PhD

Dutch figures show just how little time professors get for their own research. It may be easier to pursue your intellectual interests outside the university system, says THE reporter David Matthews

While widening access is high on universities’ agendas at undergraduate level, class barriers still prevail in the academy. Here, five working-class scholars describe their experiences of ‘otherness’

To spare doctoral candidates protracted and unproductive efforts, Tim Marler and Dean Young suggest a pragmatic route to successful completion, while, below, Julian Kirchherr advocates a quick-and-dirty path to a viable thesis

Gavin Buckingham offers new lecturers tips on how to thrive in the pressurised first few months in the job

Martin Chalfie argues that young scientists who ‘play the game’ of publishing in selective journals are less likely to win permanent posts

If only they knew then what they know now about meetings, work-life balance and the importance of being kind

Interdisciplinary PhDs come with unique challenges but if you can find ways to benefit from them, you’ll have the best of both worlds, says Selina Sutton

It is at the apex of higher education, research and innovation, but issues around integrity and employability must be addressed for doctoral education to continue to thrive, says Luke Georghiou

Postdoc Boukje Cnossen shares some tips to navigate the subtle cultural differences between European countries that can loom large when you’re looking for a job 

Study suggests doctorates are now seen as a test of character rather than intellect

Growing up working class meant Michelle Deininger was more worried about money than academic aspirations, but after a second chance she managed to complete her PhD 

Female chemists are more productive and successful in the job market if they have a female supervisor, analysis shows

Professional doctorates offer a more useful, less stressful but no less rigorous alternative to the moribund PhD, says Richard Willis

Publish before your viva, distinguish opportunities from time-drains and have a strong online profile, says Helen Coleman

Doing a part-time doctoral degree while working full-time is rewarding, but it can be demanding, says Pat Culhane

Alexander Clark and Bailey Sousa urge academics to leave their ‘fixed mindsets’ behind if they want their careers to flourish

Getting professional experience puts postgraduates in situations that they are unlikely to have faced in their university life, says Alfredo Cumerma

Accepting that your doctoral studies will sometimes take second place to family commitments is part of the journey of a PhD student mother, says Annabelle Workman

In an increasingly competitive publishing environment, responding effectively to criticism is key to getting published, says Robert MacIntosh

The stressful postgraduate environment often leads not to solidarity but to the impoverishment of research, says Alfredo Cumerma

Rogier Creemers advises early career academics to be ruthless and put themselves first to move up the ladder

There are many hidden costs associated with PhD study, writes Alfredo Cumerma, particularly if you want to land that dream job on graduation

It may be the only bit of your thesis that most people will read, but do not waste your best title on your PhD, says Zachary Foster

Identifying intellectual junctions, intersections and sites for negotiation can give your academic rite of passage the right of way, says Zachary Foster    

Early career researchers are the ‘working class of higher education’, writes Elisabeth Julie Vargo  

Pragya Agarwal considers what aspiring doctoral students can do to make their application stand out from the rest

For National Postdoc Appreciation Week, we take a look through our archive of advice and information for early career researchers 

Mike Smith reveals six of the most useful pieces of advice he has been able to give his PhD students over the years

Variations in the Russell Group demonstrate a mixed national picture, write Joshua Stubbs and Paul Wakeling

Nazima Kadir’s social circle reveals a range of alternative careers for would-be scholars, and often with better rewards than academia

From steely-eyed sadists to licky Labradors, ingénue academics should beware of the cast of kinky characters who flock to academic get-togethers, says Tara Brabazon

Steven Franklin lays bare the questions and doubts that go through his mind as he sits down to work on his thesis

Despite all that’s been done to improve doctoral study, horror stories keep coming. Here three students relate PhD nightmares while two academics advise on how to ensure a successful supervision