Ph.D. degree and what all it demands
A Ph.D. degree demands a lot of patience and persistence. It is a program that nearly takes five years to complete and involves extensive research on the part of the students. Anyone planning to take up Ph.D. must be ready to spend a lot of time with their books, research journals, and in the library. A Ph.D. degree from a top university will offer a good return on your investment of time and money. Top universities often offer part-time Ph.D. programs that fit the needs of working professionals.
Ph.D. for Working Professionals
For seasoned professionals who desire to leverage their sector expertise to gain a higher position of leadership, credibility, and influence within their profession, a professional doctorate offers the best knowledge they need. According to representatives from the organization that regulates higher education, universities in India are authorized to offer working professionals part-time doctoral programs as long as they complete at least six months of the program full-time. Their Ph.D. work will be evaluated in the same way that Ph.D. students enrolled full-time are evaluated. Since working professionals make up the majority of part-time Ph.D. applicants, they are not qualified for Ph.D. fellowships. The professionals must also present an employer’s no-objection certificate (NOC).
Types of Ph.D. degrees
There are various ways in which one can pursue a Ph.D. program. Fresh graduates opt for a full-time Ph.D. program, where they stay on campus and complete their courses. This is the best way to study as all the resources are best accessible to students, be it the faculties, library, journals, or peer group. Then there are the students who have other obligations in life or who are taking up a Ph.D. after some years of experience in the industrial field in a part-time Ph.D. program. A part-time Ph.D. program allows the student to carry on with their studies along with the job that he or she is in. There is an advantage to the part-time program in that it allows you to earn while you learn. The disadvantage is that one might not be able to spend as much time on campus as a full-time program student.
7 things to keep in mind before enrolling for a Ph.D. as a working professional
Time management won’t be easy- taking up studies with a job, and that, too, for a vast program like a Ph.D., is not an easy decision. Having said that, nothing is impossible. A little bit of time management and some discipline in life can make this possible.
Pick a topic that stimulates you- it is always advisable to take up a topic or a domain that interests you. Interest is a thriving force that can make everything possible. The whole process becomes intriguing if the area stimulates you and brings out the best in you.
Pick a supervisor who is fun to work with- a faculty member has the power to make work fun. Most of the faculties at the top universities are trained to do so with the years of experience they have in their profession. Most of the time, it happens that a student starts loving the subject because of the supervisor involved.
Pick a topic that is related to your profession- nothing can be as good as involving your professional domain with the research work of your Ph.D. program. Half the battle is won as soon as these intersect. You know so much more about your topic already if it is related to your professional domain.
Stay motivated- Look forward to a bright future, and that will keep you going. Since a Ph.D. is a lengthy program, and that too a part-time Ph.D., which is bound to take even longer than usual, chances are that motivations will have to be worked on. Remain pumped up and move forward with dreams in your eyes.
Funding- is one of the major concerns. Since you are opting for a part-time Ph.D. program, the good news is that your income does not stop. But, the finances have to be reworked, as most of the time working professionals have liabilities to fulfill, and taking out a chunk for studies might be difficult.
Stress and work-life balance- stress is bound to increase, and the work-life balance will go haywire. One needs to be ready for the same. Keeping calm and taking up the challenges as they appear is the best way to go about them. A little planning will work wonders for stress management.
Ph.D. at Chitkara University
Doctoral programs at Chitkara University are quite challenging academically. It provides a thorough education that prepares students to adjust to the changing needs of the modern workplace. The curriculum carefully focuses on enhancing students’ knowledge, abilities, and experiences to position them to become well-known leaders in the future. There are a variety of worthwhile employment opportunities available after completing a Ph.D. program at ChitkaraUniversity. Ph.D. students are more easily absorbed by academic research & consulting in the fields of sustainability and project management.
