PhDs without tears: how academics can help ease students’ minds

With many doctoral candidates unhappy and reporting mental health problems, Emma Pierson suggests ways supervisors could reduce pressures

Published on
January 10, 2019
Last updated
February 5, 2019
Emma Pierson
phd-tears-desk
Source: Getty montage
Read more about
Read more about: 
Higher education leadership
Academic careers
University governance
PhD, postgraduate and early career

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Related articles

blue-flame-fast-car

The pragmatic road to a PhD

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

By Tim Marler
27 September
Twitter man

Social media: the good, the bad and the ugly

With about one-third of Earth’s 7 billion inhabitants on a social network, it is an inevitable part of scholars’ lives. While many academics find Twitter and Facebook useful means of disseminating their research, Sara Custer finds that the addictive seeking of ‘likes’ has its perils

By Sara Custer
12 July

Related universities

Reader's comments (3)

#1 Submitted by Kdlupton on January 11, 2019 - 8:36am
I was advised against doing a phd on the grounds that it’s a “young mans game” (I’m female, in my 40s). The comment has haunted me since and is simultaneously the thing that makes me constantly doubt myself, yet makes me determined to succeed.
#2 Submitted by Leona on January 12, 2019 - 7:58am
How about a survey/article about people in blue collar jobs, earning minimum wage, or the jobless, homeless, stateless etc? Are they unhappy and reporting mental health problems? The problem with postgraduate education today is that too many are in it and not for the right reasons. Time for reality check!
#3 Submitted by nprilipko on January 13, 2019 - 8:03am
I second Kdlupton's comment. I am a full-time 40+ working mom who is trying to start her PhD. One of the potential male-supervisors told me "maybe you want too much?". Still haunted by it. And still trying to find a supervisor.

You might also like

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT