Considering getting a doctorate degree?
This article most likely directly concerns only a few people in this country who want to get a doctorate degree. For others who do not want to get a doctorate degree, I would also argue that this article may concern you indirectly. You may be concerned indirectly because you want to know. Knowing is good for its own sake, Secondly, you may wish to change your mind and you could decide to enroll for a doctorate degree. Thirdly, someone you know wants to enroll. Fourthly, you may wish to read because, yes of course, you may not have much else to do at this time.
Depending on your circumstances, many people who study for a PhD or the professional doctorate degrees, do so studying part-time, juggling this with full-time jobs, family commitments and other responsibilities. This makes the PhD a difficult degree to accomplish. Being enrolled in a PhD programme brings real concerns as to how one balances their family commitments, work and academics. For some people, either their academic work suffers, maybe it is their work that suffers, or their families suffer, or all of these suffer. I am yet to meet someone who has completed their PhD and they do not appreciate the sacrifices their families have had to make.
The other thing I want to talk about here is the reason why an individual wants to do a PhD. There is no reason why there should be one motivation only for enrolling into a PhD programme. If you are not a medical doctor or a dentist (and a few other professions where one becomes a doctor without a PhD), you may be interested to do a doctorate because you want after all, to be called Dr So and So. There is absolutely nothing wrong in doing so. Whether such desires are vain or not vain, who are we to judge what you want to do for your life? In short, we could ask, who cares? Of course I will care when, after getting your PhD, you write your name as: Dr So and So, PhD! Never do that. You are either So and So, PhD; or Dr So and So.
I have seen people who have felt and behaved in such a way that you feel sorry for them when they are doing their PhD studies. Many of these people do act as if someone else has sent them to do their studies. They would have had another option but they feel trapped. For me, that is a shame. Of course this does not mean that the individuals will not complete their PhDs. No. But it would have been better if they were enjoying the experience.
Doctorate degree should get increasing prestige in this country, not the least the fact that the holders of such qualifications earn the accolade: doctor. But because these people should be willing to provide systematic answers to our socio-economic, moral, religious and other challenges. Doctors should be able to identify important questions for society. The more doctors we have, the more we should be civilised. No? n
