- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Doctoral Program
Posted on 4/7/17 at 8:19 am
Posted on 4/7/17 at 8:19 am
Anyone here have their Doctorate? I'm strongly considering a PhD in Financial Economics or Educational Administration. Some background: Undergrad in Finance, worked in consumer lending for 2.5 years, will have my Masters in Finance come October. Currently work in Higher Ed. I've taught some adjunct classes and am shifting within the next 6 months or so to teaching in a specialized field. I love teaching at the college level but would also love to be in an administrative role one day. Thank you in advance.
4
Posted on 4/7/17 at 9:58 am to 9BREES9
I have a PhD in Higher Education Administration
I have an admin job (IR) and teach two classes a semester. I love it. You should be able to break into admin with the master's, but you need the doctorate to break through. The great thing is that most schools will allow you to get the doctorate on the house, or it can be negotiated in.
Best of luck to you. We need good people in higher ed instead of educrats.
I have an admin job (IR) and teach two classes a semester. I love it. You should be able to break into admin with the master's, but you need the doctorate to break through. The great thing is that most schools will allow you to get the doctorate on the house, or it can be negotiated in.
Best of luck to you. We need good people in higher ed instead of educrats.
Posted on 4/7/17 at 11:05 am to anc
Financial Economics sounds like it would have a lot more flexible exit opportunities.
Posted on 4/7/17 at 11:11 am to anc
Can't you teach some college classes part time with just a masters degree?
Posted on 4/7/17 at 11:36 am to 9BREES9
How old are you?
Are you married?
Do you have kids?
Do you want more kids?
If you want kids or want more kids, is your spouse wanting to stay at home when they're babies?
Will you have to take out student loans to get your PhD?
Do you have any current debt?
Are you willing to move across the country for school/a job?
Are you aware of the realities of the current academic job market?
Can you work and get your degree at the same time?
Do you own a house that is going to cost you $5000 a few months before you move across the country with your family? Killing your savings and plunging you into debt you weren't expecting?
If you do move across the country for your PhD, are you aware of the actual cost of living in that area?
Are you anticipating your mother getting severely ill at the exact same time of you packing your house to move across the country?
StringedInstruments didn't understand these questions before attempting a PhD program. Now StringedInstruments lives with his parents instead of being in a PhD program.
Don't be like StringedInstruments.
Are you married?
Do you have kids?
Do you want more kids?
If you want kids or want more kids, is your spouse wanting to stay at home when they're babies?
Will you have to take out student loans to get your PhD?
Do you have any current debt?
Are you willing to move across the country for school/a job?
Are you aware of the realities of the current academic job market?
Can you work and get your degree at the same time?
Do you own a house that is going to cost you $5000 a few months before you move across the country with your family? Killing your savings and plunging you into debt you weren't expecting?
If you do move across the country for your PhD, are you aware of the actual cost of living in that area?
Are you anticipating your mother getting severely ill at the exact same time of you packing your house to move across the country?
StringedInstruments didn't understand these questions before attempting a PhD program. Now StringedInstruments lives with his parents instead of being in a PhD program.
Don't be like StringedInstruments.
This post was edited on 4/7/17 at 11:38 am
Posted on 4/7/17 at 11:48 am to 9BREES9
I considered getting my PhD in Finance and LSU allowed me to take some PhD Finance classes before I decided I wasn't nearly ready for the program (I was 22). That being said, I had enough experience to know that if you are going to get your PhD in a business school you 100% must be ready to get trained mostly on research.
The idea of teaching was what interested me as well, but I came to find that everything is about having papers published. That's what brings in money to institutions. They don't really care about the teaching aspect of a professor.
Still, I learned so much in the two classes (Financial Research and Math for Economist) I took with LSU's PhD class. Really interesting stuff.
The idea of teaching was what interested me as well, but I came to find that everything is about having papers published. That's what brings in money to institutions. They don't really care about the teaching aspect of a professor.
Still, I learned so much in the two classes (Financial Research and Math for Economist) I took with LSU's PhD class. Really interesting stuff.
This post was edited on 4/7/17 at 11:49 am
Posted on 4/7/17 at 12:42 pm to Paul Allen
quote:
Can't you teach some college classes part time with just a masters degree?
Yes. You can generally teach undergraduate classes.
Posted on 4/7/17 at 1:20 pm to anc
I appreciate everyones feedback thus far. I'm 27 currently and my wife and I have no children but are considering trying for one in about 1-2 years. I am thinking of going through UNO as this is by far the closest school that offers the curriculum. Not really in a position to move. My current job is super flexible that would allow me to use leave if I needed to go to class at an odd time or leave early from work. Honest and truthfully, I love teaching the course I teach now but absolutely want to get into teaching Finance courses, plus, the salary that would come with the degree, and work environment, and to top off that when my wife and I do have kids I want to be able to know that we can give them everything they want (not that we will) but knowing that we're financially stable is peace of mind that speaks to me.
Posted on 4/7/17 at 1:58 pm to 9BREES9
quote:
I am thinking of going through UNO as this is by far the closest school that offers the curriculum. Not really in a position to move. My current job is super flexible that would allow me to use leave if I needed to go to class at an odd time or leave early from work.
IDK if you are going to find a PhD in business where they dont require all of your time. It is not a part time type degree. They expect you there like a 40 hour a week job.
Even when I was a part time PhD student they asked me to quit my job because the requirements of the program are too great to expect good results on partial time.
Not sure if UNO would be any different, but I truly doubt it. At least not in a money hungry department like business. I could see it being possible in the Education department.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 8:01 am to 9BREES9
quote:
I appreciate everyones feedback thus far. I'm 27 currently and my wife and I have no children but are considering trying for one in about 1-2 years. I am thinking of going through UNO as this is by far the closest school that offers the curriculum. Not really in a position to move. My current job is super flexible that would allow me to use leave if I needed to go to class at an odd time or leave early from work. Honest and truthfully, I love teaching the course I teach now but absolutely want to get into teaching Finance courses, plus, the salary that would come with the degree, and work environment, and to top off that when my wife and I do have kids I want to be able to know that we can give them everything they want (not that we will) but knowing that we're financially stable is peace of mind that speaks to me.
I can't speak for business and finance, but I do know that most fields in higher education are saturated with qualified applicants. If you really want to teach at a university level, you'll need to attend a better program than UNO. Again, your move may vary, but name recognition matters unless there's a specific rockstar professor at UNO you'd be working with. I know a full professor at the University of Montevallo and he told me he gets about 60-70 applicants per job opening. Their first step is to identify all applicants who didn't attend a top 50 program and toss them in the trash.
Honestly, you sound a whole lot like me. Academia does seem like a cush lifestyle. It can pay a good amount of money especially in a business school. But it's not easy and your wife is going to have to support you through it all. As someone already mentioned, you'll probably need to go as a full time student. People in education can get their PhD while still teaching full time, but I don't know of many who go on to secure a tenure track position. It's also easier for teachers to do research projects in their own classrooms. Again, I don't have any experience in business but I do know quite a few professors in different disciplines (math, English, education, physics) who are part of hiring committees at their schools. It's a tough market and if you don't impress them with every part of your application, you won't get a tenure track job.
Go back and read those questions I posted. Some of them were more in humor due to my own fricked up situation but many of them apply to your situation. If you REALLY want this...like really really do, then you'll probably need to go full time, take a paycut, and move to a different city. Is your wife okay with that? You'll be trying for a kid in 1-2 years, which will be right smack in the middle of your program. If she says, "I want to stay home and nurse the baby until she's one," can you afford that?
Anyways, here's a link to the thread I posted in my freakout last year. There's some really good advice throughout it. I wish you all the best and hope it works out for you. Just make sure you've got it all figured out before you do it because it can be difficult. If it's any extra help, I regret not staying and toughing it out even with the debt, but that's in the past now.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 9:04 am to StringedInstruments
How's it all going now Stringed??
Posted on 4/8/17 at 9:06 am to 9BREES9
quote:
current job is super flexible that would allow me to use leave if I needed to go to class at an odd time or leave early from work.
Maybe getting your ph.D in this field is different (i have mine in BioChem), but there is no way I could have ever thought about working at another job in addition to the program. I would spend 60 hours a week going to classes, working on research, working on my research, and then depending on the semester rotation you are required to work as a TA for 2-4 different undergraduate classes. You receive a small stipend for all of this but there isn't much timw left for anything else.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 10:08 am to tiger91
quote:
How's it all going now Stringed??
Kinda complicated.
Wife insisted I reapply as we now have nearly $15k in the bank. Hopefully our tenants buy our house, which would give us an extra $15k meaning we'd have $30k.
I wasn't able to find a different career. Been adjuncting English courses and doing guitar stuff making ~$1500/month. She's teaching elementary school and is in a really difficult situation, so she's really itching to do anything different.
I can get a job as a high school teacher and pull in $2800/month after taxes and health insurance. I could probably supplement $500/month with guitar. If I get tenured, I wouldn't have to help out with any extracurriculars, so I could easily bump that up to $1000/month with guitar...maybe even more if I put in enough hours.
We could have more kids and she could stay at home for a year like she wanted. Then she could find a different job that isn't so stressful for her. Even if she made significantly less, we'd still live comfortably and reach our financial goals. If she did go back into teaching, combined with my guitar income, we'd make $7000/month after taxes for the rest of our careers.
That's the most likely plan, but she's refusing to let me turn down the PhD program right now. I do dread the idea of going back into the public school classroom. So we'll see.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 10:48 am to StringedInstruments
quote:
I know a full professor at the University of Montevallo and he told me he gets about 60-70 applicants per job opening. Their first step is to identify all applicants who didn't attend a top 50 program and toss them in the trash.
Many years ago while doing some adjunct teaching, I became friends with a new PhD that was starting his first permanent teaching job as an assistant professor. He had applied for 1100 different positions spanning the entire globe before he landed the job.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 11:06 am to SouthOfSouth
SonOfSouth, this is why I plan on meeting not only with the Finance and Economics department but also the Educational Admin department as well. This will not be an overnight decision.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 11:20 am to StringedInstruments
Stringed, I greatly appreciate your feedback and sharing your struggles. I hope you and your family find what works best for y'all and gives y'all what you want out of life financially.
I am reaching out to a few of my undergrad as well as grad level professors to gauge what their experiences were when they were 1st entering their programs. I have also already spoken with a coworker's husband as he is currently in the Educational Admin program at UNO and has about 30 hours remaining. He was able to provide great insight and what the professors expect out of you and what they are looking for. He explained the admissions/interview process and was able to provide insight on how he manages a full-time job, the Doctoral program, time with his wife and 2 small children, and research. In the coming weeks and months, I will be sitting down with the Chancellor of the college I work at and ask her about her experience as well, a former coworker's husband teaches Management at a local 4 year University, so I want to get his insight as well. I've also already spoken with the Dean over my department (Student Services) and had her provide her knowledge from what she went through. As I stated previously, this will not be an overnight irrational decision. I will get as much feedback as possible, including this site/thread, speak with family, continue discussing it with my wife, and ultimately decide what's best for us. At the end of the day, everyone is different, no one person is exactly the same. I realize that and yet, I also realize that my entire life, I've had to work for everything I've accomplished, not a thing has been given to me. Hell, back when I was taking ACT, that standardized test basically told me I wasn't good enough for college Algebra, that I sucked at math. Well, 5 years later, not only do I have a Bachelor's in Finance but I also will have a soon to be Master's in the field as well. That might not mean much to others but to me personally, it means that I don't care what the odds say of actually being able to obtain a Doctorate; if I start it, I will finish it.
I am reaching out to a few of my undergrad as well as grad level professors to gauge what their experiences were when they were 1st entering their programs. I have also already spoken with a coworker's husband as he is currently in the Educational Admin program at UNO and has about 30 hours remaining. He was able to provide great insight and what the professors expect out of you and what they are looking for. He explained the admissions/interview process and was able to provide insight on how he manages a full-time job, the Doctoral program, time with his wife and 2 small children, and research. In the coming weeks and months, I will be sitting down with the Chancellor of the college I work at and ask her about her experience as well, a former coworker's husband teaches Management at a local 4 year University, so I want to get his insight as well. I've also already spoken with the Dean over my department (Student Services) and had her provide her knowledge from what she went through. As I stated previously, this will not be an overnight irrational decision. I will get as much feedback as possible, including this site/thread, speak with family, continue discussing it with my wife, and ultimately decide what's best for us. At the end of the day, everyone is different, no one person is exactly the same. I realize that and yet, I also realize that my entire life, I've had to work for everything I've accomplished, not a thing has been given to me. Hell, back when I was taking ACT, that standardized test basically told me I wasn't good enough for college Algebra, that I sucked at math. Well, 5 years later, not only do I have a Bachelor's in Finance but I also will have a soon to be Master's in the field as well. That might not mean much to others but to me personally, it means that I don't care what the odds say of actually being able to obtain a Doctorate; if I start it, I will finish it.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 12:31 pm to 9BREES9
quote:
Anyone here have their Doctorate?
yeah... Doctor of Pharmacy.... only college degree i have...
Posted on 4/8/17 at 8:03 pm to EA6B
I hope you slipped an extra 0 in there 
This post was edited on 4/8/17 at 8:04 pm
Posted on 4/8/17 at 9:01 pm to lynxcat
quote:
I hope you slipped an extra 0 in there
There are approximately 2500 public and private 4-year universities in the United States alone. If he really went global, it's not impossible for him to have sent out 1100 applications. I would question his judgment in doing so, but maybe he was that desperate.
Posted on 4/8/17 at 10:08 pm to StringedInstruments
Good luck Stringed. My husband plays guitar ... He'd love to be able to do more with that but he's a rice farmer (a super educated one with a BS & an MS lol) but oh how he loves his guitars!
Page 1 of 2
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News