writing that I know will be seen by other academics so I’ve spent a lot of time in a state of anxiety paralysis towards papers I have on my ‘to do’ list. This seems mostly due to my perfectionism and the fact that everything I’ve been reading is a highly polished final draft that has been through the rigorous peer-review process. Of course, my first draft isn’t going to be of this standard and nobody but me is expecting it to be. I’d quite like to share the various drafts of my published papers online so that others can see the process more as I think it would help me to see more ‘in progress’ academic writing from others in my field!

I also somewhat want to push back on the ‘publish or perish’ mindset that many people have in academia. I’d like to do good and complete studies that I am proud of, even if it takes me a bit longer to expand on the analysis and my interpretation of it- ensuring that I am not falling into selection bias when presenting my findings. This is particularly on my mind as recently, a paper in my field published in nature was retracted which has caused a bit of a stir . Research integrity always needs to come first and I don’t want to get caught out for being sloppy from not spending enough time on things. So I think it’s about finding the balance between my ‘slow science’ philosophy and not being afraid to put my work out there in the academic sphere (I fear I may be using the former as an excuse to hide the latter). I’m now really pushing myself to overcome my perfectionism and have an upcoming deadline for a ‘submittable’ paper draft next month- so watch this space (I’ll try to post an update as to how it goes!).

Don’t compare yourself to other PhD students

I was told this so many times at the beginning of my PhD and I still couldn’t help constantly comparing myself to others. I work in a vibrant research group with fellow PGRs who are brilliant and who I perceive as infinitely more intelligent and better PhD students than me. Part of this is internalised ableism on my part but that is something I’ll write about another day. I think this is something that many PhD students struggle with and it links into the imposter syndrome problem that we always hear so much about. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what other PhD students are doing. Transitioning from undergraduate where you can compare yourself to others fairly easily using grades (something I always did and it damaged my self-esteem a lot), I automatically started doing the same thing. It’s something I’ve been trying to break out of for a long long time but I’m still not there yet. Maybe one day I’ll feel like I am good enough to be a researcher.

Anyway, the main thing I’ve learnt is that everybody’s project is different so you can’t possibly compare them. For example, my project sits slightly outside of the rest of my research group. It’s just me and my supervisor who are working on my material system (InSb) at my university at the moment. Many of those in my group work with silicon and all of their projects feed into each other more (note: I was given the option in my interview and I chose to work with InSb rather than silicon as I think it’s a more interesting material and it’s a smaller research area so there’s less literature to battle with). Thus, there is more group work and bigger teams working together on things like publications for other PhD students in the group. When I see how they already published by the stage I am at in my PhD, I forget this fact and use it to bully myself. Even if I was working closely with other PGRs or if I had published a paper, I’m sure I would find a way to make it reflect badly on me in my head. Let’s see if I can take my own advice and stop comparing to others!

Doing a PhD is a rollercoaster!

This is another thing that I was warned about but didn’t really believe at the time but it’s so true. There’s no escaping the fact that research ebbs and flows. There are weeks where I feel like I do nothing at all and others where I do more than I thought possible. Of course, there are going to be emotional ups and downs – you’re dedicating 3-4 years of your life to a single research project and it can feel like you almost embody your project. I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone who’s said that their PhD was straightforward and easy to manage. From equipment breaking or just not cooperating to unexpected results, you just can’t predict what will happen. That’s research for you! I’ve learnt to embrace the uncertainty and love the challenge that it presents.

If you like my work, I’d love your support!

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6 Things I Learned from Being in a PhD Program

Friday | February 10, 2017 | by Trishnee Bhurosy

Being in a doctoral program brings its own share of challenges and rewards. Currently, I have completed almost two years in my PhD program. Looking back on my progress, I can proudly say that every challenge I encountered has helped me grow both academically and non-academically.

Here are six valuable lessons I learned from being in a PhD program and am still applying to my life:

Learn to Trust Yourself

This might sound simple, but for many people (especially graduate students), trusting yourself can be hard to do. There are moments where you might question your own capabilities and feel you are not up to par, but this is completely normal. Try to avoid dwelling on negative thoughts for long periods of time. The key in getting through a PhD program is to stay focused on your goals and to work on them every day. Making any kind of progress is crucial to getting things done. One thing that I do every day is write down what I am grateful for and what I want to achieve by the end of the day. By doing this, I feel more positive, and that positivity is reflected in everything I do.

Listen to Your Advisor

I admit I was extremely scared and felt vulnerable when I met my advisor for the first time. I was scared because I did not know what I had gotten myself into, and I felt inferior because my advisor, Dr. Middlestadt, is an expert in what she does. My field of study is health behavior and although I have a master’s degree in nutritional sciences, I quickly came to the realization that even though these two fields were related, they had different approaches. One of the things I love about doing my PhD is having a mentor who pushes me to my limits and makes me think critically when taking appropriate actions that are essential to my progress as a student.

Start Your Research as Early as You Can

After two months of being in the PhD program, I remember sitting in my apartment and asking myself, “Where should I start?” The words of my advisor immediately came to my mind: “Just start and try!” I believe that was a turning point in my life when I finally realized that any kind of research study is not perfect, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Even if the idea might seem abstract in your mind, work on it, develop the idea, and implement it. I began collecting pilot data in the spring of 2016 and that summer, I was confident enough to go into the field and work on my study. I am currently analyzing my data and planning to take my qualifying exams in the next few months.

Engage in Opportunities Outside of Your School

Do not limit your knowledge to the realm of the school you are studying at and  volunteer in your community . It took some time for me to network outside of school, but I eventually found the right opportunities. Talking to my professors and getting advice from the Office of Career Services helped me tremendously in networking with other people. Putting your knowledge and skills to practice in a real-world setting is a must in the health behavior field. Understanding health issues from the public’s perspective is eye-opening. Moreover, I was able to work with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from the rich experiences of my team members.

Stay in Touch With Friends and Family

I teach stress prevention to college students and one of the things I regularly preach and apply to my life is to nurture the relationships that matter. As an international student, no matter how busy I am, I always dedicate time to talk to my parents at least one to two hours every week. I am constantly in contact with my siblings and my best friend, Natacha. These people may be far in terms of distance, but not by heart. Aside from my family, I have a few close friends in Bloomington who I meet with and talk to on a regular basis. For example, my dear friend Debbie gives me the same kind of advice my mom would, and if I need help or find myself in a difficult situation, I know I can reach out to her.

Find and Maintain Hobbies you Enjoy

People who live in Bloomington can vouch for the harsh winter. One of the things I love doing is knitting and I keep myself occupied with other projects to stay warm. I try to exercise as much as I can and I enjoy gardening in the summer. I also spend a significant portion of my time cooking meals that remind me of my home country and my family. Being far from your country does not mean you cannot enjoy its flavors and spices!

One of the most important decisions I made in my life was to pursue my PhD and I do not regret it. I have had a productive journey and I know the skills and knowledge I am acquiring now will remain with me for the rest of my life. Being a doctoral student is a lot of hard work, but it is totally worth it!

Dr. Trishnee Bhurosy holds a PhD in Health Behavior from Indiana University-Bloomington and is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. She is also a WES Ambassador.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of World Education Services (WES).

• What is it Like to Do a PhD?

Written by Hannah Slack

Every person’s PhD experience will be different. Your day-to-day routine will depend massively on your subject, research project and institution. Science degrees, for example, often involve a fair amount of collaborative work. Yet the Arts and Humanities are usually more individual.

But there are some common things that almost every student will experience. This guide will take you through what a PhD programme is like, covering what will broadly be expected of you as a student and highlighting some common feelings you might have.

What does PhD study involve?

The nature of a PhD requires the student to take responsibility for their own learning. Unlike taught degrees, you will have full control of your own project and progression. If you want more detail about the ins and outs of research and the experience of studying a PhD you should check out our comprehensive guides on each step of the process.

Individual research

The main element of doing a PhD is individual research. While your supervisor might help point you in the right direction, it is up to you to do the work and interpret your findings. As the progress of a PhD will be almost entirely on you, you will need to learn to prioritise tasks and justify the routes you take.

Time management

While studying for a PhD, you will be expected to set your own deadlines and work efficiently throughout the degree. There is no set schedule when doing a research degree and so you’ll have to organise your tasks appropriately. Responsibilities will depend on your topic and what year you are in. An average student might be juggling research, teaching, meetings and outreach activities at any one time.

Learning to manage your time wisely is an important skill that will greatly benefit your productivity. Taking time out to plan and organise is always beneficial.

Your supervisor

Your supervisor is there to guide you in your research and professional activities. Building a good working relationship is therefore extremely important. It’s recommended that students stay in contact with their supervisors regularly to update them on their progress.

This also involves initiative on your part, not just your supervisor.

What will be required from you as a PhD student?

Different institutions will require different things from their students. All, however, will ask for a level of involvement and development. What activities you choose to involve yourself in will come down to you and your interests.

The main thing that will be expected is initiative. As mentioned, the progress of a PhD is entirely reliant on the student. You will be in charge of your research and how you present it. If you find gaps in your knowledge or skills then it’s up to you to fill them. You will also be expected to involve yourself in external activities, such as conferences or publishing research papers. While your supervisor can help guide you in these, they will not usually seek out opportunities for you.

Proactive involvement

The point of doing a PhD is more than just completing original research. As an early career researcher you will be expected to involve yourself in wider events, or even run them. If you think that you might what to continue working in academia after completing a PhD then you will need to evidence some active involvement in the research community. This can range from having publications , attending and running conferences , teaching or planning outreach activities.

Development

Many institutions now require their students to participate in a Doctoral Development Plan (DDP). This is to assess your growth in key fields such as research, presentation and publishing as well as other important skills like networking, teaching and time management.

By the end of the PhD you will be expected to demonstrate how you have gained these skills. Signing up for publishing workshops, or teacher training events can therefore be very beneficial to your development.

Adaptability

Research can be unpredictable at times and so it’s important to remain flexible. It’s unlikely that your final project will be the same as your original research proposal. As you conduct more research, new things need to be considered. In order to conduct good research you will need to maintain a level of adaptability as sources should not be forced to fit conclusions, but should demonstrate them. Sometimes this might mean abandoning some aspects of your original research plan.

What does it feel like to do a PhD?

Throughout a PhD there will be good days and bad, which will impact your experience accordingly. The nature of research can be difficult and frustrating, but it can also be exciting and interesting.

Stress vs reward

It’s no secret that doing a PhD is not an easy task. It takes a lot of work and dedication which, at times, might seem fruitless. Some days might feel wasted, whereas others might feel highly productive. It can therefore be both a stressful and rewarding experience.

Learning to manage PhD pressure and switch off from work is an important skill to develop, particularly during your PhD. As your work schedule is completely in your own hands it can be tempting to overwork. Often, this will end in burnout.

But ultimately the PhD is a degree of passion. You will find many moments of joy and success which far outweigh the difficulties and long days.

Imposter syndrome

You might have heard of imposter syndrome already. If not, then it is the feeling that you don’t belong. Due to the nature of academia, many people face a lot of pressure, rejection and criticism. Most PhD students at some point will feel undeserving of their position. But it simply is not true.

The best way to deal with imposter syndrome is to talk with other students. Seeking support from people in a similar situation can help validate and normalise your feelings. Even academics often feel imposter syndrome and so it might be something to talk about with your supervisor.

Another good tip is to make a file and save any praise or acceptance letters you get throughout your PhD. Returning to this will help remind you that you are capable.

Dealing with PhD pressure

Ultimately, having a positive PhD experience will require you to learn to deal with the pressure that comes with producing original, worthwhile research. It’s important not to let yourself feel overwhelmed by the size of your project – it can help to think of it as a series of interconnected projects rather than a single monolith. It’s also a good idea to set yourself achievable goals and not impossible targets.

Becoming part of an academic community

The more you involve yourself in wider academic activities, you will quickly feel part of a community. Many universities foster active postgraduate communities and offer plenty of opportunities to get involved with the department.

Meeting and working with other students and staff passionate about your areas of interest will make you feel like part of an exciting group. Getting involved, presenting papers or running events can be extremely fun, satisfying and confidence boosting.

Ready to do a PhD?

Search our project listings to find out what you could be studying.

Want More Updates & Advice?

What happens during a typical PhD, and when? We've summarised the main milestones of a doctoral research journey.

The PhD thesis is the most important part of a doctoral degree. This page will introduce you to what you need to know about the PhD dissertation.

This page will give you an idea of what to expect from your routine as a PhD student, explaining how your daily life will look at you progress through a doctoral degree.

Our guide tells you everything about the application process for studying a PhD in the USA.

This guide tells you everything about the structure of a PhD course in the USA from courses, assessments and the academic calendar.

Interested in studying a PhD degree in Canada? We tell you all about how a PhD in Canada is structured, covering supervision, assessments and more.

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• My Experience As A PhD Student

My experience as a PhD student

Claire gives some tips on studying for a phd based on personal experience, #furtherstudy #phd #studentguide, little fish, big pond: learning to swim again.

I can’t do this.

I really can’t do this.

No, hang on, maybe I can.

No,  I definitely can’t do this.  I absolutely can’t. There’s no way.

Oh, I did it.

My PhD is beyond doubt one of the hardest, most rewarding, confidence- sapping , confidence- boosting , brutal and uplifting academic challenges I have ever faced. The progression from the neatly defined, taught modules of an undergraduate or masters degree to the student-led study required for a PhD is vast. Vast, but absolutely achievable. Simply being accepted onto a PhD programme should give you the confidence that academics believe that you are capable of embarking on such a challenge - and this should remain firmly lodged in your mind as you navigate the academic wilderness ahead.

Don’t go too far down the rabbit hole!

You may find yourself reading a paper, determined to make sense of it all - but as you read on you realise it’s no longer written in English - it’s morphed into a whole new language, and you’re not yet fluent. You begin veering off, researching terms and theories you aren't familiar with. Suddenly you find yourself reading about some obscure topic, totally unrelated to your original search. How did I get here? What was I looking up? Back to paper 1. And so it goes on…! Before you know it, you’ve fallen so deep into the ‘rabbit hole of elusive expertise’ you don’t know which way is up. If this sounds like you, then WELCOME!

Tip: organise your research papers from day one - markup key publications and summarise the findings. Plan out your study day the night before and set realistic, achievable goals - you’ll feel more productive, in control, and be less likely to procrastinate.

Root for yourself

Self-doubt has played a large role in my PhD journey so far. The well-known imposter syndrome manages to rear its critical head at any given opportunity. However, given this phenomenon is written about so extensively, provides evidence (and comfort, perhaps) that it is far more common than might be confessed. Indeed, conversations with colleagues indicate that it is not just us PhD students who might fall prey. One way I deal with these symptoms is to simply accept them. You can’t and won’t possibly know it all. There will always and forever be more to learn. Surely this in itself is why we have embarked on a PhD in the first place? To learn, become experts in our targeted field and then keep on learning…

Tip: explain your research to a friend or family member and encourage them to quiz you on your ideas - this will quickly and clearly flag the bits you are perhaps less certain of and you may want to focus your time on.

Playtime presents perspective

Downtime is crucial when tackling a PhD. It is often so easy to become so absorbed in your research that your perspective becomes warped. You may find yourself living and breathing your PhD, perhaps to the detriment of your own health. Taking time out to reconnect with your hobbies, with friends and family, with nature, are key ways to step back, recalibrate and recharge your batteries. And remember: DON’T FEEL GUILTY for doing so! PhD study can be isolating so you might want to try joining PhD forums. Additionally, get contact details of other students at networking events and conferences - it’s likely they’re feeling the same and would welcome a connection too!

Tip: plan at least one activity you enjoy each day to help you step out of PhD land (I recommend a family-pack of celebrations and back to back reruns of Fawlty Towers).

Supervisory Success

Tip: plan ahead for your team meetings; their time is precious and knowledge vast so you’ll get more out of the meeting if you have clear questions/ideas to present to them for discussion. Most of all, try to develop your own voice - you may feel like the junior but your ideas and opinions are equally as valid!

N.B: A special thanks to my two wonderfully supportive supervisors; Professor Tom Dickins and Dr Mark Coulson!

My take-home message is to embrace the PhD experience. It definitely won’t always be smooth-sailing, it’s going to be tough. But challenges make overcoming them that much sweeter. View your studies as a training programme; you’re learning to master your trade. You will get there but you need to be your biggest supporter.

And chocolate. Chocolate helps.

Student lifestyle posts which reflect the interests of our students are written by student interns working within the Marketing department and do not reflect the research, guidance or opinions of Middlesex University. If you have feedback or want to suggest ideas for future student lifestyle posts, please email [email protected]

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 21 March 2019

What I wish my friends and family knew about my PhD

• Kate Samardzic 0

Kate Samardzic is a PhD candidate in her final year in the Neurotoxin Research Group at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. She also helped to found Research Resilience, a mental-health forum for PhD students.

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Six months ago, while writing my thesis, I had a meltdown. I was frustrated learning to use a new data-visualization software, Cytoscape, and found myself on the receiving end of less than glowing feedback from my supervisor on a draft chapter of my thesis. My defences were low and the frustration gave way to stress and, eventually, tears.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00948-7

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

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To-Do: Write A Thesis – Reflecting On My PhD Experience So Far & Advice For New PhD Students

• May 30, 2022
• ​Royal Holloway
• First Year Student , Getting started , Productivity , Thesis Tips

On my first day as a PhD student, I grabbed my favourite coffee from Starbucks, sat down in my office, grabbed my new notepad and pen, and wrote…

To-do: Write a thesis.

Now, for someone that thrives off colour coding, planning, and ticking off to-do lists, the realisation that I could not cross this task off my list for the next 4 years was more than daunting. Slightly worried, I decided to read and re-read every single handbook, document and book that had been given to me for my PhD induction, hoping for some insight into what I needed to actually do. After a week of reading, I was even more confused than when I started. What do you mean I need to ‘upgrade’ from an MPhil to a PhD? I need to consider ethics, recruitment, training and annual reviews? And what was this terrifying viva?

Throughout the application process, I was so focused on being accepted to the programme, I had not stopped to think what I needed to do once I started! During my undergraduate degree, I relied on lecture timetables, coursework deadlines, and assessment criterion. I thrived on having this structure to my learning. However, I was now an independent PhD researcher who was expected to complete this huge piece of work and provide a unique contribution to psychological research… I was just a 23-year-old that had only received her BSc in Psychology less than 6 months ago. Feelings of Imposter Syndrome told me that I was most certainly in the wrong place and that I needed to go home before I made even more of a fool of myself. I am now four months into my PhD, and these are some of the tips I would give to other new PhD students.

Tip #1: Talk to your supervisors, advisors, Postdocs, and other PhD students

I am very fortunate to have two very approachable and friendly supervisors, both of which I had known before starting my PhD. They were extremely helpful during those first couple of weeks, answering my constant flow of questions, and signposting me to suggested training, reading, and seminars. Most of these were optional, but I did them ALL. This meant that I jumped in at the very deep end, but these activities gave me a purpose and helped me to start writing my all-important to-do list.

These various activities not only taught me about the PhD journey, but they have also connected me with other PhD students and Postdocs from my department. They have helped me answer all sorts of questions I had about doing a PhD, and it was very comforting to know that everyone has those moments of self-doubt, and that it does not last forever. Yes, you are an independent researcher, but that does not mean that you need to sit in an office and hope to find all the answers on your own. Throw yourself into the PhD community and ask the questions (even if the question is “Where do I start?”).

Tip #2: Get into a routine.

One thing that I have loved about being a PhD student is the ‘flexibility’ (I say this with caution as I am aware that every project is unique). Every morning I will sit with my coffee and think “What shall I do today?” From this, I will write a to-do list, outline my priorities that day, and allocate how much time I want to spend on them. I will also attempt to allocate some time to reading and note taking (as everyone has told me to start writing early). These little rituals stay the same most days which has created a semi-structured routine that keeps me productive. I have also kept my weekends (mostly) free, which allows me to take the important self-care days to avoid complete burnout.

I think taking time to reflect on how best you work is crucial at the beginning of the PhD. What times of day are you most productive? Do you like working 9-5 or during other times? Are you happy to work at the weekends? Working at the office or from your sofa? I found that asking myself these questions allowed me to organise my workload and set a routine that worked for me. The great thing I’ve experienced about doing a PhD is that providing you get your work done, you can tailor it to what gets you motivated and excited about your research!

Tip #3: Celebrate the little things.

Some of the best advice I have received so far was from one of the postdocs in my lab. She told me that throughout a PhD, it is important to celebrate the little things. I didn’t understand this at first, however I now know how important this piece of advice is. Towards the end of last term, I had a week where I felt unproductive and overwhelmed and started to criticise myself for not completing everything I wanted to get done. To combat this, a colleague suggested making a ‘done list’, where you document your small wins of the day, even if this is “I cleared out my emails” or “I reorganised my workspace”. Completing this task for a couple of days boosted my motivation and productivity for the following week. Try not to stress about ticking everything off your list. If a couple of tasks cannot be completed, it can always be finished tomorrow instead.

Tip #4: Being a PhD student is not just about writing a thesis.

Yes, everyone needs to write a thesis to get a PhD, but from what I have experienced so far, I think the journey towards submitting your thesis has got to be the best part. Completely immersing yourself in a research area that you feel passionate about, and planning new, exciting projects has felt amazing. I have loved talking to like-minded people about my research, attending conferences, networking with other researchers, teaching undergraduate students, or even chatting at the pub with colleagues about non-academic topics.

My final thoughts for new PhD students:

1) You are not expected to know everything, so don’t be afraid to ask questions! More than likely, someone will be able to help you (or point you in the right direction).

2) Reflect on what routine works for you. It is much easier to manage your workload if you have the basics sorted out.

3) Try not to ruminate over what you haven’t completed, instead focus on what you have achieved. This helps build the motivation to complete the tasks you have outstanding.

4) Remember that a PhD is a journey that is so much more than writing a thesis. 

I am sure the next few years will be a rollercoaster of new experiences, celebrations and rejections, but I am here for the ride and looking forward to what is next.

Gemma Rides

Academic Job Interviews: 5 Questions You Should Be Ready For

Regardless of your PhD stage, you can help your future self by getting interview-ready now. This article goes through five interview questions based on your research that are commonly asked at academic job interviews, with advice on what you can do now during your time as a PhD student to be more prepared in the future!

I’m Only a PhD Student, Get Me Out of Here!: Overcoming Your Apprehension to Teach During Your PhD

If you aspire to be a lecturer after your PhD, then teaching experience is paramount. There can be apprehension to teach among PhD students based on a perceived lack of subject knowledge, not feeling ready, or having concerns about public speaking. This is only natural. Nevertheless, this article details five ways around this if you give yourself enough time during your PhD!

90 and Thriving: Dr Bronwyn Herbert’s Later-in-Life PhD Kept Her Feeling Younger

At ninety years old, Dr Bronwyn Herbert has completed her PhD at the University of Queensland, Australia. The PhD Place had the pleasure of interviewing her across the globe to share her inspiring story with our readers! Drawing on her extensive career in social work and her wealth of life experience, Bronwyn promotes the joy of lifelong learning and showcases the power of resilience that every PhD student can seek to emulate.

All views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not reflect the views of The PhD Place Ltd. See our Disclaimer

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The PhD Student Experience

Our graduate students are working to change the world one research project at a time. They come to us from all over the world to engage in research that deepens knowledge and practice in education.  

Here are a few of our graduate students, discussing their experiences in the Education Doctoral Program, their research interests, and their commitments to educational justice and equity.

Melissa Marini Švigelj

Education PhD, with an emphasis in Sociology, 5th year

Grad Slam  gives graduate students three minutes to share their research, concisely and compellingly, with a public audience. The 2022 Grad Slam took place March 5 at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.  Melissa Marini Švigelj participated in Grad Slam and won $750 with People's Choice. 

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Charley Brooks

Ultimately, what drew me to Santa Cruz was the personal attention from faculty. Even before starting my program, I spoke with a variety of faculty members and graduate students from all different fields who offered me advice and support in making my decision. I could tell that mentorship was a priority and that my work, however much it varied from my faculty advisor’s, would be nurtured. This impression has borne out during my time at Santa Cruz thus far.

I study social studies education and teacher preparation and am interested in questions about what histories are taught in schools, to whom, and to what effect. I am especially interested in how the histories taught vary based on demographics, commitments, and identity in terms of students, teachers, and communities. Inherent to the teaching of history are issues of race, racism, and whiteness. To study these topics, I utilize qualitative methods including critical discourse analysis which helps to reveal ideologies that underpin language use that are not necessarily evident on the surface. I find that this method is particularly useful in locating whiteness, which is frequently obfuscated especially within historical narratives that are taught in schools and present in textbooks. I’m also interested in developing pedagogical strategies that foster critical awareness and interrogation of power embedded in taken-for-granted historical narratives.

Andrea Del Carmen Vazquez

I’m a Black Latina and a native of South Central Los Angeles . Like many people from my communities, both my parents migrated from Latin America and as such Spanish is my first language. I’m also the first in my family to receive a college degree, even though many of my relatives are far more educated in ways I will never be!  

As an Anthropologist of Education, I’m interested in the topographies at the intersections of racial identity, sexuality, and the late liberal state. In particular, I'm interested in learning how schools created ideas of "safety" and "safe spaces", and how this informs queer Latinx youth's antiracist and antihomophobic practices. Queer youth of color are still invisibilized within Education Studies. When education inquiry centers queer youth, traditionally, this is done in regards to bullying and mental health and the research highlights the experience of white queer youth in urban spaces. My ethnography seeks to uncover the agency of queer youth of color from an agro-industrial community with a rich history of migration and social activism.

I chose to do my doctoral work at UCSC because I knew it had amazing scholars within education studies, and in the social sciences more broadly. In addition, UCSC has a long and deep history of critical scholars who paved the way for those of us who are concerned with any deviations of power. I knew I wanted to be part of that academic genealogy.

I have worked as a classroom teacher and as a counselor and therapist. Many of the stories of struggle I heard from my students and clients were directly related to systemic issues in schools and housing, embedded with racism and keeping poor folks poor. After working as best I could from my position as a teacher, counselor, and advocate, I felt strongly pulled to find a way to contribute at a more systemic level. Working as a researcher in education under faculty who perceive teaching and research as a political act, contributing to knowledge production and teaching others who will go out to be the next generation of teachers feels like the most valuable work I could possibly do.

I am interested in the relationships between identity, teacher preparation, and teacher effectiveness with diverse student populations. Specifically, my work focuses on how pre-service teachers become aware of their subjectivity or positionality within their teacher education programs (TEP), how TEPs and policies engender this awareness and how teacher educators interrogate notions of whiteness within TEPs. UCSC supports this work in that I am able to consult with multiple faculty members within the Education department and in other departments (such as Sociology). Furthermore, the social justice orientation of the program encourages a critical lens, especially around issues of equity within schools. 

Being a part of this PhD program has broadened my horizons, pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged growth in all directions. I feel greatly supported by my advisor, who has sought out teaching and research opportunities for me, and the department's faculty and staff who have encouraged me to follow my interests and supported my academic growth as a writer and researcher.

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My PhD Viva Experience

When I was looking for viva advice on this sub, I saw some great stuff but a lot of it didn't apply in my case, so I've decided to write about my experience. My topic was data science and I'm based in the UK.

I had an unusual situation where my viva was 3 weeks after my thesis submission. I gave a 30 minute presentation to my examiners before my viva and then had a 3 hour viva. The presentation was a brief summary of the key takeaways for my chapters and the viva itself was like a job interview. I've heard people call it a discussion or a defense or a grilling but I genuinely consider it to be a job interview.

They asked me very little about my methodology but asked a lot about how the work could be used for other purposes. I was not asked about any specific work in my literature review or anything about my future work. A few parts of my thesis needed further clarification.

In terms of preparation, I felt too burnt out to re-read my thesis after submission so I just practiced viva questions. I wrote a list of about 30 questions that I could be asked and practiced answering them. I didn't memorise answers - just practiced the process of being asked questions and thinking about answers. I also practiced answering random thesis questions with an interested friend. Only 2 of my prepared questions were asked but the practice made me comfortable in answering future questions.

I guess my key advice is to pick your examiners carefully! One could be focused on your methodology whereas another could be focused on impact. It is very subjective. Don't worry about corrections because that will solely be dependent on the type of examiner you pick. My other advice would be to know your thesis. Although I couldn't bring myself to read it again, I did know everything that I'd written about.

I hope this helps!

Challenges and Trips: The Ups and Downs of My PhD Experience

• First Online: 04 September 2021

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• Christiana Glettler 7  

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Pursuing your PhD is always a challenge. In the case of this chapter, the story entailed not only dealing with self-doubt and finding a way through the academic labyrinth, but also several trips both locally and internationally which often turned out to be critical turning points in this story. Starting with some introductory notes and explanations about general aspects regarding the conditions of her PhD, the author then reflects on both the challenging as well as the enjoyable aspects of her PhD from a personal perspective. Her story starts with the initial moments of deciding to go back to university. After more than seven years of working in outdoor education and as a teacher, going back to studying was a challenge in itself. Following this decision, the author describes the process of finding herself in the new, unknown landscape of academia. The description of the Austrian system regarding PhDs in the field of education is followed by the description of her learning experience during the five year PhD experience. The chapter includes reflections on time management and juggling work and studying, the importance of networking and the significance of having a compatible supervisor. However, her story is also about dealing with feelings of inadequacy, making new friends, discovering hidden talents and the power of perseverance. The story has a happy ending and shows that succeeding in gaining a PhD is not only a matter of being a conscientious student, but it also requires personal growth.

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Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria

Christiana Glettler

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Maria Xypaki

Department of Training and Education Sciences, EduBron Research Unit, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

Eleni Sinakou

Institute NUTES (Nucleus of Educational Technology for Health), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

María Angélica Mejía-Cáceres

Instituto Superior Ivoti, Bairro Vista Alegre, Brazil

Ailim Schwambach

I finished writing this chapter in 2018, shortly after my doctoral viva. In the 2 years that have passed since, a lot has changed for me personally and professionally. While at first no obvious changes were apparent – I continued working at KPH, the college for teacher education in Graz, I didn’t get a pay rise or a new, bigger office – everything seemed to be more or less the same. However, over the last 2 years gradual changes have led to me taking on a lot more responsibilities and developing a new professional persona.

The biggest change was probably, that after years of part-time employment, I got a full-time permanent position last year. This change obviously brought new responsibilities. I am now the co-head of the department for mathematics and science, the spokesperson for sustainability on the campus and responsible for three research projects in the areas of sustainability and outdoor education. I am also the only lecturer in our master’s degree course with a doctorate in science didactics, so I have several students to supervise for their master theses. So, my role has changed quite quickly from having a supervisor to being a supervisor. My new responsibilities also include that I have to deal a lot more with policy makers – something I wished for during writing my thesis, but which proves a lot more taxing than what I had expected as far as the situation of ESE in Austria is concerned. Sustainability and environmental education have definitely received a big boost in the last few years mainly through the launch of the SDGs and especially thanks to the Fridays 4 Future movement. In Austria, efforts to implement ESE and environmental education into school curricula had only been partly successful, before Greta Thunberg’s youth movement. Currently, however, the new curricula for the 6–10-year-olds and the 10–14-year-olds are being revised and both ESE and environmental education with both ESE and environmental education having a prominent place. This will hopefully lead to more teachers taking up these important approaches in their classrooms. Furthermore, all universities are tasked to do more towards reaching the SDGs. In the so-called Uni-Netz (university net) project, every university is responsible for one of the SDGs and has to develop suggestions on how to put SDGs into practice. Our college is involved in the group working on SDG 4 – education. Thus, I have been very busy working in different task forces and teams and giving presentations both locally, nationally and also internationally. My home university has also recently included sustainability in its mission statement, and we are currently working on several issues – from optimising recycling to developing in-service training courses – to get closer to reaching the SDGs. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has thwarted some of the activities, planned for this semester, such as a lecture series on climate change, bringing together all Styrian universities or a focus day on sustainability practices at our college.

Looking back on those last 2 years, none of it would have happened without my doctorate. First of all, obviously the formal qualification has made it possible for me to be at the position where I am right now, but apart from that, the whole doctoral experience has definitely been a game changer for me. Everything I have learned in the 5 years of doing my doctorate are experiences I can draw from, whether it is the ability to defend my work in front of a panel of experts, to know when is the best time of day to do some writing, where to find research literature or simply how to stay fit and healthy during a conference. However, the most important thing are the networks. I still rely strongly on the network I built during my doctoral programme which continues to grow with every research proposal, every keynote presentation and every review I am asked to write.

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Glettler, C. (2021). Challenges and Trips: The Ups and Downs of My PhD Experience. In: Xypaki, M., Sinakou, E., Mejía-Cáceres, M.A., Schwambach, A. (eds) Storied Doctorates. Transdisciplinary Perspectives in Educational Research, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67506-6_6

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How do I refer to my PhD studies in my CV; under education or experience?

I am currently updating my CV before applying for postdoc positions (and grants) and got a bit puzzled about a small but possibly important detail.

The chapters I have on my CV are Education, Experience, Extracurricular/Voluntary Work and Publications. While I am not forced to keep this structure, I find it very logical and rather neat, so unless there is a good reason to do so I will probably keep the structure.

Now, to the question, I am not sure if I should include my PhD years under education or under experience. Not sure if it's the same elsewhere but over here in Sweden, the years as PhD student counts as both education and full-time employment. I think there are points to both sides of the coin.

The work I have done as a PhD student is quite relevant for the type of stuff I will be applying to hence an argument for listing under work experience. Besides I am not too happy about the last entry in my "Experience" section to be from 4 years ago, as it stands looks a bit like I am "fresh off the school".

Is there a generally accepted way to tackle that?

• Are the sections ordered as you wrote them? For example, in my CV (and those of many people in my field), the order is Publications, then Education (including PhD), then everything else on a second page no one hiring postdocs will ever care about. –  user4512 Nov 3, 2015 at 0:12
• @ChrisWhite right now yes, that's the order, but the idea is to change the order depending on the type of place i apply –  posdef Nov 3, 2015 at 11:40

3 Answers 3

I put it in both places. Under Education I list my time as a graduate student, and under Experience (as "Appointments"), I list my time as a Graduate Research Assistant. I've seen this on lots of CVs in the US. Both are true, and both convey the right meaning.

• 1 I disagree with putting into both places - takes away space and confuses the reader. –  Elchin Nov 2, 2015 at 16:56
• 6 @Elchin I don't think I have ever seen one that doesn't do this. They are conveying two different things. Not every PhD student works as a RA and not every PhD student works as a TA and some students work as both at different times. –  Austin Henley Nov 2, 2015 at 16:58
• 1 @Elchin During my PhD I was a RA. I have a contract. Both thing are distinct, related but distinct, and true. In my CV, I put my phd on education and my time as RA as experience as well.. –  Fábio Dias Nov 2, 2015 at 17:02
• 1 Makes sense, however to conserve space you could put your employment while doing your PhD as subfields. It would also make it easier and more chronological to read. –  Elchin Nov 2, 2015 at 17:05

Education . Under sub-points you can list the part-time positions you held, such as research assistant, or teaching assistant. I personally keep experience field for my full-time roles and internships.

• 2 Please note that PhD studies is a full-time, state employment here, as I have stated above in question body. –  posdef Nov 2, 2015 at 16:59
• True, but the main purpose of the PhD is still education, isn't it? I've lived in Germany where PhD is treated the same way, but the main purpose is still education, rather than employment. –  Elchin Nov 2, 2015 at 17:00
• But it is also to collect working experience as a researcher. And you do a lot of "work", it's not studying subjects by attending lectures. So why would it not count as work? I think that is what the question is ultimately about –  Mayou36 Jun 10, 2021 at 11:22

There is a fine line here that needs to be drawn. Surely, you do research during your PhD, but that is still a part of your education - you are being taught how to do research, and are (at least formally) being supervised in doing so. Generally, the experience part refers to the work experience you possess, over and above the experience you have acquired as a part of your education. Sometimes, people specify this explicitly, by mentioning that research experience during PhD, or acquired in the duration of PhD (e.g. any guest faculty position before PhD defense) won't count as teaching/research experience being sought by them, so it is easy to perceive what they are talking about. But even when they don't, it makes sense to write it in this manner, since you would anyways be talking about your research during PhD while talking about it in the education section. So, if there is someone who doesn't want this kind of a distinction, he can anyways get that info from your CV. As far as teaching assistantship experience is concerned, it is definitely acquired during the PhD period - you can put it, and while that indicates some exposure with teaching and supervision, it isn't the kind of experience that they are seeking anyways.

IMO, writing the same thing twice in a CV is definitely not advisable, at least according to me.

So, tl;dr - Answer - In the education section.

• I don't write the same thing twice. Under "Education" I write, roughly: "1/1998 - 5/2004 Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering, UT Austin" and under "Appointments and Fellowships", I write "1/1998 - 10/2003 Graduate Research Assistantship, Aerospace Engineering Department, The University of Texas at Austin, Firstname Lastname, Supervisor." Each takes about a line and a half and doesn't tend to bloat out my CV too much. –  Bill Barth Nov 2, 2015 at 20:55
• @BillBarth well that sort of implies you have two explicitly defined positions though, one as a PhD student and one as a RA. –  posdef Nov 3, 2015 at 11:42
• 1 @posdef, that's exactly what I had. 20 nominal hours per week of each. I recognize that OP's situation is considered a single full-time role. Even knowing that, I wouldn't have a problem seeing a CV that had pieces of each listed in two places. I look in both sections for both parts of such a job when I'm reviewing candidates for research positions. –  Bill Barth Nov 3, 2015 at 14:10

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Wharton Stories

How to prepare a strong phd application.

Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School outline a few tips to help you navigate the PhD application process.

It’s no secret the application process can be intimidating. Where do you start? What exactly are schools looking for on your application? What materials do you need to submit? Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School have outlined a few tips to help you navigate the process.

Don’t Delay the Process

A successful PhD applicant starts thinking about their application months or even years before the deadlines. For Alejandro Lopez Lira , a third year student in Finance, the application process began a year before he actually submitted the paperwork. He said, “I spoke to my advisors way before, like one year before, about my letters of recommendation, where to apply, everything involved in the process.”

Each program has different requirements, which can make for a tedious process. Karren Knowlton , a third year in Management, said, “I took a little while to draft a personal statement. I had my mom, who teaches creative writing, and a few other people that I trust just read over it. Then you have to tweak it for different schools because they want slightly different things.”

Taking time to prepare your application is critical. Starting the process sooner rather than later gives you several advantages:

• It allows your letter of recommendation writers enough time in advance to thoughtfully prepare a letter that speaks to who you are as a PhD candidate.
• It gives you more time to review your materials, fix any errors, and proofread, proofread, proofread.
• Finally, it means a lot less stress when the deadline starts rapidly approaching. By planning ahead, you’ll have a much smoother process applying.

Get Letters of Recommendation

Prof. Matthew Bidwell , who previously served as the doctoral coordinator for the Management program , said a common mistake he sees are letters of recommendations from employers. Although he said it is impressive to see work experience, having an employer write a letter is not the best choice.

“We don’t pay very much attention to those because rightly or wrongly, we worry that they’re not looking for the kinds of things that we’re looking for,” he said. “If you have one, it’s not a disaster, but when you see people with two or three — most of their recommendations coming from their work — that kind of heightens our concern. You’re committing to a fairly specialized career, do you really know what that career entails?”

Instead, he suggests getting to know an academic who will be able to write a recommendation attesting to your ability to manage doctoral-level research and work.

Include Research/Work Experience in Your Field

Each program has a unique set of criteria to evaluate applicants, but several doctoral coordinators agree that some research and work experience in your field of interest will strengthen your application overall.

Prof. Fernando Ferreira , doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, thinks work experience can be useful in demonstrating an applicant’s abilities. He said, “Any work experience after undergraduate school is important. If that experience is more related to research it’s even better, but work experience in general is always good.”

Prof. Guy David , doctoral coordinator for the Health Care Management & Economics program , thinks that work experience benefits applicants in terms of giving them a broader view of business. “Work experience creates retrospection about how the world works, how organizations make decisions, and how people function in various situations,” he said.

However, he warns that spending too much time away from an academic setting can have its drawbacks too. “It may lead people to start their PhD later when they are not in the habit of immersing themselves in rigorous studies and have a shorter horizons to develop a name for themselves,” he said.

Although having both research and work experience can strengthen your application, you will not be denied entry because you are lacking either.

Prof. Bidwell said, “I think research experience does give us some confidence that people have some idea about what it is that we do. In terms of work experience, I think we don’t have a strong view. We quite like work experience, but we also take people straight out of undergrad.”

Prepare for the Standardized Tests

Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas. Much like any other standardized test, the GRE requires preparation.

Karren, who took the GRE twice to ensure her scores were high enough, offered advice to those who may be struggling. “I would absolutely recommend practicing the writing beforehand. Look up examples and have your outline structured,” she said. “So much of it is just getting the right structure and how you formulate your arguments so knowing what they’re looking for is key.”

Test prep can be time-consuming, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. There are multiple text books and online sites to help you prepare for the exam. Karren aimed to improve her math scores the second time she took the GRE and recommended this site to help strengthen math skills.

Taking advantage of resources to help you study can limit the number of times you need to take the GRE while ensuring you score high enough to remain in the applicant pool.

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Doctoral Programs

Start your doctoral journey.

Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

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The skills, relationships, and knowledge you need to prepare yourself for a career in academics.

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What’s the difference between PhD programs? Find out how to choose one that fits your goals.

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Tips for a successful application process.

Application Requirements Preparing Your PhD Application

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My PhD Experience Podcast brings to you highly sought after interviews with academics from all over the world, providing great insights into how to secure admission into a PhD program and excel in your career

My PhD Experience Podcast Anthony

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2024, Episode 3: Dr Kobi Ajayi's PhD Experience

In this episode, Dr Kobi shared her journey towards bagging a PhD with me. With a background in fine art, it took hard work, willingness to learn and grit for Dr Kobi to earn a PhD degree in Public Health. She combined her PhD study with parenting of two kids and 20 hours per week work in a lab. She is truly a super woman.

• 1 hr 14 min
• MAR 24, 2024

2024 Episode 2: Dr Christiana Alex-Ojei

This episode is packed with PhD nuggets. Dr Christiana not only shared her PhD experience, but she also has some key lessons every student must pay attention to in order to succeed. The first two years of her PhD were challenging but she remembers those years as years of learning and unlearning. For her, resilience is key to obtaining a PhD because the journey will test you. Her advice to every young lady that is contemplating doing a PhD and listening to this episode is "go for it".

• 1 hr 29 min
• FEB 21, 2024

2024, Episode 1: Dr Tendai’s PhD experience

Dr Tendai's PhD journey is intriguing, beginning as a short-gap plan to remain in South Africa and blossoming into a PhD in Sociology with a focus on masculinity and refugees' livelihood. Faced with funding challenges, combining work and studying and the outbreak of COVID-19, no challenge was insurmountable for Dr Tendai in his journey towards attaining his PhD. This episode is different from others, as it contains golden nuggets that will help you navigate your PhD journey. I was joined by a co-host who brought a new perspective and insight from our host. Be sure to listen and share with others.

• MAY 27, 2024

2023, Episode 1: Dr Chinwe Jaja's PhD Experience

In this episode, Dr Chinwe shared her PhD experience, highlighting how she combined childcare and family with her PhD work. Her love for learning spurred her interest in pursuing a PhD and nothing could stop her from achieving her dreams. She narrated how she secured admission into her PhD program after many attempts and how the first two years were marred with limited progress in her PhD work due to pregnancy and childcare. She advanced rapidly when her baby turns one year. She has advice for young women aspiring to enrol for a PhD.

• NOV 26, 2022

2020 Ep4: Dr Eyitayo PhD Journey

Bold, ambitious and daring, Dr Eyitayo Owolabi, with her meagre savings and a promise of a teaching assistantship, relocated to South Africa to pursue a master's degree in Nursing in 2015. On getting to South Africa, she quickly realised her promise of a teaching assistantship position could barely cover her subsistence, leaving her to find resources to cover her rent, data collection and other needs or give up. How did she navigate this funding challenge? Listen to her share her story, challenges and many wins on my PhD experience podcast. Dr Eyitayo bagged her PhD in 2019 and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University, United States. Listen and share!

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2022 Ep3: Dr Emmanuel's PhD Journey; from Nigeria to South Africa and now to the UK

As someone who has always dreamed of becoming a professor, Dr. Emmanuel wasted no time deciding to pursue his Ph.D. He was intentional about his choices before, during, and after his Ph.D. He shared with me how his journey started, the never told before grit and graft stories underlying his many successes. One exciting thing about this interview is the openness of Dr. Emmauel in laying out what it takes to be a successful researcher and academic. 

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Doctor of Education Leadership

Additional Information

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America needs transformative leaders in preK–12 education whose passion for education quality and equity is matched by a knowledge of learning and development, the organizational management skills to translate visionary ideas into practical success, and a firm grasp of the role of context and politics in shaping leadership. Graduates of the three-year, multidisciplinary Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education will be prepared to become those leaders.

The Ed.L.D Program — taught by faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School — will train you for system-level leadership positions in school systems, state and federal departments of education, and national nonprofit organizations. Ed.L.D. is a full-time, three-year program built on a cohort learning model. Cohorts consist of up to 25 students from diverse professional backgrounds (including district/charter management leaders, nonprofit directors, principals, teachers, and policy researchers) who progress through the program together.

All Ed.L.D. students receive a full tuition funding package plus stipends, work opportunities, and a paid third-year residency at a partner organization.

The Ed.L.D. Program prepares graduates to do work for the public good in the American public education sector, whether that be at the system or state level. Specifically, the program is designed to accelerate the progress graduates make toward achieving meaningful impact in influential roles and/or crossing boundaries in the following spaces in the public education sector:

• PreK–12 district or CMO leadership roles : superintendent of schools, chief academic officer, and/or deputy superintendent
• Foundation/philanthropy roles:  director, president and CEO, senior fellow
• Education nonprofit roles : president or executive director of backbone or collective impact organizations which support preK–12 schools. Ed.L.D. graduates will lead education nonprofits that explicitly focus on improving outcomes and opportunities for children, families, and communities.
• State or federal education leadership roles : commissioner or deputy commissioner roles. Could also include public education advocacy or education policy advisers to senior government officials.
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation roles:  Founder, CEO, president

Curriculum Information

The Ed.L.D. curriculum is a balance of multidisciplinary coursework and practice-based learning. Core courses and electives are taught by recognized leaders from across Harvard’s graduate programs in fields like data-based education reform, organizational change and innovation, and effective leadership strategies for urban schools. You will develop and test your leadership skills through team projects and an immersive third-year residency.

All students in the cohort take the same classes in four foundational content areas: learning and teaching, leadership and organizational change, politics and policy, adult development, and leadership inside and out (including one-on-one executive coaching). Courses taken during the first-year focus on practice-based learning and serve as the framework of your first-year experience.

Sample HGSE Courses

• Leading Change
• How People Learn
• Ed.L.D. Proseminar
• Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning
• Race, Equity, and Leadership
• Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Sector Change
• The Workplace Lab for System-Level Leaders

View  all courses  in the Academic Catalog.

Each cohort member works with program advisers to choose an individualized sequence of electives from any of the Harvard graduate schools. You will work closely with the program faculty and staff during your second year to determine the best match with a partner organization for your third-year residency. Matches are driven by mutual interest between the resident and the partner organization, and each student's career and learning goals and geographic preferences.

• Second Year Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Driving Change 
• Education Sector Nonprofits
• Negotiation Workshop
• Coaching with Equity in Mind
• Ethnic Studies and Education
• Deeper Learning for All:  Designing a 21st Century School System
• Institutional Change in School Organizations, Systems, and Sectors

You will take part in a 10-month paid residency at one of our partner organizations. There, you will work on a strategic project which synthesizes your experience and learning into a written Capstone project. You will stay connected to your Ed.L.D. cohort and HGSE through technology and by returning to Harvard periodically for intensive workshops.

Paid Residency 

Our partner organizations include school systems and departments of education, as well as some of the nation's most influential and dynamic nonprofit, mission-based for-profit, and philanthropic organizations.

You will be intentionally pushed out of your comfort zones and asked to work systemically and make a significant contribution to the partner organization. In addition, the residency will provide you with the professional mentoring, practical experiences, and network of connections they need to position themselves as future leaders in the education sector. 

Strategic Project 

You will define (with supervisors from your partner organization) a strategic project on which to focus. You will have the opportunity to lead one or two major efforts on behalf of the organization, such as the creation or implementation of current initiatives. The project allows you to practice and improve leadership skills, add important value to the mission and strategy of the partner organization, work systemically, and hold high-level accountability.

During the residency period, you will produce a written Capstone. The Capstone is a descriptive, analytic, and reflective account of your third-year leadership contributions to a strategic project within an Ed.L.D. partner organization. It is a demonstration of your ability to engage others, develop strategy to successfully address and diagnose challenges, work toward a vision and goals, and learn from the results.

Sample Topics

• Accountability, Coherence, and Improvement: Leadership Reflection and Growth in the Los Angeles Unified School District
• Leadership Development for Entrepreneurial Education Leaders Working to Build Public & Private Sector Support
• Disrupting Teacher Preparation: Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation Across the Learning to Teach Community of Practice
• Pursuing Educational Equality for English Language Learners

Sample Summaries 

• Breaking Down Silos in a School District: Findings from an Ed.L.D. Project in Montgomery County
• Expanding Students' Access to Meaningful STEM Learning Opportunities Through Strategic Community Partnerships
• Developing a New Teacher Leadership and Compensation System in Iowa: A Consensus-Based Process
• Finding Great Teachers for Blended-Learning Schools

GSE Theses and Dissertations from Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH)

Program Faculty

Ed.L.D. students learn with renowned faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Kennedy School. Faculty from the three schools share their individual expertise in the Ed.L.D. Program and work collaboratively to provide a challenging and coherent experience for students. Faculty who teach in the Ed.L.D. core curriculum and advise Ed.L.D. students include:

Faculty Director

Frank D. Barnes

Frank Barnes is faculty director of the Doctor of Education Leadership Program. He has over 30 years experience as an educator, researcher, and organizer. As a chief accountability officer, he led turnaround efforts for large public school districts, including Boston Public Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Kathryn Parker Boudett

Ebony N. Bridwell-Mitchell

Jennifer Perry Cheatham

Elizabeth City

Candice Crawford-Zakian

Marshall Ganz

Adria D. Goodson

Deborah helsing.

Monica C. Higgins

Deborah Jewell-Sherman

Lisa Laskow Lahey

Mary Grassa O'Neill

Irvin Leon Scott

Catherine Snow

Michael L. Tushman

Martin west.

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Education Leadership experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

Do We Need Happiness Teachers?

After a trip to meet with the Dalai Lama, an Ed.L.D. student says we do

Combatting Chronic Absenteeism with Family Engagement 

As post-COVID absenteeism rates continue unabated, a look at how strong family-school engagement can help