Darryl A. Phillips

9.3 years and $23,000

April 18, 2010 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Everyone considering entering graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Humanities ought to read the article that appeared in today’s NYTimes Education Life supplement.  It now takes, on average, 9.3 years to complete a Ph.D. in the Humanities.  The average new Ph.D. is 35 years old and owes $23,000 in student loans. 

I always try to advise students in very realistic terms about pursuing a Ph.D.  Simply put, it isn’t the right path for everyone.  Given the competition for admission and funding, and the tight job market once you’ve earned a degree, students should think long and  hard about the decision.  Generally, I strongly advise against taking out student loans to pay for Ph.D. work in Humanities.  If you can’t get funding to pursue a Ph.D., and if you can’t pay for it out of pocket, you probably shouldn’t go. 

Even with those strong words of caution, I still do encourage top students to consider graduate work and a career as a professor.  It is a long road, but both the graduate work and the career as a college professor can be incredibly rewarding.  Just make sure that you go into it with your eyes open!!

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