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http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/how-many-phds-actually-get-to-become-college-professors/273434/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/

by kaitai 11y ago

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/how-many-phds-actually-get-to-become-college-professors/273434/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/how-many... Survey says 53% of PhDs back in the 80s wanted to be profs. Also, this crazy idea comes from talking to all these fine young people who want my letter of recommendation for graduate school. In pure math, there is not much point in going to grad school unless you're at least considering being a tenure-track academic. No one aspires to be an adjunct, you can get a job making real money out of college, and so unless you just think math is so fun that you want to do 7 years of grad school and then get a job, you are thinking of being a prof. Other fields are certainly different.... but why get a PhD in art history if you don't want to be an academic?

chrisseaton 11y ago
Doesn't the financial sector employ pure maths PhDs and pay them extremely well? And you can apply an art history PhD in museums, galleries, national collections, etc etc.
- lmm 11y ago
  > Doesn't the financial sector employ pure maths PhDs and pay them extremely well? There are a few big names who make a lot of money, but on average someone with a PhD and x years of experience will be paid less than someone with a masters and x+3 years of experience, AIUI. > And you can apply an art history PhD in museums, galleries, national collections, etc etc. Sure, there are a few options, but how many of those jobs are there per PhD?
  - chrisseaton 11y ago
    Ultimately, you can do whatever the hell you want after a history of art PhD, just like anyone else can. You could be an actor, a soldier, an astronaut, a school teacher, a barista, a politician... whatever you want. Most jobs, including many ones that pay excellently such as banking, don't care what degree you have, and many will value the diversity that different degrees bring.
    - lmm 11y ago
      > Ultimately, you can do whatever the hell you want after a history of art PhD, just like anyone else can. Sure - but as the article says, why would you go for a history of art PhD unless you were looking to become an art academic (or you just loved the subject enough to spend 3 years doing it for no other benefit)?

by kaitai 11y ago

chrisseaton 11y ago

Doesn't the financial sector employ pure maths PhDs and pay them extremely well? And you can apply an art history PhD in museums, galleries, national collections, etc etc.

lmm 11y ago
> Doesn't the financial sector employ pure maths PhDs and pay them extremely well? There are a few big names who make a lot of money, but on average someone with a PhD and x years of experience will be paid less than someone with a masters and x+3 years of experience, AIUI. > And you can apply an art history PhD in museums, galleries, national collections, etc etc. Sure, there are a few options, but how many of those jobs are there per PhD?
- chrisseaton 11y ago
  Ultimately, you can do whatever the hell you want after a history of art PhD, just like anyone else can. You could be an actor, a soldier, an astronaut, a school teacher, a barista, a politician... whatever you want. Most jobs, including many ones that pay excellently such as banking, don't care what degree you have, and many will value the diversity that different degrees bring.
  - lmm 11y ago
    > Ultimately, you can do whatever the hell you want after a history of art PhD, just like anyone else can. Sure - but as the article says, why would you go for a history of art PhD unless you were looking to become an art academic (or you just loved the subject enough to spend 3 years doing it for no other benefit)?