The road to doctoral study is like embarking on a journey full of thorns. With the increasing rate of PhD graduation worldwide, it has become a common phenomenon that it is difficult to graduate with a PhD. This is not a problem for individual universities or countries, but a global problem. In this process, a considerable number of doctoral students are faced with the dilemma of not being able to complete their studies, which has brought a lot of hardships to themselves and their supervisors. This question is not only academic, but also a complex interweaving of individual psychological and social pressures.
Why are some students able to graduate successfully, while others have to postpone their hard work?Who's to blame for the postponement of doctoral graduation?Perhaps, when we look back on our doctoral career of more than three years, we will find that we have stepped on many "pits", resulting in the risk of delaying graduation and even being warned by the university. Today, we are fortunate to listen to a senior who graduated after 6 years of doctoral study to share his experience, hoping to give you some inspiration for you who are about to embark on the road to a doctorate.
Trap 1: Choosing the wrong mentor can only rely on yourself
A good supervisor often determines the speed of your research development. The supervisor will provide data resources, topic selection direction, revision opinions, and journal submission. However, during the master's and doctoral studies, we may be too overshadowed by the aura of prestigious universities, and the primary goal is only to get a Ph.D. ticket, but we fail to fully realize the key role of supervisors in scientific research. Choosing a good mentor is a big deal. Sometimes, even if we work hard to write and revise, the importance of choosing a mentor cannot be overlooked. Therefore, while envying the classmate, we should think calmly, which may be both the result of his efforts and the guidance of the mentor.
Trap 2: Do you really love scientific research?
Research requires constant curiosity and passion. However, enthusiasm is often fickle. When we encounter setbacks in the difficult research process, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain interest and enthusiasm for scientific research. Passion for scientific research is not a requirement, but requires the satisfaction and motivation of scientific discovery. In the process of pursuing scientific research results, positive and negative feedback will become the driving force for us to move forward. Sometimes, positive feedback may come late, but it's still a great motivator for us to keep going.
Trap 3: Do you overestimate your own efficiency?
High efficiency is one of the prerequisites for maintaining high academic output. However, it is easy to overestimate our own learning and research efficiency. Focus is the key to efficiency, and distraction can lead to a decrease in efficiency. When communicating with others, sometimes we complain that we have tried hard but do not see results. However, reflecting on your level of concentration and whether you are truly learning by heart can be the key to improving your effectiveness.
Pitfall 4: Is there a clear personal plan?
On the road of scientific research, whether there is a clear personal plan is also a question worth considering. The unknowns and uncertainties of scientific research complicate the development of detailed personal plans. In addition, personal planning may be influenced by the advice of mentors, classmates, or others. Whether or not to accept the advice of others and whether to stick to one's own issues are all issues that need to be seriously considered. In the pursuit of a PhD, repetitive setbacks and climaxes are inevitable, and recognizing this repetition is essential for us to be able to remain calm and sober.
The troubles of the doctor's life.
Similar to childbearing, PhD students have a lot of worries. Problems such as subsidies, ** signatures, chores, free-range, accommodation, vacations, etc., make the life of doctoral students not as perfect as imagined on the surface. Melonie Fullick's article points out that PhD students tend to remain silent because students who report problems are often perceived as "troublemakers" who can affect their reputations. As a result, PhD students often choose to remain silent when faced with problems. This also reflects the pressures and challenges faced by doctoral students in their academic and life lives.
Enterprises prefer the international exemption for master's and doctoral examinations.
With the continuous emergence of doctoral talents, the demand for doctoral degrees in enterprises is gradually increasing. In this context, the international on-the-job exemption joint examination for master's and doctoral degrees has become an increasingly popular choice. There are several reasons why companies are more inclined to recruit for a Ph.D. without the International Entrance Examination:
Don't work to study for a doctorate, don't delay business operations, and save time: The international on-the-job joint entrance examination for master's and doctoral degrees can be completed without leaving the job, which will not only not have a negative impact on the normal operation of the enterprise, but also make full use of the spare time to complete the study.
Exemption from the joint entrance examination, relatively low entry requirements: Compared with full-time PhDs, the admission requirements for international exempt PhDs are usually more relaxed, which means that more people have the opportunity to obtain a PhD, further meeting the demand for doctoral talents from enterprises.
Degrees are globally recognized and have high gold content: The degrees obtained after graduating from the International Job-free Joint Entrance Examination for Master's and Doctoral Degrees are widely recognized around the world, which provides graduates with a broader career development space.
Knowledge should be used to solve problems within the enterprise and accumulate contacts in the industry: The knowledge obtained in the learning process of the international on-the-job exemption doctoral degree can be directly applied to solve the internal problems of the enterprise and provide strong support for the development of the enterprise. At the same time, through learning, you can also accumulate rich contacts in the industry, laying the foundation for enterprises to expand more strategic partners.
The PhD career is full of ups and downs, but it is also a fulfilling and rewarding time. Although it is difficult to graduate with a PhD, as is the case all over the world, by avoiding some common pitfalls, maintaining a love of research, improving academic efficiency, and developing a clear personal plan, PhD students can still overcome the difficulties and become better scholars. At the same time, the international on-the-job exemption joint examination master's and doctoral degree also provides doctoral students with more flexible learning options, which is more in line with actual needs, and has become one of the doctoral talents favored by enterprises. It is hoped that future doctoral students will be able to find a more suitable development path for themselves while pursuing their academic dreams.