What's the point of a PhD?

it demonstrates that you have the mental capability and determination to carry out a long-term research project without being handheld

you get paid to do a PhD. it's not a lot, but usually livable given the area.

I get about 28k a year.

What the fuck, you get paid for a Ph.D.??? I've really been living under a rock.

it's not true of all fields, and not all fields have standard rates for stipends

This is true and I was surprised as well. It's not common knowledge. People think getting a PhD would cost them a ton of money, but the university will usually pay you.

is a masters similar?

No, but many master's programs also have industry partners that are willing to get you a paid internship or a part time position while you're doing it. So it's not bad from a connections standpoint.

It will allow for more beautiful Tinder dates then a regular master.

For me, if anything I really leaned how to learn. Right after my Master's I had already published two papers, and when I started my PhD I thought that I should just get my title already because I knew everything. Turns out I didn't. In fact, I came to realize that I hardly knew anything about science. It changed my complete way of thinking, and enabled me to develop and pursue my own research agenda. Before my PhD I had no clue how to ask the right questions, and even less of a clue of how to answer them.

some fields don't even generally expect you to get a master's before doing a phd

in biology it's super common to just go straight into a phd program out of undergrad. I mean, it's basically all lumped into one program, it's a six year haul instead of two three year runs.

Depends on the country, in Canada for most STEM field you'll get a minimum stipend.

At my school it's 25k minimum excluding awards and other grants, and the more grants/awards you have the more the school will pay you as well.

Only lasts for two years though, for PhD it lasts for 4-5 years. Take longer than that and no monies, but no tuition either.

>8277777
well fuck.

You get bullied less on this board

I mean, that's why we're re pursuing a career in science... Heh right guys?

Right?

fuckin quints

Academia. In some fields it qualifies you for significantly higher starting salaries as well.

I've never seen a Master's dissertation (thesis?) that made actual contributions to my field.

i think the real question is how do you prep a doctoral thesis without getting scooped by some cunt with better funding and resources

Starting mine now. What should I expect? No undergrads please, field is CS and project is neurology related.

If you're paying for your PhD, you're getting scammed. And yes, I truly believe that humanities PhDs are all scams.

well, in most schools the thing you write your thesis on doesn't have to be the thing you publish for your graduation requirement

you have multiple projects going at once so that you have something to publish that's new, and you write on whichever is most complete by the time you're ready to defend

so if i wanted to go to industry, a phd is redundant?

/lgbt

WITNESSED

Based Canadian bro, nice quints.

Can confirm Canada hooks you the fuck up in STEM. I cruised through my Master's on a $30k per year NSERC grant. Might do a PhD as well, especially now that the Libs have really whipped the tit out for the Universities.

I'm too dumb to receive NSERC grant :(

A PHD or any degree for that matter is basically a product. It's a product you can buy (paying for school) than you can then use to advertise yourself to a potential employer, usually an employer willing to pay big bucks.

But a degree isn't right for everyone. You gota find your niche in live and if you can generate income or procure food/shelter in unconventional ways then for you there may be no point in a PHD at all.

What you really should be asking yourself isnt what is the point of a PHD but what can a PHD do for my life.

In Finland you get a PhD so you can wear a cool hat AND a sword

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctoral_hat

A PhD is not a degree you get to impress employers.

Mostly to become a professor or researcher.

I do engineering at a big10 school and I'm strongly considering my masters next year because they pay you to do it.

I mean not a lot, usually just a living wage basically, and i already have a job offer thats probably about 4x as much. Can't decide, life is hard man.

>It's a product you can buy (paying for school)
>t. person who has no idea what grad school is like
protip: they pay YOU to go

hehehe

kek literally what I'm going for

Being able to legitimately call yourself a Doctor of Philosophy is awesome

>Doctor
I totally agr...
>of Philosophy
nevermind gtfo

The privilege of putting "Dr." in front of your name.

What about for a masters in Economics do those typically have stipends?

That's what PhD stands for dumbass.

Degrees are ranked based on level of understanding; art, science, philosophy. Let's take something simply like fixing a car as an example. The art of fixing a car, the science of fixing a car, and philosophy of why we fix cars.

it largely depends on your field

if you are engineering dont fucking bother. do a masters.

if you are a hard science I hope you are ready to sign your life away to some of the most grueling years ever.

To be able to prove to the scientific community you are capable of independent research. That is what you are trying to prove to your committee the entire time you are in grad school.

The point of getting one is either to teach, or work in industry depending on what field you are in. I'm almost certain you must have a PhD to teach at a university. Professorships are incredibly difficult to get and you are competing against other PhDs who have amazing credentials. Industry is where most people go, though its also pretty competitive. Like I said, it depends on what field you are in, but for some fields a PhD is basically required for any true scientist position. No, a MSc will not qualify you for those.

To prove your bullshitting powers by writing something like this papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=281665 and getting featured in Harvard Business Review

Lmfao i was once told that if i went for a phd in math or physics and i had to pay for it, then i must be stupid.

bad ass

>What's the point of a PhD?

So some burnt out tenured dick steals your genius.

To make a novel contribution to the field.

>What about for a masters in Economics do those typically have stipends?

No, they only give them out for useful degrees.

An economics phd makes a lot more than a physics and math phd ,but okay...