Ph.D: Pretty hard Decision

The importance of further education is obvious to most, and we embrace the opportunities provided for us to continue studying to help our chances of career progression. But most of us would scorn the idea of studying beyond your degree, masters or MBA when it comes to a PhD. Sagar Solanki, a Philosophy student from Liverpool, gives us his insight into the struggles and passions that drive him to want to study beyond the norm.



Doing a PhD is no mean feat; should you wish to pursue a career in academia, then it's becomes the most important part of your career. Making your way through an endless reading list, not to mention the actual writing and editing process, you are continuously developing key skills that will be of significant value as a researcher and a lecturer.


For many, a PhD student is simply another 'tax-dodger', continuing to avoid joining the 'real world' of work in favour of "thinking"! Some of these detractors will concede that PhDs in the fields of natural or social sciences may have value to add for the real world, but that doesn't loom well for a disciple of philosophy! I have consistently felt pressure to justify what value philosophy has to the wider world, or rather, as the capitalist driven society that we are, the value philosophy adds to the wider economy. I have always personally felt that the question of justification itself adds to the value provided by philosophy. But this just doesn't seem to convince funders (!).


Funding is the biggest worry for PhD students across the country; if you are not lucky enough to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you may just find it hard to convince someone to lend you the best part of 40-50k over a three-year period. That's a nice sum of 15-18k a year, which is probably equivalent to the starting wage of a graduate.


I wish I was pursuing a career in philosophy for the money. If money was my biggest concern, I may have considered studying a subject with relevancy to the material world. Rather, I choose Classical Indian Philosophy. For many there seems to be no real value to be added to the world with this, but then again I am not in this business for the money. Completing a PhD in any subject may never have implications for the here and now. But it will have some impact for us as a civilization for generations to come.


Through reading this blog you may have decoded the qualities needed to undertake a PhD; resilience to overcome pressures from all angles to "do something useful with your life!" (though I would argue that I am), an appreciation that life may not be as materially fulfilling as you expected or wanted (though having been a student, I'm sure it won’t be that hard to spend a few more years eating beans on toast!), but most of all, you need to have a passion for whatever you study – don't do a PhD if you want immediate career progression; it is only for those who desire to study to add value in whatever way they can.


Sagar Solanki
If you have any questions regarding PhDs or further education, especially in philosophy or humanities, then please contact us at write@yourhpd.com.