The experience of moving from Masters to Doctoral studies, what you should know

Why did I decide to do a doctorate?

Before beginning my PhD at York, I completed a Masters here in International Political Economy. One element that I really enjoyed about this course was the degree of exposure to modern and cutting-edge research, and to research that dealt with issues that were currently in the news. For example, I had the chance to study the trade impacts of Brexit and the effect that emerging nations such as China and India have on the global economy. It was this experience and exposure to leading researchers – which I felt I had lacked during my undergraduate degree – that had encouraged me to apply for a PhD in the first place.

This is an experience that is even better at PhD level, since you are able to explore an area beyond the scope of existing research, and genuinely advance the study of a specific topic. During the process of writing my Masters dissertation, which eventually became the basis for my PhD, I found that the independent research opportunity afforded to me led me to ask more and more questions that existing scholarships had not addressed. A doctorate allows you to really explore those areas of a topic/subject which appeal to you personally, in a level of detail not afforded at any other level of study. This allows you to build on your interests from your Masters and advance the understanding of a given field.

Independent Research

The main difference that any new PhD student will find from most taught courses is the extent to which independent research is required. This is a similar experience to writing an undergraduate or Masters dissertation, only in much greater depth and over a much longer timescale. This move to independent research can feel intimidating for those, such as myself, who came from a taught Masters programme, and so felt quite lost at times. Often the questions you’re dealing with are (especially at the beginning) quite complex problems, without a clear way of approaching them.

I found that it is crucial to provide structure to my life, which can often feel like a challenge without the confines of a weekly timetable and clear deadlines. I found it helped to plan each week out on a Sunday evening (or Monday morning), so that I knew what I had to accomplish and when. Once they were no longer unstructured, abstract tasks, but clear assignments with (albeit self-imposed) due dates, it was much easier to motivate myself to complete them. It also helps you to feel that you have actually achieved something, as it is all too easy to ‘drift’ without clear deadlines.

Top Tips

1. Talk to your supervisors: I found it very helpful to agree what the next steps are at the end of each meeting, and usually plan my next meeting. This way I am clear on both what I need to do, and when to do it by. This helps me stay focused rather than using the greater freedoms afforded to PhDs coast and become unfocussed, and end up leaving work until the last minute.
2. Break the large tasks into small, manageable chucks, so that it feels less overwhelming. Additionally, if you get stuck on one task for a while, put it to one side for a bit and work on another part, and before you know it you’ll have overcome your problem.
3. Seek advice if you’re unsure on something – it could be from your supervisors or any other members of staff. My experience is that all the University staff are very willing to help, even in an informal capacity; it is always better to ask than struggle silently.
4. Give yourself rewards for finishing work. Without the certainty of deadlines and results, it can often feel underwhelming to finish a section of writing/research. It is always good to have something to look forward towards after a good week’s work.