I have a bachelors. I want a PhD. Help.

[arcenite]

I currently have a Bachelors in Computer Science from Rutgers.

I am currently employed, paid well, and love my job.

My goal is to get a PhD, with or without the Masters stepping stone.

I have no idea how to go about this. It does not have to be CS.

Anyone done something similar?

Anyone done something similar and regretted it?

 

[ichy]

Why do you want a PhD?

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

I think PhD's are mainly if you want to teach.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

I went straight through from undergrad to a terminal MS program to a PhD program. FWIW earning a PhD is an entirely different animal compared to earning a BS, and even MS. In a lot of ways. The most significant difference is that when you're working on a BS and MS you're usually told what hoops you have to jump through to succeed. In a PhD program, you're expected to know your field well enough that you can figure out what you have to do to succeed. This is simultaneously very liberating and very challenging; it can be very frustrating and very rewarding.

If you have a great job, why do you want to get a PhD? It's nearly impossible to work full-time and earn a doctorate, so you will almost certainly have to quit your job.

This: "It does not have to be CS." is troubling to me. If you do not LOVE, I mean LOVE what you're studying, you will not finish. I've heard other people say that you should only pursue a PhD if it's the only thing you can even imagine doing, and while I don't agree with that, I really do think that you gotta wanna do it more than anything else.

 

[LordMorpheus]

I'm working on a Ph.D. at Cornell, in mechanical engineering, specifically in robotics.

Find a subfield you are excited about (for CS, the fields that overlap with me are robotics, controls, computer vision, things like this, although I'm sure that's only a tiny fraction of what CS people get Ph.D.s in), find the good programs around the country, and apply.

Also, apply to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the NDSEG fellowship - most programs will take people on fellowships without a whole lot of questions because hey, free graduate students.

Really that's all there is to it. Find a school you want to go to (by this I mean find a program or, even better, a professor you want to work for) and apply.

Do some reading, some schools are more free with funding than other schools. Also, some schools do Bachelors -> Ph.D. (my department does this), some schools require an MS to get into the Ph.D. program (the mechanical dept. at Stanford, for example), and MS programs are rarely funded so you'll need a fellowship or loans, which sucks.

You shouldn't need to pay anything in a Ph.D. program. It'll be hard to get used to the tiny stipend, though.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Find a school you want to go to (by this I mean find a program or, even better, a professor you want to work for) and apply.

This is sage advice. Having a boss that you get along with, respect, and even like makes the undertaking that much easier.

You shouldn't need to pay anything in a Ph.D. program. It'll be hard to get used to the tiny stipend, though.

More good advice. If you have to pay for it, it's probably not a good idea.

 

[Saint Nick]

Does anyone know of a graduate program that merges IT with exercise science?

 

[SP33Demon]

Does anyone know of a graduate program that merges IT with exercise science?

Yeah, become a Physical Therapist and run your own website.

 

[silverpig]

Does anyone know of a graduate program that merges IT with exercise science?

Wii university?

 

[jupiter57]

I currently have a Bachelors in Computer Science from Rutgers.

I am currently employed, paid well, and love my job.

My goal is to get a PhD, with or without the Masters stepping stone.

I have no idea how to go about this. It does not have to be CS.

Anyone done something similar?

Anyone done something similar and regretted it?

If you're asking this question, then clearly you are very young & under educated.

 

[uclaLabrat]

If you don't want to eat, live, breathe, and sleep your field, don't get a PhD. Depends on the industry, but in science, if you want to have any sort of career advancement, you'll probably need a PhD. Then again, many places also see a master's as the same thing with less experience, but some will make a distinction. Really depends on the field.

 

[mnewsham]

Even with a PhD you arent guaranteeing yourself good pay or a better job. My father for example has a PhD in Astrophysics and went from $80k+/year to his current $40k/year. If you are doing this for a better job or money my advice is dont count on it.

 

[crashtestdummy]

This is going to be long...

I went straight through from undergrad to a terminal MS program to a PhD program. FWIW earning a PhD is an entirely different animal compared to earning a BS, and even MS. In a lot of ways. The most significant difference is that when you're working on a BS and MS you're usually told what hoops you have to jump through to succeed. In a PhD program, you're expected to know your field well enough that you can figure out what you have to do to succeed. This is simultaneously very liberating and very challenging; it can be very frustrating and very rewarding.

If you have a great job, why do you want to get a PhD? It's nearly impossible to work full-time and earn a doctorate, so you will almost certainly have to quit your job.

This: "It does not have to be CS." is troubling to me. If you do not LOVE, I mean LOVE what you're studying, you will not finish. I've heard other people say that you should only pursue a PhD if it's the only thing you can even imagine doing, and while I don't agree with that, I really do think that you gotta wanna do it more than anything else.

I'm in the process of getting s PhD (entering 4th year), and I have to agree with almost all of this. The only thing I will slightly disagree on is the bolded. What you have to love is research, and the process of it (including the incredible monotony). The subject matter in many ways isn't super relevant, but rather it is the approach of your advisor that matters (see more below). You can tailor almost any subject to your personal style. In 10 years, all the research I've done (and the subject matter) will be obsolete. What I'm really doing is training myself to become the world's expert in some narrow field. Once you've done that, you can change disciplines completely every five years if you like (as my father has done).

The next question is, why do you want to go to grad school? It will not add to your income. 5 years of grad school grant you the equivalent of 5 years of industry experience, but you'll make peanuts by comparison while in school, so you end up at a net loss. Grad school is HARD. I joke that it's like 5 years of fraternity hazing. You will spend the first three years banging you head against the wall, then scramble in the last two to wrap everything up. It's a high stress environment, and one in which there will be little respect or sympathy for your situation from your advisor (I once had a professor tell me he was nervous about sending a student on a collaboration to a company because they often come back "expecting to be well paid and respected"). Go to grad school if you really want to do nothing but research for a living, or if you want to teach at the higher ed level. If you can't see yourself being happy not doing one of these, then go for it!

Next, do not think that you know exactly what you will be working on. Many first year grads (myself included) choose their advisor based on the project they would be given. This is a mistake, as there is no way you will know what will be entailed in your research in the short time you get to talk about it (this may be different if you get to do rotations). What's more important is to find an advisor who's scientific mind works like yours. Talk to his/her grad students, ask them what his approach to projects, papers, and data are, and make sure it reasonably matches yours. I butt heads with mine all the time about how to interpret data, and I wish I had known that beforehand.

You will enter your program thinking you are hot shit. You are not. everyone there is just as brilliant as you, and they aren't publishing in Nature, either. Your goal is not to publish super awesome amazing papers. Your job is get your degree. Whether your paper is in macromolecules or Science is largely based on the luck of your results and the prestige of your advisor, and has relatively little to do with your abilities. If you don't have awesome papers in grad school, but you still want to be a prof at a top university (I've been scared off of that, but...), you can always get those papers in a post doc.

Lastly, when you are in grad school, you will hit a pretty dark place in terms of your ego on many occasions. When (not if) that happens, just remember:

• You can get through this if you really want it. Whether or not you graduate is usually more a test of endurance and work ethic than brilliance.
• If you drop out, you life isn't over. You already have a degree in a desirable field. You will get a job, and you'll be fine. That is the absolute worst-case scenario, and it's not bad at all.
• Almost everyone I've talked to who has a PhD hated the experience (some even have PTSD-like flashbacks), but most are glad they got it in the end. There is a reward at the end for you, even if it isn't obvious at times.

So I've likely made grad school look really scarey. Good. It is. As I said, though, it has its rewards for the right people. If you can't see yourself doing anything but research/teaching science, then this is the road you simply must take.

Edit: This will give you some perspective on the PhD process.

 

[crashtestdummy]

If you don't want to eat, live, breathe, and sleep your field, don't get a PhD. Depends on the industry, but in science, if you want to have any sort of career advancement, you'll probably need a PhD. Then again, many places also see a master's as the same thing with less experience, but some will make a distinction. Really depends on the field.

That's true in the sciences, but less so in engineering-oriented fields. Most companies don't really distinguish between a PhD fresh out and a bachelors who has been working 5 years (or 5 and 10, for that matter).

 

[Gibson486]

Getting a PhD is a lot of work. You have to know how to BS in your field like it's your own language. The differences between the real world and the PhD world is that the BS is substantiated and actually worth something.

I have no idea how you can just get a PhD without knowing what you want it in. That's like saying you want to be in the entertainment business but you have no talent to do anything worth seeing.

 

[tedrodai]

I have no idea how you can just get a PhD without knowing what you want it in. That's like saying you want to be in the entertainment business but you have no talent to do anything worth seeing.

^ this is how I feel also.

I did Electrical Engineering in undergrad and took a job that paid for a masters program in Software Engineering. The pay increase was rather substantial after I completed the masters program, but it was a position that required a masters degree. By that, I mean it was just a box on a form to put a check in. In some ways (and this may vary by industry and location), with so many more people going to college than before, a masters degree is becoming the new bachelor's. I did learn a decent bit from some of the classes in the masters program that was applicable to my current job, but the work experience did a lot more to improve me as an employee.

I originally had no plan to get a masters so soon after school, but it was a great opportunity and I'm glad I did it. There's no way in hell I'm gonna get a PhD, though...basically because what everyone before me said is truth. I've got several friends who took a paid-for PhD opportunity (with the same employer), and every one of them hate it (for the same reasons I knew I would). A few have already dropped out, because they went into it thinking it's just another stepping stone, but the decided it wasn't worth it in the end. The ones who plan to finish still hate the stress, lack of free time (they're still working afterall), and just the overall headaches that come with it.

It's entirely up to you to put forth the effort for a PhD, so listen to those folks and get an idea of what field you want do research in and why, and plan ahead for what you want to get out of it (a certain job or a particular field of interest, for example).

Is it for love of the field of study/research/teaching? Well it certainly doesn't sound that that describes you at the moment. But if you answer yes here, it's a no brainer I guess.

Is it for money? Do some research and find examples of specific jobs requesting a PhD and how many of those jobs are available. For certain desirable positions, the PhD might give you a competitive advantage. For others, you might not make any more money than the guy with a B.S. who's been at the company a few years. For jobs that are not requesting a PhD, keep in mind that companies might view you as 'overqualified'--meaning they don't want to pay you extra because you have a PhD, think you might scoff at 'lessor duties', or the like.

Is it for the respect? I fully believe individuals are due some respect for obtaining a PhD...it takes a lot of work and dedication. It's an accomplishment, and a badge of honor. Just don't act like a pompous ass like someone I know, or people will laugh at you behind your back for throwing your credentials around (I'm not suggesting you're like that, but I just had to add this comment). Example: said PhD guy had a heart attack (which is no laughing matter of course, but what follows is), and while he's in the hospital he insists on being called Dr. White--names changed to protect the innocent. Why does he do this? Because his brother is an M.D., family practice, who has had a working relationship with the hospital for nearly 20 years and is fairly well known in the area...so the other wants everyone to know that HE can be called doctor also. But of course, all it does is cause hordes of people to call the brother's family worried that he is the one who had the heart attack. And no one in that setting cares that the sick patient has a PhD in physics. It's completely irrelevant. There's a time and place for everything.

Wow, sorry for such a long post...but you need to be used to reading droll text anywho .

 

[Jaepheth]

If you have a great job, why do you want to get a PhD?

I'd do it just so I can truthfully introduce myself as "The Doctor"

Of course, then I'd have to always have a supply of jelly babies on hand.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Is it for the respect? I fully believe individuals are due some respect for obtaining a PhD...it takes a lot of work and dedication. It's an accomplishment, and a badge of honor. Just don't act like a pompous ass like someone I know, or people will laugh at you behind your back for throwing your credentials around (I'm not suggesting you're like that, but I just had to add this comment). Example: said PhD guy had a heart attack (which is no laughing matter of course, but what follows is), and while he's in the hospital he insists on being called Dr. White--names changed to protect the innocent.

Insisting on being called by your title is always silly, and you should be able to garner respect with your knowledge, not your credentials. That said, you know MDs weren't called "doctors" until the AMA had sufficient clout and physician training was sufficiently rigorous, right? If you read older English literature, physicians were not called doctors. The word "doctor" means "to teach," and has been used in reference to PhDs for as long as Western Civilization has been, well, civilized enough to have higher education.

 

[Magusigne]

I have a Ph.D
It really wasn't worth it. At least in Biophysics.
I am now a Post-Doc making 44k a year, up from 24k as a graduate student.
If I ever succeed and get a national RO1 I can get a job at a University making 70-80k starting....
Overall..given my investment...Not worth it.

Edit:

At any rate, Given your attitude it is likely you should just get (and are more likely to succeed at) getting a master's degree. You'll wash out of a Ph.D pretty quick without any passion. A master's will also allow you more flexibility when looking in the job market and doesn't over qualify you for nearly as many things as having a Ph.D does.

 

[SlowSpyder]

I have a Ph.D
It really wasn't worth it. At least in Biophysics.
I am now a Post-Doc making 44k a year, up from 24k as a graduate student.
If I ever succeed and get a national RO1 I can get a job at a University making 70-80k starting....
Overall..given my investment...Not worth it.

Edit:

At any rate, Given your attitude it is likely you should just get (and are more likely to succeed at) getting a master's degree. You'll wash out of a Ph.D pretty quick without any passion. A master's will also allow you more flexibility when looking in the job market and doesn't over qualify you for nearly as many things as having a Ph.D does.

Just out of curiosity, what does an average PhD program cost? Or if you don't mind telling, what did your PhD cost? I'm very happy working in my field (IT) now and going to school for my associates. I plan on further education, but really haven't thought about where I plan on calling it quits. I make a good deal more than $44k/year now with no college degree and industry experience (not dick sizing here, just curious if it's worth it).

My wife has her master's degree and was able to work full time while pursuing it. Is the PhD really that much more work? I'm wondering if that's about as far as I want to go with my education.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Just out of curiosity, what does an average PhD program cost? Or if you don't mind telling, what did your PhD cost? I'm very happy working in my field (IT) now and going to school for my associates. I plan on further education, but really haven't thought about where I plan on calling it quits. I make a good deal more than $44k/year now with no college degree and industry experience (not dick sizing here, just curious if it's worth it).

My wife has her master's degree and was able to work full time while pursuing it. Is the PhD really that much more work? I'm wondering if that's about as far as I want to go with my education.

You get paid to get a Ph.D. (sometimes you have to teach for it) in almost all of the sciences. It's not worth it otherwise.

As far as the money - 44k is a post-doc salary. People become post-docs when they are planning to find jobs as professors somewhere. For some people this is their goal - not with me. When I finish here I'm going to industry and I'll be looking for salaries in the low six figures.

 

[Magusigne]

Just out of curiosity, what does an average PhD program cost? Or if you don't mind telling, what did your PhD cost? I'm very happy working in my field (IT) now and going to school for my associates. I plan on further education, but really haven't thought about where I plan on calling it quits. I make a good deal more than $44k/year now with no college degree and industry experience (not dick sizing here, just curious if it's worth it).

My wife has her master's degree and was able to work full time while pursuing it. Is the PhD really that much more work? I'm wondering if that's about as far as I want to go with my education.

My Ph.D was technically "Free" I had it paid for and recieved 24k a year to become a slave.
A Ph.D can yield nearly a million a year if you hit the right lotto tickets with grants and become a department chair etc...plus the likelihood that IF you get a tenure position you will have uber job security.

I can't speak for other programs...Biophysics is a hard science (Not a soft science such as english or history) so it requires lots of time in the lab experimenting etc etc... no possible way I could get a second job or at least keep a serious second job.

Master's degrees (For the most part) are built around someone similar to yours mentality. You can do it part time...still work your regular week, and with some dedication get a Master's, which will differentiate yourself from a good portion of your peers.

A master's degree is also useful to take a nice turn in your field...you say your a computer science bach? You know bioinformatics is HOT HOT HOT right now...get a master's in Biostats and you'll be a manbeast.

Edit: Also Morph is right I'm pursuing (Who knows why) Academia..Industry is another beast.. Ph.D's there have salaries ranging from 70-110k starting...but I've seen them get slashed in no time because a particular company (Say Pfizer) killed a project and told them to enjoy there severance.

 

[LordMorpheus]

My Ph.D was technically "Free" I had it paid for and recieved 24k a year to become a slave.
A Ph.D can yield nearly a million a year if you hit the right lotto tickets with grants and become a department chair etc...plus the likelihood that IF you get a tenure position you will have uber job security.

I can't speak for other programs...Biophysics is a hard science (Not a soft science such as english or history) so it requires lots of time in the lab experimenting etc etc... no possible way I could get a second job or at least keep a serious second job.

Master's degrees (For the most part) are built around someone similar to yours mentality. You can do it part time...still work your regular week, and with some dedication get a Master's, which will differentiate yourself from a good portion of your peers.

A master's degree is also useful to take a nice turn in your field...you say your a computer science bach? You know bioinformatics is HOT HOT HOT right now...get a master's in Biostats and you'll be a manbeast.

Edit: Also Morph is right I'm pursuing (Who knows why) Academia..Industry is another beast.. Ph.D's there have salaries ranging from 70-110k starting...but I've seen them get slashed in no time because a particular company (Say Pfizer) killed a project and told them to enjoy there severance.

This is solid advice. You can do it in just a couple years to. On the other hand, you'll have to pay for it.

 

[Kroze]

I currently have a Bachelors in Computer Science from Rutgers.

I am currently employed, paid well, and love my job.

My goal is to get a PhD, with or without the Masters stepping stone.

I have no idea how to go about this. It does not have to be CS.

Anyone done something similar?

Anyone done something similar and regretted it?

How hard is the CS major? I like computers but afraid i'm going to fail in CS.

 

[KayGee]

You will enter your program thinking you are hot shit. You are not. everyone there is just as brilliant as you, and they aren't publishing in Nature, either. Your goal is not to publish super awesome amazing papers. Your job is get your degree. Whether your paper is in macromolecules or Science is largely based on the luck of your results and the prestige of your advisor, and has relatively little to do with your abilities. If you don't have awesome papers in grad school, but you still want to be a prof at a top university (I've been scared off of that, but...), you can always get those papers in a post doc.

No decent school is going to grant a Ph.D. without peer-reviewed journal publications. So choosing the right advisor is critically important. It's not uncommon to find faculty who are not as prolific when it comes to publishing because of tenure.