Wow, I hope that Jay is kidding. It's only the good debates that really make
lists exciting. Not all of us subscribe just for the job ads.
One point that came up in several postings was the idea that some employers
are prejudiced towards the PhD and that it carries more weight than it
should. Also a complaint that not all PhDs are of comparable quality. No
doubt about that. Nor is it unreasonable -- should those of us who want to
pursue scientific careers be shut out just because we can't get into Harvard
or MIT or Princeton?
Still, the PhD is based on in-depth research into a field, and it is natural
that if an employer wants to hire people to carry out in-depth research into
a field, they are likely to prefer PhDs. Still, even formal systems can turn
out to be flexible. I used to work for the Canadian Department of Fisheries
and Oceans where those of us with PhDs were classified as Professionals and
were slotted into five niches for Research Scientists while those without
were called Technicians and had totally different kinds of contracts (not
necessarily bad, since they got overtime and we didn't, which really sucked
when we were doing 24-hour stations at sea!). But somehow the good techs
made it quite far, and several occupy positions just as important and
influential as any PhD, including major international posts. In some
countries the PhD takes a long time to finish and may be awarded well into
one's career -- my wife was head of the Division of Oceanography at her
institute long before she got around to finishing her PhD.
I suppose the underlying issue is not which degree is better in some sese,
but which one involves the kind of education that prospective employers are
looking for. It is unfortunately true that not all universities place as
much emphasis on teaching ability as they should, although this is not
always the case -- when I was looking for jobs early in my career I applied
to some four-year colleges and was rejected because they thought my research
record was too good and this cast doubt on my commitment to teaching!
The only real option is to pursue one's goals with a measure of pragmatism.
A lot of people have had to adjust their plans, such as their intended
research and teaching ideas, in the face of limited opportunities. Many
students do not get where they want to go -- in particular, it is common for
prospective PhD candidates to fall off the track and end up with a masters
(if they are lucky). They usually end up as technicians, a step down from
what they had hoped for. So go as far as you can, but be realistic about
your prospects.
Bill Silvert
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Beugly" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 6:45 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] EdD vs PhD
In the future I will abstain from asking controversial questions (didn't
realize this was one).
