• Question: how do I get a PHD

    Asked by big man james to Alex, Andrew, Delma, Julia, Simon on 8 Dec 2015. This question was also asked by (:happyface:).
    • Photo: Delma Childers

      Delma Childers answered on 8 Dec 2015:

      Find a subject you like. Get your undergraduate degree. Let’s assume for a moment that you’re inclined towards a science PhD – then you have to find a lab with a studentship available and apply to join. Then it’s 3-4 years of research in the lab and at the end, you have to write a book about your work (this would be your thesis). The book tells a story that explains your contribution to science and knowledge for the last 3-4 years of your PhD. Once this is written, you taken a final oral exam where you have to answer questions posed by at least two examiners. Do all of that and you’ll get a PhD. Piece of cake!

    • Photo: Andrew Winnard

      Andrew Winnard answered on 8 Dec 2015:

      You need to:

      Get some good GCSEs, then some good A-levels. Then goto university and get a degree. Then you could do a masters, but its not always needed. You can then apply to do a PhD!

      You only want to do a PhD once you have figured out what you would like to research though. As it will be several years spent doing science on that one thing 🙂 so it needs to be something you enjoy, like I love spaceflight research!

    • Photo: Julia Attias

      Julia Attias answered on 8 Dec 2015:

      Hi @big man james,
      I don’t have much to add from what Andrew and Delma have said. Bag yourself some good GCSE’s, A-Levels and an undergraduate degree first of all! Try and get some research experience at some point through your degree even if it means you getting in contact with other people and asking to do some voluntary work. And more importantly, be curious, passionate, determined and focused. I wouldn’t have got my PhD if I wasn’t all of those, and I think a lot of it is down to that, so that is the best advice I can give 🙂

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