What does the term Ph.D. mean? Many people probably don’t know why a doctor of philosophy—abbreviated Ph.D.—is called that. You are looking at a problem and trying to come up with a scientific solution, as the subject implies; you are eager to learn the solution and thirsty for knowledge and wisdom, thus the name philosophy. However, not all occupations require a Ph.D.; for example, if you want to be a doctor, your highest degree is an MD, and if you want to be a lawyer, your highest degree is either an LLD or a JD (Juris Doctor).
Many students ask questions about applying for PhDs, but the majority of them have no understanding of what is involved and do not even understand how to prepare a proposal. Many lack the prerequisites, such as an excellent research question and proposal, a strong GPA or level of English, references from teachers who can attest to your abilities, and the capacity to conduct research. I was only able to secure a very small number of PhD acceptances to extremely top-notch students in my 17–18 years of working as a counselor; the adjective “very small” is used literally. We must also restrict our applications to a select group of nations and high-ranking universities, which further complicates matters. Our work is made much more challenging by the fact that many Gulf nations only allow a select few majors for masters and Ph.D. programs at particular universities.
What students don’t realize is that getting a PhD is similar to being married; you hug the books, live in a library, and your supervisor is both your closest friend and worst adversary. You’ll be more than bored, criticizing yourself for choosing to pursue a Ph.D., considering quitting and going back home, regretting your decision, and changing your mind constantly as you look for something or other. The enthusiasm will begin with a hypothesis in the morning (this is normal while taking a shower), fade by midday, and by night, when you are the only person in the library, you will be considering sprinting through the parks while yelling. Sometimes you might even leave a note on your boss’s door announcing your resignation, then come back extremely early the following morning to take it off before the boss gets there. Basically, you gave it some thought.
Is it satisfying? Nobody can dispute the fact that someone cares about you and your research if they take the time to respond to your survey. It is worthwhile just because someone will utilize your study to do their own research. If your study is published these days, it means the world to any university you are a part of. Remember the advantages you obtain simply for having a Ph.D.; these may include higher pay, a better position, fewer working hours, and more time for research, as well as invitations to give lectures all over the world. Basically, Ph.D. holders get a tonne of benefits.
Now that some facts have been established, let’s go into the specifics and establish some more facts:
Why do I want it? This is a simple question, but since you are aware of how time-consuming and exhausting it is, you must first decide if you truly want it and for what purpose. Suppose you only want it so you can become a minister. In that case, it isn’t a good enough reason in my opinion because earning a PhD and writing a thesis actually takes more inspiration than just becoming a minister does. I believe that a PhD holder may not have the necessary abilities for the job of a minister, and diplomacy is not necessarily a trait of PhD holders who are prone to questioning everything (they are philosophers after all)
When do I have to leave? Unlike other programs, a Ph.D. is an invitation that can be accepted at any time of the year—with the exception of holidays, of course. Universities are aware that when inspiration strikes, it won’t last forever, so let’s try to catch it as soon as possible.
What should I do? Look up the listings of accredited universities in your nation and only apply to those that are listed. You don’t want to waste your time only to learn that you cannot attend that university as the application process can take up to nine months. Undoubtedly, we would advise supervisors at many colleges, and it is up to you to interact with them and discuss your options. To that end, I should also point out that university teachers are often former students just like us, so don’t be scared to make mistakes.
What will I be looking into? Very good question, as this is the first thing you will be doing. The research problem in the proposal you are submitting has been identified, and all reputable universities include their professors’ names along with their areas of expertise so that you can contact the appropriate one. For instance, if you want to study climate change, you should visit the university’s department of climate change and check out what its professors are teaching.
Perhaps you could enlist one of them to assist you.
Options for payment: Governmental organizations may offer scholarships to Gulf Nationals. But most colleges have funds earmarked out for scholarship recipients. Please take note that according to my statistics, 85–90% of visitors to each exhibition I visit desire to pursue a Ph.D. Therefore, there isn’t enough money available at institutions to assist everyone. There are many organizations all around the world that would sponsor your research if you have the ability but lack the funds. Additionally, several nations provide Ph.D. students additional benefits, such as paying the same tuition as local students, allowing the spouse to work, and providing free education for the children. See:
Who will accompany me: The idea of relocating your family can be horrifying if you’re married with kids, but it can also be enjoyable. You need to let your spouse know that for the next five years, you’ll be cuddling books. Your partner needs to be conscious of the time commitment you are making. You can bring the entire family, to answer your query.
Les returns to the logistics of beginning a Ph.D. program. The steps are highly complicated, require a lot of time, and include a lot of interaction with the universities, even if we set aside the issue of speaking to supervisors because the student must do it themselves:
- Determine the “match,” which requires that the universities and the students, taking into consideration their qualifications, be in agreement.
- Consider universities and programs that might fit the applicants’ qualifications while also matching them.
- Find supervisors who share your research interests.
- Interactions between students and supervisors
- Describe the criteria for admission to the Ph.D. program and related issues (Language tests and other tests)
- Help students get ready for their Ph.D. interviews
- Find any possible scholarships and submit an application.
For Ph.D. students, there are certain Dos and Don’ts that should never be crossed.
- Never purchase a proposal.
- Never purchase a PhD
- Never hire a writer to produce your proposal.
Someone somewhere will learn someday. You don’t want to add another trap to your life just so you can get paid twice or three times as much since the world is full of them. It isn’t worthwhile! Time is of the essence, so I urge you to be aware of your time constraints. If you don’t, you can work at the university while pursuing a Ph.D. for a very long period (I knew someone who was pursuing a Ph.D. while teaching for 11 years and 9 months; this was more than 22 years ago, when everything seemed still like a mirage to me; I don’t know if she has graduated or not). You can also pursue a Ph.D. online and part-time.
There are certain universities that provide PhDs based on experience; are they recognized? I’m not sure, but I believe someone who has been conducting constant research and writing pieces for newspapers can quickly complete a Ph.D. with the assistance of a university supervisor and a research question derived from the work done. Time is precious in today’s environment, therefore we definitely need to consider how to use it.
Writing retreats: Now that you’ve signed up and, of course, you’re going to experience writer’s block, don’t worry; many colleges will take you to a writing retreat where there won’t be any interruptions or access to a phone. only you and the other Ph.D. candidates. Many claims that they were able to resume their writing during the retreat and produced a tonne of new material. See:
A final point I want to make is just as crucial as finishing the Ph.D. itself. You must have spent at least 30% of your time on campus if you are a Ph.D. holder residing in a Gulf nation and wish to use your degree there. Your passport would be the source for this formula since every entry and exit to the country of your Ph.D. destination will be considered. The ministries around the gulf have a formula they employ to compute the number of days spent abroad. Your Ph.D. won’t be recognized if you are short by one day, thus it’s game over. This implies that none of the sufferings you endured will matter. Given that one of my acquaintances had a similar issue, I felt compelled to bring it up.
Do a Ph.D. if you are eager to learn and want to share your expertise with others.
