Research-only PhD

[pondelniholka]

Hi gang. Please forgive my total ignorance about the above. I'm interested in doing a PhD program in New Zealand, because my area of research is in Polynesian migrant communities. I've written to some professors and they've been helpful and encouraging, but I don't want to betray my lack of familiarity with a research-only PhD. I'm assuming that

Comments

[indigo_black]

Well, in the UK we have research-only PhDs. I am in the US getting mine but I did do my MA by Research in the UK and so learned a lot about the PhD students' work at the same time

[pondelniholka]

Thanks for the info. The isolation aspect definitely sounds unappealing, as does less chance of teaching. I'm a very social creature. One of the hooks about NZ are that many of the classes sound awesome! Did you know anyone who sat in on classes?

One of the things that has put me off about research-only is that I think additional coursework would be really helpful and even necessary for me to write a good dissertation. Well, this adds to the list of questions I need to ask before applying.

[indigo_black]

Well there weren't any classes to sit in on unless you wanted to take undergrad classes, which wouldn't make a whole lot of sense if you were a PhD student. I can't speak for other fields but I know for sure in the humanities (at my school and I assume at others) that there weren't any PhD-level classes offered.

[brittdreams]

The only downside I've heard to research-only PhDs is that you will likely not gain any teaching experience, which could be a disadvantage if you're looking for academic jobs in the US after finishing. If you want that teaching experience, I'd look at US universities with strong work in that area. The University of Hawaii comes to mind in that regard.

[sahiya]

There is nothing wrong with your American education. If there is one thing America does well, it's higher ed.

I did a "taught MA" at a UK university - "taught" meaning that I took classes. Those classes met once a week for an hour or an hour and a half at most. Once I started writing my thesis, it was a lot like what a research degree looks like. I will tell you that I easily went five days without speaking to anyone for more than a couple minutes face-to-face. Other students, including ones from the UK, agreed that isolation is probably the #1 problem among UK grad students.

I second brittdreams as well when she warns that it's hard to market a UK or equivalent degree in the U.S. Ultimately, this is what determined my decision to do my PhD in the States. Research-only degrees offer depth but no breadth (whereas in the States, comp exams ensure that you get breadth as well), and to get a job in the States you need to have both

[pondelniholka]

Thanks Sahiya, for the sound advice. It may be that NZ would be a good place for research but less so for the degree itself. I'm an Australian permanent resident so I'm not worried so much about the funding; NZ tuition is absolutely dirt cheap compared to anywhere in the US. I'm waiting on some applications to US schools, so my plan B would be to work in NZ, make some good research contacts, and enjoy myself until I got into a program.

Community and collaboration mean a lot to me and this experience, so thanks for filling me in on the reality of a research degree.

[sahiya]

Dude, having lived in NZ among many, many university students and having been a student at a British university (though my degree is American), I can assure that--barring extremely unusual circumstances--you will be far more prepared for graduate level work than those who went through the NZ or British higher education system. The isolation of research-only, maybe not so much; they do often have more experience with pure research and writing research papers (though from my experience, the level of writing is not as high). Sahiya is right--the American tertiary education system is fantastic.

Will you get to take any classes at all? They call them "papers," which is adorable.

[pondelniholka]

the American tertiary education system is fantastic.

Wow, I'm surprised, and I appreciate your perspective. I must have too many absolutely brilliant British friends...they all went to Oxbridge and I have always felt dumb as dirt in comparison.

Writing is my biggest challenge. I think I'm a fantastic teacher, but my research writing is 10% talent and 90% hard work. I am pretty ADD so it takes a long time to churn out something remotely acceptable. It will be interesting to see what the NZ profs think.

[erinmack]

My ex did a doctorate at University of Auckland and the impression I got is that choosing your advisor carefully is of utmost importance, since you'll be spending a ton of time with them. Incidentally, their Pacific Island Studies program seems pretty solid - is that the one you're considering? (I'd also check out the Master of Arts in Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island, which has a semester abroad option in Fiji - it's terminal, but might be a good stepping stone if you don't find a suitable PhD program.)

[bicks]

The biggest difference is that you'll be expected to hit the ground running - plan and execute research from day one. In my department ( at a NZ uni), PhD students wouldmeet with their supervisors monthly. For a good student, those meetings would be to get feedback and ensure you're on the right track. Obviously, if you need it, faculty will give you more direction, but this is viewed as a handholding and a sign that the student isn't up to it.

In terms of preparation, and the merits of a UK-esque vs US system - it really varies more by individual than by where people were educated. Foreign students (whether from the US, UK, or elsewhere) obviously have a cultural learning curve as well, but in my experience well- and poorly-prepared students are equally likely to be international and domestic.