Universities are offering doctorates but few jobs

[Kevin_Kennedy]

As they walk in hooded robes to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance," many students getting their doctorates this spring dream of heading to another university to begin their careers as tenure-track professors.

But when Elena Stover finished her doctorate in September, she headed to the poker tables. Frustrated with the limited opportunities and grueling lifestyle of academia, Stover, 29, decided to eschew a career in cognitive neuroscience for one playing online poker. She got the idea from a UCLA career counselor, who was trying to help her find employment.

Universities are offering doctorates but few jobs - latimes.com

This is rather depressing for me personally, as I recently decided that once I finish my undergrad work I'm going to go for my Ph.D. in Political Science. Luckily, I won't have the issue of dealing with horrible debt due to my education, because my education is free. But the job prospects are less than ideal.

 

[Dr.Traveler]

As they walk in hooded robes to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance," many students getting their doctorates this spring dream of heading to another university to begin their careers as tenure-track professors.

But when Elena Stover finished her doctorate in September, she headed to the poker tables. Frustrated with the limited opportunities and grueling lifestyle of academia, Stover, 29, decided to eschew a career in cognitive neuroscience for one playing online poker. She got the idea from a UCLA career counselor, who was trying to help her find employment.

Universities are offering doctorates but few jobs - latimes.com

This is rather depressing for me personally, as I recently decided that once I finish my undergrad work I'm going to go for my Ph.D. in Political Science. Luckily, I won't have the issue of dealing with horrible debt due to my education, because my education is free. But the job prospects are less than ideal.

It's been a very tough few years finding jobs in Academics. With State budgets shrinking and endowments getting creamed in the plunging markets a lot of new Ph.D's are getting left out in the cold. My wife and I were thankfully able to find jobs before the market dropped out.

I still think its worth getting a Ph.D, but its worthwhile to realize that you might not get a job in academics if you finish in the next 3-5 years. There's always jobs for a person with a degree in private industry or in the Government (especially in areas like Mathematics or Foreign Policy where your knowledge could enhance national security). There are also numerous opportunites overseas at American style universities in the Middle East and Canada.

Good luck in your future studies and your job search. I'm thinking in 3-5 years it could start to straighten out.