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So You Want To Do A Phd In Physics?

Some things to think about to help you decide.

Date : 06/10/2017

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Thomas

Uploaded by : Thomas
Uploaded on : 06/10/2017
Subject : Physics

So you want to do a PhD?


Think carefully.


The actual decision of whether you want to study for a PhD or not may be many years away, but it doesn’t hurt to get prepared. We live in an increasingly fast paced world, and competitive job market. Employers set the bar very high, it’s no longer good enough just to get the top grades, employers (and universities) like to see their students participate in a wide range of activities and branch out from their studies. 


This article is purely my opinion, gathered over the 8 years I have been in academia from the moment I left school and joined Durham, to the moment I finished my PhD. I want to help inform you about the kinds of things you might want to think about if you are considering doing a PhD already (as I was at the time I left school).


What is the path to a PhD?


First you must get your degree.


To give you an idea of the structure of the undergraduate course a Bachelors degree is three years the first year is spent getting everyone up to the same level in some basic topics in physics. The second and third year may allow you to decide on a particular set of modules, and therefore more specific topics within physics (for example astronomy, particle physics or nuclear physics). The third year requires the completion of a 6 month to 1 year research project which is written up into a thesis (a long document with all your results, methodology and conclusions) which is then examined by a panel of experts in an interview style (called the viva).


A Masters degree is an extra year (or sometimes it is integrated with the Bachelors as a single four year Masters course), which again requires a large research project with a thesis at the end (actually there are two types of Masters: taught and research, both have a project but in the taught masters the project is shorter but there are modules with exams at the end). 


The last bit here is important. Your dissertation year of undergraduate requires you to complete a fairly long thesis written from a year long project on some specific area of physics, under the supervision of a senior member of staff (probably one of your lecturers). This is your best opportunity to make an impression irrespective of what your grades are, if you work hard and show your supervisor a great potential for research this can stand you in good stead for a PhD position in that research group, or even in another group through s good recommendation letter.


So what happens after a PhD? 


You get a job.


If you stay in academia, then you need a postdoc (‘post doctorate’) job. These are short contracts (only 1-3 years) in a university, often in another country. Once you have completed several postdocs you can start to apply for permanent positions within universities. This is clearly a very long process, and you wouldn’t become a fully fledged lecturer until you are in your 30’s. It is also very competitive with only 10% of PhD students getting all the way to lecturer.


What should I be thinking about?


Physics departments tend to recruit quite heavily from their own student body, since they know these students in many cases and can see in detail all of their grades. This should emphasise that you do need ‘good’ grades to do a PhD, but this isn’t really the most important part. What potential supervisors like to see is an enthusiasm for the subject area, and a competent researcher.


But does a PhD guarantee you a job even if you don’t want to continue working in research? No. The job market is very competitive, and plenty of jobs which target graduates are just as happy to take those with a Masters as those with a Masters and a PhD. I’m not saying that the PhD doesn’t give you an edge, but its no sure thing.


Ok, so what should I do?


Whatever you want. Take control, but here are some ideas:


- Don’t worry about being an expert : If you, like me at the time, don’t really know what area of physics you are interested in (or even whether you are sure about physics as a degree subject) then there is no need to worry about which area you want to study a PhD in. Let that come naturally as you study all the various subjects in your first and second years.


- Work hard to get the best grades you can.  PhD positions often require strong academic performance. Don’t be afraid of teamwork, try not to compete with your colleagues but work mutually towards your best results.


- Don’t be scared to approach members of staff. University is not school, you don’t have teachers. Perhaps talk to some lecturers about their research and make some acquaintances. Sometimes people say ‘academia is all about who you know not what you know’, that is somewhat cynical but there is truth in it as well.


- Work on your coding skills. This is something which is not emphasised at school as much as it should be. You cannot do a PhD in physics without knowing how to code. There are many good guides online, and this should be something you pursue outside of the lessons/lectures.


- Try to link the ideas you study to current research. This is super hard to do, most research is done with techniques and theory you won’t learn until 3rd/4th year. Nonetheless, talking to researchers is a good way to understand current research in a way that might make sense without the technical knowledge


- Learn to like coffee : Honestly, its not that bad.


Pros and Cons


Finally, make sure you have considered the various positive and negative aspects of doing a PhD. I am not really comparing to any specific alternative here but your main alternative to a PhD is a graduate job straight after your bachelors/masters degree.


Pro’s of a PhD:


1) Make lasting friendships with like-minded people.


2) The only way into a full academic career as a lecturer/researcher and of course eventually a professor (though bear in mind, only 10% of those who complete a PhD actually end up here).


3) Flexible working hours and dress code. It is a very relaxed environment.


4) Chance to work on an interesting topic and be at a the forefront of physics. Just like you wrote on your personal statement.


5) Travel opportunities : You will have some budget in your year to take trips to conferences (often abroad) to present your work and network with physicists from around the world with similar research. 


Con’s of a PhD :


1) Extremely competitive. Most people who start a PhD have in their minds the desire to do a postdoc at the end. There are about ten times less postdoc positions than PhD positions and this drives the bar quite high.

2) Less team focussed than other jobs (this derives from point 1). It can be the case for particular areas of physics that a lot of time is spent working alone. I prefer working in a team and so for me this was an issue.

3) Hard work (evenings and weekends). You are responsible for organising your own time but there are often deadlines which need to be met, and you must juggle several projects at the same time. You may have no choice but to work weekends and evenings to get it done.

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4) Low pay : Compared to graduate jobs the PhD pay simply cannot compete. As things stand, you get paid for 3.5 years of study (PhD’s usually take around 4 years to complete), so bear in mind that it’s difficult to save money and you need to live cheaply. After four years of doing the same at undergraduate level its understandable to want to build up some capital in the job market.

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