Why I Decided to Not Get a PhD

I get asked if I’m going to get a PhD literally weekly…no joke…

It was during my final year at UCLA, while completing my Masters, that I came to the final conclusion that pursuing a Ph.D. was not right for me. After nearly two and a half years of considering whether I should apply and after going through the process of taking the GRE and asking for letters of recommendation it became clear that a PhD was not going to be the next step in my professional journey.

While I did not come to this decision lightly, there were several questions which helped solidify my decision. Talking with dear friends and mentors is always the first step but introspection and deciding what you want your next step to be is the second, which is why I am here to give you a few things to ponder as you too go through the process of deciding whether to move forward into graduate study!

Some Context

My undergrad is in Art History and Egyptology and my MA is in Egyptology with an emphasis on Egyptian art and architecture. Though I love Egyptology, first and foremost I’m an art historian and wanted to find a program that would have more art historical theory and overlap than traditional Egyptology programs. So, when it came to looking for programs, I really struggled to find 1) the right advisor for me, 2) the types of courses I was interested in, and 3) access to the right resources and research support. I had an incredible advisor for both undergrad and my MA who was extremely supportive of my academic goals and was confident in me, but I wasn’t so sure I was ready at the time.

This leads me to my first reflection question: Why do you want to apply now?

When I was first considering applying, I had just started my MA and didn’t feel like I was a strong candidate or that I was ready to jump into five or more years of school. Originally, my plan was to take a gap year and then apply the following cycle. Taking time between programs is often a great way to give yourself the time and space to craft your application and distance yourself from the academy. This way, if you do decide you return and apply for further study, you are fresh and readily prepared for the task at hand.

A related question: Why do you want a PhD and do you need it?

This takes both personal reflection and research into the type of career you want in order to see if a PhD may help or hinder you.

Do you actually love the work and are willing to spend the next 3-6 years in school or are you doing it because it’s the logical next stop? Similarly is it the title and recognition or is it truly that you aim to develop research and contribute to the future of your field?

Professionally, look at the state of the field and whether there are jobs available. Ask for informational interviews with individuals who have roles you want to have or look and see if they have a PhD. You might find that a PhD might not be required for the job you want and may actually cause you to be overqualified. I realized a PhD not only wasn’t required for the role I wanted, but the original path I was planning on taking would have made it harder for me to gain the type of professional experience I desired.

Okay, so let’s say you’ve done some soul searching and have decided you still want a PhD and now are looking for a program. Ask yourself if there is a program and an advisor that’s a good fit for you? Remember, for PhDs, you apply for the program and advisor, not the name of the school. For example, Stanford or Harvard may be prestigious Universities but if they do not have an advisor that specializes in your field of study, then it will NOT be the right program for you!

Before realizing that a PhD wouldn’t help in my career path, I really struggled to find a program that was a good fit. My area of study was quite niche and at the end of the day, there were only 3 programs that were even an option, and really none were exactly what I wanted (aka I wasn’t sure I would go if I got accepted).

This is something to consider: If there isn’t the right program for you, do you still want the degree?

I hope this helps you all reflect on making this decision for yourself!