any PhDs?

I'm looking into a program...but not until fall 2005 probably- since I want to finish my second masters this year -

- how long did it take you (this program said 6-7 years)
- were you a TA? how did you get it? was it easy to get? was it easy to do?
- if you had to do it again...would you?

anything else you can tell me would be great...thanks...

I have one in shopping

I don't have one, but your question made me think of something - how is it that Tariq on Average Joe is a PhD? He's only 21! Is he only a candidate? Can you still call yourself one if you're a candidate?

Good luck, I wished I liked school enough to get my masters..

I noticed that as well...maybe he was one of those super smart kids that graduated HS at 9?

I know my cousins was able to call herself a Dr. after she passed her boards...even though she had one year left of med school

You can't call yourself Dr. until you're degree has officially been conferred. You can call yourself a Ph. D candidate though....

What program and where are you looking? I don't have a doctorate but I'm looking to get a Psy. D and I dated a guy (for 2 years) that was working on an Ed. D so I'm fairly knowledgeable. I'll help if I can.

Congrats on the second Masters by the way, what are they in? I have an M.S. Ed in Counseling. I'm looking to do a Psy. D in School and Community Psych.

a couple of our friends recently finished up or are just completing their PhDs - they all started at the same time.

One took 5 years, one 5.5 year, one left the program with a masters at 5.5 years and ones finishing up at 6.5

Some did lab work and got grants for funding, another was a TA.

thanks lisa...do you know how tough it was for them...like lets say that I wanted to have kids in this time?


halloween...I have my MS ED in school counsleing and I am finishing up my MLIS...I started in NY...but only 9 credits trasfer since I moved out west so hopefully I will be done soon....

I can't leave it unfinished...but I have actually been thinking alot about a PhD in European History...I'm applying for a PT job in Euro/World (they need both) at a community college...and its what I have my BA in...so this has made me think about a degree in history and when I started the 2nd MA I promised my mother that the next degree would be a PhD...she thinks its foolish to go for another MA...but whatever...my dad has been calling me the professional student...and as long as DH supports it (he loves the idea) I think I may go for it...


but I have to take the GREs again...and I need to be able to speak 2 foreign languages...so I quickly signed up for an adult ed Spanish course...and with help from DH's family...i hope I can learn it quickly...(I already know German...which surprising is a language they prefer- they also prefer French...but I would rather learn Spanish)

so since I have a lot to do...I think waiting until 2005 is best...(to learn the language - study and take the GREs, etc)

I can definitely answer your questions.

I am in my fourth year of a PhD program in clinical psychology. The program is 5-7 years. I hope to be finished in 5 1/2, but one never knows with research.

I did not have my masters; I came straight from undergrad. Even if you have a masters in psychology programs, you can't apply the credits to the doctoral program. However, my program awards a masters after the completion of the first year and comps.

I did TA in undergrad (environmental science) and as a graduate student (research methods). I also teach at a local college as an assistant professor in the psychology department. Teaching is a skill that comes naturally to me (one of the few that do), so it was not difficult.

I also teach GREs, SATs, and I am an admissions consultant for all types of doctoral programs. So if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

thanks so much am...

what do you think about having kids during this time?

I don't know if clinical psych is the same kind of work as history...I have a friend in a clinical psych program and it seems exhausting...

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What program and where are you looking? I don't have a doctorate but I'm looking to get a Psy. D and I dated a guy (for 2 years) that was working on an Ed. D so I'm fairly knowledgeable. I'll help if I can.

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for those looking into PsyD programs, what programs are you thinking about and can you be called DR. with a PsyD?

Alot of the PsyD students from CW Post come to my school to observe us teaching. It seems like an interesting program.

Just wanted to chime in re: kids during a Ph.D. program. I have a Ph.D. in political science, and many of my peers had kids during graduate school. I think that all fields are different, but one thing to consider is what you may be doing after grad school. Personally, I think it would have been much easier to have kids (if I had been ready, married, etc.) in grad school; at least in my field, women who don't have kids in grad school and go into academia seem to either wait until tenure (which is pushing the biological clock quite a bit) or not have kids at all. I see very few junior faculty women having kids in the post-grad school/pre-tenure window. Having kids in grad school seems like it can really work because your schedule is so flexible (which isn't to say that you're not working hard). While people might look askance at someone who takes 12 years to finish her degree, it's probably better to tack on a year or two at the grad student level than to 'lose' time on your tenure clock later on.

A Psy.D stands for a Doctor of Psychology. Yes, you can be called 'dr' because you are a psychologist. These programs are shorter, less competitive, and less research focused compared to the traditional Ph.D in psychology.

shawl...that makes complete sense...thank you for ALL the advice you have given me...


I am going to have to really buckle down on this GRE I think...i took it once...but half-assed...since my scores are no longer valid (8 years) to be in a competive school are these scores super important? now I am nervous...but I do have a year to prepare...

I think it depends on the programs - some of my friends seemed to have a super relaxed program and only buckled down for a few months. Others were crazy busy for years.

My neighbor just announced she's pregnant. She defended her thesis (in some neurological field) at 3 months along (not sure that she planned to be in her 1st trimester while writing her thesis, but it worked out)

I have my MS ED in school counsleing and I am finishing up my MLIS...I started in NY...but only 9 credits trasfer since I moved out west so hopefully I will be done soon....

Masters in Library and Information Studies?

Just curious. That's what I have. But it's just an MLS. No information. LOL

I don't know much about doctorate degrees.
I know my friend did it (ethnobotany) and was a TA and also got grants to fund his dissertation research as he did it in Venezuela.
And it took about 5 or so years..maybe 6?

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Posted by Maribelle7777

Masters in Library and Information Studies?

Just curious. That's what I have. But it's just an MLS. No information. LOL

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yes...it seems like they all have added the Information...

Yabbobay - re: importance of GREs. Again, I imagine that there's real variation in fields and programs, but some scary statistics are:

In the program I teach in we had about 1,000 (not kidding) applicants for 30 slots last year (I know b/c I was on the admissions committee). So scores were definitely important. In grad school, I was also on the admissions cttee, and the numbers were not as extreme (b/c the economy was better) but scores were still very important. For either of those programs, if you weren't in at least the 90th percentile on everything, you were pretty much out.

ETA: in response to your original post:

I took 6 years to get my degree.

I did TA - it was a requirement of my Ph.D. program that students TA at least 2x (and since I had outside funding, I was only able to TA twice).

I would absolutely do it again - I can't imagine doing anything other than what I do.

But, that said, given a) the commitment that a Ph.D. program entails, and b) the difficulty of getting an academic job, I always counsel people considering a Ph.D. that they shouldn't do it unless they really can't think of anything else they would rather do. Otherwise, you can make much more money (and probably field many fewer blows to your ego!) doing something else.

With regard to Ph.D.s in history, this evidence is anecdotal, but I have a good friend who received her Ph.D. in History from Stanford (one of the top programs in the country), and was on the academic job market for two years. She did land a job at Montana State, which was actually a great fit for her and she's very happy, but if you're not willing or able to make a move like that you should think about whether this is really for you. The history job market is very tough.

Please know that none of this is personal - it can't be, since I don't know you! It's just that I had many friends in grad school who were extremely smart (smarter than I) but weren't cut out for it. Nonetheless, they had always succeeded at whatever they'd done in the past, and so weren't willing to quit even though moving on to something else would probably have been best (and certainly more lucrative!).

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Posted by shawl

but if you're not willing or able to make a move like that you should think about whether this is really for you. The history job market is very tough.

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see...here is a future problem...I probably wouldn't move...and there is only one PhD program near me - UC San Diego...so I will put all my eggs in one basket...

I have a year to think and prepare...so maybe things will change...but thanks for all the advice...