final year phd student

Advice to myself: Starting the final year of a PhD

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Having completed a good ¾ of my PhD remotely, I like to think that I’ve learnt a thing or two about motivation, reflection, and time-management. Here are a few things I’ve realised over the last 18 months that I am going to try and keep reminding myself of as I navigate the next year. Even if I don’t follow my own advice, there’s always hope that it’ll help another student .

Alicia Peel, EDIT Lab PhD student

1. Never start from a blank page

2. Teams is academic Instagram (and you are being catfished)

The versions of ourselves that we present in meetings are always the best, most put together versions. Having remote meetings on Teams has just exacerbated this. What you see of someone from the shoulders up for a few hours each week is rarely an accurate reflection of how they are actually functioning. Similar to a duck appearing to be swimming calmly on the surface of the water but paddling frantically below. Most other PhD students that I have spoken to remark on how everyone is coping better than them, working harder than them, producing more than them. But this only seems true because that’s all we show each other. The reality is that we are all giving ourselves a quick pep talk in the two minutes before our team meeting starts every week and summoning all of our strength to present our happiest and most high-functioning selves. We look like we’re on top of things because yesterday we didn’t leave our desk until we’d worked through the whole of our to-do list. The analysis we’re presenting seems so well thought out and ground-breaking because we’ve been stressing about every tiny part of it for the last three months. And as soon as the meeting is over? We’re going to be back in our dressing gowns crying into our third cup of coffee about the colour scheme of our WCPG poster.

“Most other PhD students that I have spoken to remark on how everyone is coping better than them, working harder than them, producing more than them.”

3. The PhD workload is dynamic

During every PhD, there are times when we will be working flat out, all hours of the day, to meet deadlines. What I’ve learnt is to use the times when things are quieter to balance out those manic periods. If you find yourself with a day or two where you’re on top of your to-do list, make the most of working at a slower pace. Do not make things harder for yourself by panicking about why you’re not insanely busy, feeling guilty that you could be working harder or inventing tasks that will end up being a waste of your time. Take those days as opportunities to dedicate a few hours to reading interesting papers that have been pushed to the bottom of the pile, or catching up on academic admin, like updating your CV, researching post-doc options or getting your thesis notes organised. Or even ending your day early and going for a walk. Being productive doesn’t always mean churning out papers, and those “slower” days go a long way towards helping you feel more prepared to handle the busier times.

“Use the times when things are quieter to balance out those manic periods.”

4. Start things early

Everything is more enjoyable when it’s not a high-stress task. Try keeping a note of ‘further-in-the-future’ tasks somewhere. These could bethings like conference posters, presentations or even writing up a paper. When you get an awkward short gap between meetings, or you’re waiting for feedback on something before you can resume working on it, go to that list of future tasks and make a start on something. You might not get very far, but you’ll thank yourself for any progress when you eventually come back to it two days before the deadline. Plus, it’s a nice change of pace to occasionally work on something that doesn’t have the pressure of an imminent deadline looming over it.

5. Every PhD is different

The paradox of being a research student: everyone’s PhD is better than yours. In reality, it’s almost impossible to compare PhDs and you definitely shouldn’t evaluate the strength of yours based on what others have done (or what you perceive others to have done). Some students collect their own data, some use several different methods, some take on more active roles in other aspects of research life. All these things mean that every single student is balancing their workload differently and will produce a different output. Even other students in the same lab, using the same methods, will have faced a completely different set of challenges because their research questions are different. If they weren’t, your PhD wouldn’t be a unique compilation of research. At a glance, everyone else’s projects look better simply because you are only paying attention to the headlines. The hardest thing to do is to take a step back and imagine how impressive your research and achievements look to other students (and if you can’t picture that on your own, go and talk to a new first year student for a nice ego boost).

“The paradox of being a research student: everyone’s PhD is better than yours.”

How much of my own advice will I follow in the next year? That remains to be seen. By the time I’m approaching handing in my thesis my perspective may have completely changed and these points could go out the window (“start things early” haha nice try). But for now, the aim is to approach my final year with a sense of balance, realism, and intention to complete the best PhD that I can in the boundaries I am working within. I’ll let you know how it goes.

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Ten Simple Rules for Finishing Your PhD

Jacopo marino.

1 Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Melanie I. Stefan

2 Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Sarah Blackford

3 Society for Experimental Biology (SEB), Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

Introduction

After years of research and with completion in sight, the final year of the PhD often represents the most challenging time of a student's career, in which the ultimate reward is the PhD honor itself. A large investment in time, energy, and motivation is needed, with many tasks to be completed; concluding experiments must be carried out, results interpreted, and a research story mapped out in preparation for writing the final thesis. All the while, administrative obligations need attention (e.g., university credits and mandatory documents), papers may need to be published, students mentored, and due consideration paid to planning for the next career move. Without some form of strategic action plan and the employment of project management skills, students run the risk of becoming overwhelmed and run down or of not meeting their final deadlines. Personal time management and stress resilience are competences that can be developed and honed during this final period of the PhD.

Here, we present ten simple rules on how to deal with time issues and conflict situations when facing the last year of a PhD in science. The rules focus on defining research goals in advance and designing a plan of action. Moreover, we discuss the importance of managing relationships with supervisors and colleagues, as well as early career planning.

Rule 1: Plan Your Last Year in Advance

Preparing a plan of action for the final year of your PhD is vital. Ideally, devised and agreed upon with your supervisor, a plan will help to optimize the time left and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. Individuals plan in different ways; some prefer to work towards their goals in a stepwise linear fashion, whilst others are more comfortable flitting from task to task until all the jobs are done. There is no definitive way to plan, so find out what works best for you. You may decide to map out a timeline, or perhaps a mind-map is your preferred planning style. Whichever method you use, it's important that you adhere to your plan whilst allowing for some flexibility (but not distraction or procrastination).

Your time frame will vary according to the organization of your graduate school, your supervisor or advisory committee, and even your graduation date, but one year before submission of your doctoral thesis is the time when you should decide on how best to invest the last months of your research and associated activities. Having a plan of action will help to avoid time wasting, e.g., being distracted by superfluous experiments that might be interesting but are not necessary. Furthermore, from a psychological point of view, referring to a concrete plan can make you feel more secure and in control. Ideally, the supervisor and PhD student should both agree on the overall plan (with provision for the unexpected, e.g., technical issues), with intermittent reviews every few weeks to check that progress is being made. Your supervisor should also be able to advise you on the organization and writing of your thesis—for example, its structure—and the number and length of chapters to include.

Rule 2: Make Your Priorities Clear

Select the activities you want to include in your plan. What are your priorities? They are likely to include experiments that will give the thesis a conclusion or that may be necessary to publish a final paper. Mandatory administrative tasks will also need attention, and allowing time to prepare for your next career move will give you the best chance of a seamless and successful transition post-PhD. As a final year PhD candidate, you are likely to have acquired high-level competencies comparable to those of a junior postdoctoral researcher, in which case your supervisor may offer you responsibility for new projects or graduate students. Saying no to him/her can be difficult for various reasons, e.g., fear of potentially creating conflict in your relationship or causing a negative reaction or of perhaps losing the opportunity to be included in future research activities and publications. It can also be difficult to let go of a topic or project to which you are wedded or to miss out on the opportunity to help train the next generation of scientists. In such situations, referring back to your plan (Rule 1), previously agreed upon with your supervisor, should help to remind you both of your priorities and deadlines, making negotiation easier. However, should any conflict of opinion arise between you, bear in mind that finding a mutually agreeable solution is the best way forward. You can take advice from a mentor or refer to the many publications that provide approaches and tactics for effective negotiation. If the relationship between you and your supervisor is more complicated and cannot be resolved by a discussion, you may need to turn to your graduate school, your academic committee, or other senior managers in your institution, who can act to mediate the situation.

Rule 3: “The Truth Can Wait”

A research project is never really finished, so do not try to do everything before submitting. In fact, the perfect doctoral thesis does not exist; there are students with good research projects and many publications and others with more difficult and testing challenges who are still waiting for their first paper. If the project is ambitious, it might take several years to reach the final goal, and thus the thesis might only be a small part of the whole story. If the project is going well, it will open up new research questions and future directions, some of which will be beyond the scope of a PhD. At some point, you need to decide that what you have is enough for a PhD and start writing (a strategy we heard described at a dissertation-writing seminar in Cambridge as “the truth can wait”; it helps to write this on a post-it note and stick it on your computer!). Starting to write the thesis is not easy when there is a sense that more could be done to accumulate more data and a fuller story; a common mistake is to go back to the lab instead of getting started with the results chapters of the thesis. To postpone writing will cause delays and not necessarily improve the thesis whilst increasing the prospect of unfulfilled and extended deadlines. Thus, once the experiments that you have agreed on have been completed, it is really important to start writing with the data in hand.

Rule 4: Enlist Support

Finalizing experiments and writing the thesis (and even papers), as well as considering your next career transition, can be stressful and even isolating. It is a contrast to the relatively more relaxed earlier years of the PhD experience, and the writing process does not come naturally to everyone. The prospect of facing these stresses alone can make the experience even harder to bear, so it is advisable to communicate with and find support in those you trust and respect. Relying on such people during this period can help to ease the strain and enable you to achieve your final aims so that you arrive at your PhD graduation with your sanity still intact! Talking about personal feelings with selected colleagues usually helps you to realize that you are not alone, whatever difficulties and challenges you might be experiencing with your research project, supervisor, or coworkers. Sharing uncertainties and talking through issues can be constructive, helping you to understand the strategies other people use to cope with similar problems. As well as colleagues, it can also help to talk to friends and family, even though they won't be as au fait with the highly particular challenges you are experiencing. You can share your feelings and anxieties with them, but they can also act as a welcome distraction to help you to relax and take a break from thinking about the stresses of your PhD.

Support and advice can also come in the shape of courses, books, blogs, mentoring, etc. There is much published on the subject of how to write a thesis [1] . Furthermore, graduate schools, such as those in which we are based, usually offer courses to help PhD candidates improve their personal and professional skills. For example, the University of Zurich organizes courses on, amongst others, time and self-management skills, managing conflict, and academic writing and publishing [2] . The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard lists workshops and resources offered across the university on topics such as scientific writing, time management, and overcoming procrastination. In addition to relying on your supervisor, postdoctoral researchers in your group or department (or even friendly collaborators) may agree to read chapters of your thesis and comment on aspects such as content, logical flow of ideas, and the overall structure. At a later stage, you may want to engage someone to check your grammar, spelling, and reference style (this can be especially important if you are not writing in your native language). If your PhD defense includes a presentation, try to practice beforehand, preferably in front of some of your peers, and include asking for feedback and possible questions that may come up. This should make you feel more prepared and confident.

Rule 5: Get Familiar with the Software

Being familiar with software for both writing and making figures will facilitate the creation of your thesis. One of the most effective tools with which to produce a scientific document is LaTeX ( www.latex-project.org ). This software, freely available, is not as immediately understandable as other text editors, but the advantages are greater: it offers a professional layout similar to published books, it makes the insertion and management of figures easier as their position in the file does not depend on text editing, and it allows for easy typesetting of mathematical equations and referencing of articles from a bibliography database. Moreover, the text file size does not increase while inserting figures, making its handling easier. An example LaTeX package for typesetting dissertations is “classicthesis”, written by André Miede ( http://www.miede.de/index.php?page=classicthesis ). Although advantageous, LaTeX can also present disadvantages. In contrast to commonly used text editors (e.g., Microsoft Word), it does not make it easy to track changes in the manuscript, often a preferred way for supervisors to correct theses in an electronic form. Therefore, we suggest you discuss the preferred software with your supervisor when you agree upon your plan (Rule 1).

A professional design software can also speed up the creation of figures for your thesis, which can be further used for your final PhD presentation, so check whether your institution provides an introductory course to some of these software packages. Taking a one-day class can save you a lot of time later. Organize your bibliography; many excellent reference managers exist that allow you to catalogue and annotate the papers you have read and integrate them seamlessly with text processing software (e.g., Endnote or the freely available Mendeley and Readcube). Choose one that fits your needs and check whether your university provides institutional licenses (and be disciplined about adding each paper you read to it!).

Consider using version control software. This allows you to keep a log of all the changes you make to a file or directory and makes it easy to recover a previous version if something goes wrong or to merge two versions of a file. This is often used in software projects to produce, document, and improve computer code, but it can also be useful when working on a long text document, such as a dissertation. Commonly used free version control systems include git/GitHub [git, github], Subversion [svn], and Bazaar [bzr] (see Table 1 ).

Most important of all is to have a backup strategy. A hard-drive crash at the wrong moment can set your work back by weeks and jeopardize the timely completion of your thesis. Institutions or departments will often have a backup system employees can make use of. This may require you to install a specific piece of software on your computer that backs up your data at regular intervals or to save your file on an institute server. Contact the information technology (IT) department at your institute to learn about your options.

Rule 6: Know Your University's Procedures and Regulations

During the course of your PhD, you will have been acquiring project management skills, such as organizing your time and resources, reviewing progress, and meeting deadlines. In order to avoid last-minute surprises, you can capitalize on and develop these skills during the final year of your PhD. Prepare a list of all the documents and certificates that you will need, even before you start writing; it will be of critical importance to include this information in your plan and priorities (Rules 1 and 2). Having a good working relationship with someone who can help you to navigate a bureaucratic process will usually be an asset and will ensure you are familiar and aware of all the rules. Considering the amount of documents and certificates that are needed for handing in a thesis, it is advantageous to introduce yourself to the institute secretary or human resources manager, as well as any other staff who can help you to deal with the administrative side of the process. Don't rely on previous documents, which may have been revised since the last person in your group graduated. Be aware of all the necessary institutional administrative requirements (e.g., credit points, research seminar attendance, publications, etc.), as well as the faculty criteria, including deadlines (as well the date of the graduation ceremony), thesis copy numbers and format, font size, binding, and supporting documents. Take time to go through the list of documents and start collecting them in a folder. Get the formatting right early on, e.g., by using a dedicated template file. With your documents in order, you are bound to feel you have the situation more under control, which can help to reduce stress and enable you to focus more closely on writing your thesis.

Rule 7: Exploit Synergies

You are doing a lot of work for your thesis, so use it to your advantage. The literature review in your introduction can also be used to write and publish a future review article, an idea that might also be welcomed by your supervisor. If you are intending to write a grant proposal for a postdoctoral fellowship on a similar research topic, you can use some of the thesis introduction and future directions as a basis for your research plan. If you are keen to gain teaching experience, you could propose a short course on your specialty area. For instance, at Harvard Medical School, senior graduate students and postdoctoral researchers can be involved in lecturing on short, specialized “nanocourses” [3] . You may also be able to deliver a specialized lecture within a class your supervisor is teaching or, ideally after you have completed the PhD, teach at a workshop or summer school.

Take advantage of opportunities to deliver a talk as an invited speaker at a conference or at another institute, for example, if you are visiting a research group or investigating possible postdoctoral options. This will give you the chance to practice your defense presentation in front of an unfamiliar audience and, at the same time, allow a potential future supervisor and colleagues to gain a more complete picture of your research interests, skills, and personality.

Rule 8: Pay Attention to Your Career

It is not always easy to decide on which career path to follow after your PhD. You have been trained primarily towards an academic research career, and so many PhD graduates choose to continue on with a postdoctoral position as their first career destination. This is perfectly acceptable, and many industrial employers look upon early-career postdoctorals favorably. However, it is worth bearing in mind that permanent tenured positions are hard to secure nowadays and competition is tough, with less than 5% of those who complete a PhD ultimately realizing an academic career [4] . For those who are determined to have an academic career, a strategic research plan is crucial; for those who are unsure, a viable alternative career plan is equally important.

Knowledge of your professional and personal skills and capabilities, personality, values, and interests, as well as how to map them onto the job market and sell them to employers, will help you to make effective career decisions and a successful transition to your next job. In addition, factors such as your personal situation and priorities, mobility, and preferred work–life balance all need to be taken into consideration before entering the complicated world of the job market. Be ready to make compromises either in your work or personal life, depending on your priorities. Take advantage of courses and professional career guidance and coaching while you are still at university, as they are usually offered free of charge. Along with books and websites, face-to-face career support can help raise your self-awareness and knowledge of the job market so you can start to decide which types of career may best suit you. Blackford's book and blog [4] contain useful material on career planning for bioscientists, with concrete examples of different career paths within and outside of academia, and further information and resources. In addition, the Science Careers portal offers an online tool [5] to create an individual development plan and explore your career options based on your skills, interests, and values. Also, take advantage of dedicated career job boards associated with specialist websites, such as that of the International Society for Computational Biology [6] .

How soon should you start job seeking? Finding a job whilst writing up your thesis can seem like an attractive prospect, but it's important to consider that applying for jobs can easily take up as much time as working a full-time job. Then, if you do secure a job, the time left for writing up your thesis, completing experiments, and wrapping up your lab work will be seriously limited. It is exceedingly hard to write a doctoral thesis in the evenings after work or on the weekends, so in case you are offered a job before you have finished the PhD, consider seriously how this might affect your work and life. On the other hand, finishing a PhD when scholarship money has been seriously reduced (or has run out) comes with a different set of challenges. Many students need to tap into their savings (if indeed they have any), drastically reduce their spending, and move out of their accommodation. Losing employment at the university can also affect health insurance, social security, and visa status. Finishing up a PhD under these additional constraints and pressures can be extremely challenging, both logistically and psychologically. To ensure that you can concentrate all your time on (and get paid for) finishing your PhD, start planning ahead one year earlier. Be aware of your university's regulations, talk to your supervisor about the funding situation (is it possible for you stay on as a postdoctoral researcher for a short period?), and know what you need to do in order to finish on time (Rule 1).

Rule 9: Network

Unofficial statistics tell us that only around 30% of jobs are advertised, so to enhance your employment prospects you would be well advised to network in order to access the hidden job market. During the final year of your PhD, and even earlier, you can build up and extend your network so that your chances of finding the job of your choice are optimized. If you are looking for research positions, your supervisor might have contacts or know about positions available in academia or industry. Reviewing your personal network further will reveal it consists of colleagues, friends, and family. You may also have a wider network of collaborators (research and industry), people associated with your research whom you have met during the course of your PhD, as well as many others. Conferences, seminars, informal gatherings, and learned societies are great places to meet the academic community face to face or to broaden your horizons. Job fairs are held at universities and sometimes during conferences, where experts from industry look for potential employees as well as sometimes provide informal advice on your curriculum vitae (CV). Try to exploit these opportunities if they come your way.

A relatively recent, and highly democratic, addition to the networking system is social media, through which it is possible to meet people online from all over the world and from all walks of life. More and more professors, researchers, students, policy makers, science “celebrities”, science communicators, industry personnel, and professionals have a presence on social media, using it primarily for work-related purposes. Researchgate, LinkedIn, and Twitter are probably the most useful platforms for networking with academia, business, and the wider world, respectively. Your online profile should be fully completed and reflect your expertise, achievements, and personality. Used to greatest effect, social media will give you access to information, jobs, and influential people—its importance to you as a PhD student cannot be overestimated.

Rule 10: Leave on Good Terms

Wrap up the work in your lab, especially if you are leaving the institute. This includes any required training of new personnel in the methods and techniques you use, having lab notes in order, making it easy for other lab members to access your protocols and data, organizing and labelling your reagents and equipment, and documenting your computer code. If someone is taking over an unfinished project from you, take time to hand it over. Discuss with your supervisor to find a solution for who will do the final experiments, how to proceed with the writing of journal manuscripts, and what should be the order of authorship. If you have started a project that you want to take with you to your new lab, discuss with your supervisor how to handle possible future publications and how to agree on material transfer. If your work resulted in patents or patentable innovations, make sure you are clear about regulations concerning patents and intellectual property, both at your PhD institution and at the institution to which you are moving. Stay in touch with your former colleagues and cultivate the contacts you have made in graduate school; they are sure to be useful during the course of your career.

Acknowledgments

Jacopo Marino is grateful to colleagues from the University of Zurich for the everyday discussions that have inspired this manuscript. Melanie I. Stefan is likewise grateful for discussions on the topic with fellow predocs (and sympathetic postdocs) at the European Bioinformatics Institute. She would also like to acknowledge advice and support from Nicolas Le Novère and Susan Jones, which helped her navigate her PhD and graduate in a timely manner. She has since learnt a lot from discussions with colleagues at the California Institute of Technology, the University of Tokyo, and Harvard Medical School.

Funding Statement

The authors have received no specific funding for this article.

• The PhD Journey - Stages of a Doctoral Degree

The PhD Journey

Written by Mark Bennett

A PhD typically involves between three and four years of full-time study, culminating in a thesis which makes an original contribution to your field.

The process of getting a PhD is made up of quite a few components and milestones, from the literature review and writing up your dissertation right through to the viva examination at the end.

This section is a guide on how to do a PhD, providing in-depth advice and information on some of the main challenges and opportunities you’ll meet along the way!.

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7 stages of the PhD journey

A PhD has a few landmark milestones along the way. The three to four year you'll spend doing a PhD can be divided into these seven stages.

• Preparing a research proposal
• Carrying out a literature review
• Conducting research and collecting results
• Completing the MPhil to PhD upgrade
• Participating in PhD teaching, conferences and publications
• Writing your thesis
• Defending your PhD results at a viva voce

We've expanded on what you can expect from each stage below.

1. Preparing a research proposal

Strictly speaking, your research proposal isn’t part of your PhD. Instead it’s normally part of the PhD application process.

The research proposal sets out the aims and objectives for your PhD: the original topic you plan to study and / or the questions you’ll set out to answer.

It also explains why your work is worthwhile and why it fits with the expertise and objectives of your university.

Finally, a PhD proposal explains how you plan to go about completing your doctorate. This involves identifying the existing scholarship your work will be in dialogue with and the methods you plan to use in your research.

All of this means that, even though the proposal precedes the PhD itself, it plays a vital role in shaping your project and signposting the work you’ll be doing over the next three or more years.

2. Carrying out a literature review

The literature review is normally the first thing you’ll tackle after beginning your PhD and having an initial meeting with your supervisor.

It’s a thorough survey of work in your field (the current scholarly ‘literature’) that relates to your project or to related topics.

Your supervisor will offer some advice and direction, after which you’ll identify, examine and evaluate existing data and scholarship.

In most cases the literature review will actually form part of your final PhD dissertation – usually setting up the context for the project, before you begin to explain and demonstrate your own thesis.

Sometimes a literature review can also be evaluated as part of your MPhil upgrade .

Research vs scholarship

Research and scholarship are both important parts of a PhD. But they aren't the same thing - and it's helpful to know the difference. Research is the original work you produce with your thesis. Scholarship is the expert understanding of your subject area that enables you to conduct valuable research.

3. Conducting research and collecting results

Once you’ve carried out your literature review, you’ll move from scholarship to research .

This doesn’t mean you’ll never read another academic article or consult someone else’s data again. Far from it. You’ll stay up to date with any new developments in your field and incorporate these into your literature review as necessary.

But, from here on in, your primary focus in your PhD process is going to be investigating your own research question. This means carrying out organised research and producing results upon which to base your conclusions.

Types of PhD research

The research process and the type of results you collect will depend upon your subject area:

• In Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects you’ll focus on designing experiments, before recording and analysing their outcomes. This often means assembling and managing complex numerical datasets – sometimes in collaboration with the rest of your laboratory or workshop.
• In Social Science subjects you’ll be more focussed on designing surveys or conducting case studies. These will produce quantitative or qualitative data, depending on the nature of your work.
• In Arts and Humanities subjects you’ll often have less raw data, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be working with ‘hard’ factual information. You’ll analyse texts, sources and other materials according to an accepted methodology and reflect upon the significance of your findings.

Whatever subject you’re in, this research work will account for the greater part of your PhD results. You’ll have regular meetings with your supervisor, but the day-to-day management of your project and its progress will be your own responsibility.

In some fields it’s common to begin writing up your findings as you collect them, developing your thesis and completing the accompanying dissertation chapter-by-chapter. In other cases you’ll wait until you have a full dataset before reviewing and recording your conclusions.

4. Completing an MPhil to PhD upgrade

At UK universities it’s common to register new PhD students for an MPhil before ‘ upgrading ’ them to ‘full’ doctoral candidates. This usually takes place after one year of full-time study (or its part-time equivalent).

Forcing you to register for a ‘lesser’ degree may seem strange, but it’s actually an important part of the training and development a PhD offers:

• As an MPhil student you’re able to comprehend your field and produce new research.
• As a PhD student you’re able to go that crucial step further and produce the significant original contribution to knowledge that defines a doctorate.

The MPhil upgrade is when you take the step from the former to the latter.

The MPhil upgrade exam

Upgrading from MPhil to PhD registration usually involves a form of oral exam – similar to the viva voce that concludes a PhD. But, unlike a full viva, the MPhil upgrade is less formal and only covers part of your thesis.

In most cases you’ll submit a small amount of the material you’ve produced so far. This could be a draft of your first chapter (or part of it) and / or your literature review. You could also be asked to reflect on your progress in general.

You’ll then sit down with your supervisor and someone else from your department (familiar with your field, but unrelated to your project). They’ll offer feedback on the quality of your work and ask questions about your findings.

The aim of the process won’t be to examine your drafts so much as to confirm that your project has the potential to justify a PhD – and that you’re on track to complete it on time.

‘Failing’ a PhD upgrade is actually quite rare. Your university may ask you to repeat the procedure if they are concerned that you haven’t made sufficient progress or established a viable plan for the rest of your project.

What is an MPhil?

The MPhil (Master of Philosophy) is also a research degree, but its scope is more limited than a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). And no, just like a PhD, an MPhil isn’t necessarily a Philosophy qualification. Our guide covers all you need to know about the difference between a MPhil and PhD .

5. PhD teaching, conferences and publications

During the PhD process, you’ll have lots of opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities, such as teaching, academic conferences and publications.

Although it isn’t usually compulsory to participate in these, they can be an incredibly rewarding experience and will look great on your CV.

Teaching during a PhD normally involves hosting undergraduate seminars or supervising students in the lab, as well as marking work and providing feedback.

Academic conferences are an excellent way to network with like-minded colleagues and find out the latest developments in your field. You might even be able to present your own work to your peers at one of these events.

Publishing during a PhD will help you increase your academic profile, as well as give you experience of the peer review process. It’s not normally a requisite of your PhD, but publications will certainly help if you plan on applying for postdoc positions.

6. Writing your thesis

As the culmination of three or more years of hard work, the thesis (or dissertation) is the most important part of the procedure to get your PhD, presenting you with the opportunity to make an original scholarly contribution to your discipline.

Our guide to writing your thesis covers everything you need to know about this lengthy research project, from structure and word count to writing up and submission.

We’ve also written a guide to the PhD dissertation abstract , which is an important part of any thesis.

7. Defending your PhD results at a viva voce

Unlike other degrees, a PhD isn’t normally marked as a piece of written work. Instead your dissertation will be submitted for an oral examination known as a viva voce (Latin for ‘living voice’).

This is a formal procedure, during which you ‘defend’ your thesis in front of appointed examiners, each of whom will have read your dissertation thoroughly in advance.

Examiners at a viva voce

A PhD is normally examined by two academic experts:

• One will be an internal examiner, usually appointed from elsewhere in your faculty and department. They won’t be directly associated with your project, but will have sufficient expertise to assess your findings.
• The other will be an external examiner. They will be a recognised expert in the area you are researching, with a record of relevant research and publication. Most universities in the UK allow you to invite an external examiner of your choice, provided there is no existing conflict of interest.

Your supervisor will help you prepare for the viva and will offer advice on choosing an external examiner. However, they will not normally be present during the examination.

The PhD timeline

Ready to take the next step?

There's lots more information about how to get a PhD in our advice section . Or, if you're ready to start looking at different projects, why not check out one of the thousands of current PhD opportunities in our database?

Not sure how PhD study will differ from a Masters? In this guide, we take a look at how the two qualifications compare, including applications, course structure, assessment and more.

Every student will need to write an abstract for their PhD dissertation. Here's everything you need to know about what an academic abstract is and how to write one.

What can you expect from a PhD? What's life actually like as a postgraduate student? Read our guides to the doctoral research experience.

The viva voce is the final oral exam at the end of a PhD degree. Our guide explains the usual viva format, covers common questions and explains how to prepare.

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Adventures of a PhD candidate

Reflections on the thesis journey

Six things you should know about the final year of the PhD journey!

If you look for advice about the PhD process it largely seems to be ‘what I wished I’d know at the start’ or ‘what I wish I knew before starting my PhD’ etc. I thought I would go a little differently and list what I wish I had known about the final year .

What follows is a list of my reflections on the final year of my PhD. When reading, remember I am in Australia so we usually have a 2-4 year program and no comprehensive exams/vivas. We find a supervisor, get into the program and work on our project straight away. Our examination process does not include a viva, we await reports from two examiners unknown to us.

Before we get into the list, I will also caution that this list is more of a reflection, and offers next to no solutions. It is more of a cautionary tale.

Things I wish I had known about the final year:

• Editing and responding to feedback takes time. You will get frustrated as your supervisors send back your draft with more feedback. At times, it will feel as if you cannot get it right. But you will. You will get through it, you have made it this far and there is no turning back now.
• Close editing takes a lot of time and energy. As part of the final two weeks prior to submission, I checked the finer details of my thesis . I was surprised at how exhausted I was after checking my references and I encourage you to allocate double the time you think you will need. It will take longer than you think!
• You may restructure your thesis and this is okay. I submitted my thesis in June 2021, but I completely restructured my thesis three months prior (in March) and before that, I had restructured it in October 2020. Being strongly committed to one way of reporting your data or organising your front chapters may stifle your creativity. I was suprisingly upset at the thought of having to re-structure my thesis; however, once I restructured in March, I immediately saw a clearer vision for my thesis and it helped make a cohesive narrative.
• Any sense of organisation will probably go out the window. I am an extremely organised person. I have multiple back ups , neat file structures, I make lists, set weekly goals , follow set ways of organising my readings etc etc. But in the last year of my PhD, I felt I was increasingly losing my ability to keep things organised. At one point, I accidentally started making substantial changes in an old version of my thesis draft. Luckily I realised before I got too far.
• The day you submit, you will feel bone-tired and a little strange. Somebody told me that when they submitted they were too tired to enjoy themselves and that it was a strange feeling which wasn’t quite the jubilation you might expect. I smiled and commiserated, all the while thinking this wouldn’t happen to me! Spoiler alert: I was in bed at 8pm the night I submitted my thesis.
• When you get your results, you may be scared to open the email . I received the email with my results at 9:37am on a random Thursday in July. I remember staring at the email, knowing the results were in there waiting for me to see – but I found myself unable to open them. I spent at least a few minutes staring at the attachment and promptly burst into tears.
• You will feel a rollercoaster of emotions. In the last year of my PhD, I felt a range of emotions and my poor supervisors saw me cry in many meetings. Looking back, I think a lot of the emotions were about my own commitment to what I had written and being scared to change how it was written or structured (it all seemed too daunting).

Now, having written this list, I know those of you who are approaching your final year are probably thinking the same thing, ‘Yeah, but that won’t happen to me’. I sincerely hope it does not happen to you, but if it does, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

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Career Guide  31 January 2020

Career resources for PhD students

The PhD is used to train most research scientists around the world and provides evidence of a gruelling period of independent study. But critics say many graduate student programmes have not adapted to accommodate changes in the workplace. Do PhDs need a rethink? This collection of articles and resources from across Nature Research looks at the PhD from a range of different perspectives.

• Career Guide content
• Jobs and training

Graduate student survey 2022

Stress and uncertainty drag down graduate students’ satisfaction

Scholars in PhD and master’s programmes struggle with securing work–life balance and support around career training and mental health, finds Nature survey.

• Chris Woolston

‘Not even enough money for food’: graduate students face cash crunch

The cost-of-living crisis is causing widespread financial distress among those in master’s and PhD programmes worldwide.

The scandal of researchers paid less than a living wage

The cost-of-living crisis is a fundamental threat for PhD scholars and early-career researchers. They need to be paid properly.

‘I don’t want this kind of life’: graduate students question career options

As interest in academia fades, scholars in PhD and master’s programmes are dubious about the value of their degree in advancing their professional lives, finds Nature survey.

Obstacle race: the barriers facing graduates who study abroad

Visa woes and a lack of career prospects affect many international students, Nature ’s survey finds.

‘Intellectual challenge’: master’s students find reasons to be satisfied with their degree programmes

Graduate scholars are eager to launch their careers, eschewing the years of further study required for doctoral degrees.

‘Beyond anything I could have imagined’: graduate students speak out about racism

Bias and discrimination are rife in master’s and PhD programmes worldwide, a Nature survey finds.

Hunger on campus: why US PhD students are fighting over food

Graduate students are relying on donated and discounted food in the struggle to make ends meet.

• Laurie Udesky

How we landed job interviews for professorships straight out of our PhD programmes

Follow these tips for an uber-organized (and successful) job hunt.

• Violeta Rodriguez

How two PhD students overcame the odds to snag tenure-track jobs

Between us, we got several offers to lead labs before we had finished our PhDs.

Three actions PhD-holders should take to land their next job

A hiring manager reveals the lessons he learnt when transitioning from a PhD programme to industry.

• Fawzi Abou-Chahine

Insights from four female scientists caught at the early-career crossroads

Facing challenges including parenthood, mental-health strain and financial pressures, these researchers give advice for navigating the uncertain paths before them.

• Lesley Evans Ogden

How a peer network made my worst day as a grad student bearable

Anxiety and depression affect nearly half of all early-career researchers. Strengthening our communities from within can provide relief, says Taylor Tibbs.

• Taylor Tibbs

How mixing academia and industry opens doors in graduate school and beyond

A growing number of PhD programmes and postdoc positions combine academic questions and industry resources.

• Freda Kreier

How to cold e-mail for a PhD

I learnt the benefits of reaching out through e-mail while I was a student, now I receive many cold e-mails myself. Here’s how to write a good one.

• Melissa Hart

New Year’s resolutions of a final-year PhD student

Andrew Wood plans for a career-defining 12 months ahead, and what he needs to focus on.

• Andrew Wood

How a pandemic PhD peer network group stood the test of time

As the first graduate student in a new lab, Jillian Collins came to rely on regular virtual meetings with peers from across the United States.

• Jillian Collins

Do two PhDs make twice the researcher?

Some scientists earn two PhD degrees to expand their skills, cross fields or create a niche research programme.

• Virginia Gewin

PhD students face cash crisis with wages that don’t cover living costs

As inflation rates soar, new data on the finances of US graduate students spark calls for action.

Starting a scientific career with narcolepsy

Ronja Weber describes living as a PhD student with narcolepsy, a chronic condition that disrupts sleep-wake processes.

• Ronja Weber

Why I got a PhD at age 61

A chance meeting at a scientific retreat took Zoltán Kócsi from the electronics industry to the entomology lab.

• Zoltán Kócsi

Owning, not doing: my transition from master’s to PhD student

Yuning Wang learned to rely less on her supervisor’s guidance during her doctoral programme, an important step on the road to research autonomy.

• Yuning Wang

How I navigated my way through a midlife PhD

Roger Tipton was approaching 50 when he made a bold career move. Here’s what he learnt.

• Roger Tipton

‘Hard’ skills from our PhDs remain relevant beyond academia

Experience in grant-writing, data analysis and presentation will serve you well, say Samantha Baggott and Jonathan McGuire.

• Jonathan McGuire
• Samantha Baggott

Depression and anxiety ‘the norm’ for UK PhD students

A new survey underscores mental-health risks for doctoral researchers.

Managing up: how to communicate effectively with your PhD adviser

Your supervisor has a vested interest in your success. Set the right tone and communication style when you meet with them.

• Lluís Saló-Salgado
• Angi Acocella
• Augustine Zvinavashe

How I tackled post-PhD imposter syndrome

Kelsey Inouye’s job search gave her panic attacks and dented her self-esteem. But she learnt to take rejection in her stride.

• Kelsey Inouye

How to manage the uncertainty of a remote PhD

Satheesh Kumar has found ways to be productive without ever visiting his supervisor or lab.

• Satheesh Kumar

Take a walk: it’s the easiest way to step away from your graduate studies

Aine Lehane’s dog taught her the value of taking a break.

• Aine Lehane

The 100 memes that immortalize my PhD defence

Sophie Dufour-Beauséjour chose an unusual way to capture an academic rite of passage, with a little help from her friends.

• Sophie Dufour-Beauséjour

Six lessons from a pandemic PhD student

If you’re starting a doctoral programme later this year, particularly if your institution is still facing COVID-19 restrictions, Ciara O’Brien has some advice.

• Ciara O’Brien

You can help to create a new researcher-reward system

Universities, funders and others want to expand the contributions that the scientific community values and recognizes, says Karen Stroobants.

• Karen Stroobants

Sell yourself and your science in a compelling personal statement

Don’t get bogged down in technical details, and balance the professional and the personal.

Why you should consider becoming a doctoral representative

Join a group that represents PhD researchers to improve the working environment of your colleagues and to make friends.

• Michaela Löffler

My 2020 as an ‘alien’ PhD student in New York

Cecilia Zumajo-Cardona learnt three key lessons as an international graduate student in the United States, and is optimistic about 2021.

• Cecilia Zumajo-Cardona

Lifelong lessons from my unexpected encounter with a synchrotron

Biomedical scientist Vladimira Foteva didn’t imagine she would be working with physicists at an Australian particle accelerator when she began her PhD, but the experience taught her the value of collaboration across disciplines.

• Vladimira Foteva

My 11 part-time jobs made me a better PhD student

Waitressing, bartending and tutoring stole time from my academic studies, but I picked up transferable skills that still serve me well, says Cassie Sims.

• Cassie Sims

The lonely marathon run that transformed my approach to graduate school

When encouragement from friends, colleagues and family became harder to find, Taylor Engdahl learnt how to push herself.

• Taylor Engdahl

How I run a lab and work as a PhD student simultaneously

Oday Abushalbaq outlines his experience leading a team of neuroscience researchers from 9,000 kilometres away — while completing his PhD training.

• Oday Abushalbaq

Why comparing yourself to other graduate students is counter-productive

Julia Nolte realized that the only fair comparison to make during a PhD is with your past self.

• Julia Nolte

How managing a chronic illness gave me skills that would strengthen my PhD

A childhood diagnosis of type 1 diabetes taught Olivia Favor about the importance of meticulous record-keeping and other skills that proved useful in the lab.

• Olivia Favor

How science should support researchers with visual impairments

Naheda Sahtout says being legally blind doesn’t fundamentally affect her skills, and argues that science needs to start a conversation to attract and empower more researchers like her.

• Naheda Sahtout

How to shake off the ‘impostor’ fears that plague your PhD studies

Three strategies for fighting those insidious feelings that you don’t deserve to be where you are.

• Maisie Keogh

Fifteen to one: how many applications it can take to land a single academic job offer

Survey finds that standard metrics of success can’t completely explain why some candidates get offers and others don’t.

• Nina Notman

Overcoming my writing guilt: writing in lockdown

How a PhD student found a way to be productive during lockdown after weeks of inactivity.

US government rescinds antagonistic international-student visa policy

Plan to force students to take in-person classes or face deportation is dropped during a federal hearing.

Bleak financial outlook for PhD students in Australia

Unable to afford medicines, utilities and housing, some students expect to suspend their doctoral programmes or drop out.

Coronavirus diaries: a lockdown letter to myself as a PhD student

A closed lab prompts John Tregoning to reflect on his early career, informed by his 12-year-old son’s response to COVID-19.

• John Tregoning

How lost lizards and Hurricane Irma are helping me get through coronavirus restrictions

When the coronavirus pandemic struck, field ecologist Nicholas Herrmann adopted a perspective inspired by experiences earlier in his PhD.

• Nicholas Herrmann

Design your own doctoral project

Instead of looking for PhD positions, designing your own project offers advantages and challenges, says Jesko Becker.

• Jesko Becker

Five ‘power skills’ for becoming a team leader

Volunteering with an organization can improve communication and help you adapt to the unexpected, say Sarah Groover and Ruth Gotian.

• Sarah Groover
• Ruth Gotian

Embracing challenge: combining marathon training with graduate studies

Preparing for three races in three years at university showed Kathryn Wierenga parallels between running and PhD work.

• Kathryn Wierenga

The PhD student’s dilemma

Navigating the turbulent waters of the doctoral voyage

• Sidique Gawusu

PhDs: the tortuous truth

Nature ’s survey of more than 6,000 graduate students reveals the turbulent nature of doctoral research.

A message for mentors from dissatisfied graduate students

In this second article to mark Nature ’s 2019 graduate survey, respondents call for more one-to-one support and better career guidance.

PhD students in China report misery and hope

Nature ’s biennial doctoral-student survey reveals struggles for work–life balance, career guidance and emotional support.

• Sarah O’Meara

The mental health of PhD researchers demands urgent attention

Anxiety and depression in graduate students is worsening. The health of the next generation of researchers needs systemic change to research cultures.

Founding a global biotechnology summit — while pursuing a PhD

Ipshita Mandal-Johnson teamed up with other graduate students to set up an annual forum to develop tomorrow’s biotechnology leaders. This is what she learnt.

• Ipshita Mandal-Johnson

Moving from prison to a PhD

Nature spoke to three US researchers who have built academic careers after they were released.

Don’t miss your PhD deadline

Top tips for avoiding last-minute disasters and filing your thesis on time.

• Nic Fleming

Working Scientist podcast: Start looking for jobs before you finish your PhD

Gaia Donati and Julie Gould discuss some of the career issues faced by physicists today.

• Julie Gould

Communicating science at a music festival — with 135,000 attendees

Helen Currie has shared her fish-migration research at several UK festivals, including Glastonbury.

Biking through my PhD

Overcoming my initial struggles after leaving China to start my PhD has been like riding a bike.

• Shuxuan Zheng

What I wish my friends and family knew about my PhD

Support must come from a place of understanding, says Kate Samardzic.

• Kate Samardzic

What not to do in graduate school

Six limiting maxims PhD students should avoid.

• Buddini Karawdeniya

My nine steps to success as a PhD student in Nigeria

Medical physicist Iyobosa Uwadiae ignored sceptics who questioned her plan to pursue a doctoral programme in the African nation. Here is her advice.

• Iyobosa Uwadiae

How I explained a gap in my CV when applying to graduate school

Circumstances outside my control contributed to a year of ‘F’s when I started at university, but by owning the experience and addressing it directly, I strengthened my application to do a PhD, says Jasper Elan Hunt.

• Jasper Elan Hunt

Five reasons to do an internship during your PhD programme

Rekindle your love for problem-solving by taking your lab skills to a completely different environment, says Jessica Sagers.

• Jessica Sagers

The career costs of COVID-19: how postdocs and PhD students are paying the price

Closed labs and rescinded job offers have snatched away opportunities. How can science bounce back? Julie Gould finds out.

Working Scientist podcast: How apartheid's legacy can still cast a shadow over doctoral education in South Africa

PhD programmes in "the rainbow nation" mostly lead to academic careers, but reform is needed to boost collaboration and integration, higher education experts tell Julie Gould.

Working Scientist podcast: The PhD thesis and how to boost its impact

The thesis is a central element of how graduate students are assessed. But is it time for an overhaul? Julie Gould finds out.

Working Scientist podcast: Team PhD

Scientific research is not the endeavour of a single person. It requires a team of people. How can this be better reflected in graduate student training, asks Julie Gould.

Working Scientist podcast: It's time to fix the "one size fits all" PhD

Julie Gould asks six higher education experts if it's now time to go back to the drawing board and redesign graduate programmes from scratch.

Working Scientist podcast: Too many PhDs, too few research positions

Students need to be clear about their reasons for pursuing a PhD and the career options open to them, Julie Gould discovers.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Dr Rachael Lappan

Microbiologist and ARC DECRA Fellow

• Melbourne, Australia
• ResearchGate
• Google Scholar

Surviving the final year

12 minute read

Published: February 22, 2019

I recently survived the final year of a PhD. Yes, it can be done. Look! I’m actually handing it in and moving on with my life! (Sort of).

After 8 years as a student at @uwanews , 5 years of which were spent at @telethonkids , I am finally entering the real world and am now just... unemployed 😅Thanks to everyone whose support got me here. #PhD #phdchat #phdone #phdohgodwhatnow pic.twitter.com/mztxbgCOOk — Rachael Lappan (@RachaelLappan) December 19, 2018

Each individual’s PhD experience is very unique, but I expect most people will experience stress, burnout, misery, guilt, despair, impostor syndrome or a mid-PhD crisis at some point along the way. Spatterings of these things probably serve to build character, but they’re a real problem when they impede your progress and drain your overall life happiness. The final year in particular, where everything suddenly becomes real and urgent, is generally going to suck for a while. Now, no advice you will receive is going to be a replacement for counselling (which is absolutely worth trying even if you consider yourself mentally healthy). But here’s some perspectives, in no particular order, from someone who made it out alive (but not unchanged). 1

Managing time and commitments

Dealing with being overwhelmed, life stuff (that non-phd stuff that wasn’t supposed to disappear), getting the thing done.

At the start of your PhD, it may have been easier to plan your time. With 3-4 years ahead of you, there was plenty of room to be generous in estimating how long things might take. It was forseeable that you may not get all the results you hoped for, the research direction may change, or that you might run into a bunch of technical challenges. This is scientific research. However, now you’re in the final year everything needs to be wrapped up and finished. Going weeks or months over schedule because of other commitments, experiment failures or new avenues of research now means that you’re going to have to either live without money or spend most of your time on a paid job to survive. Delaying your submission makes it harder to finish, especially if the rest of your life moves on. So this is the year to be strict with your time.

Say no to more things. Be very critical of what you spend your time on. You are allowed to say no to things that take up chunks of your time but do not help you finish your thesis. People will understand, especially if they have a PhD. I tried to focus on things that either substantially added to my CV, or paid me some money. The rest of my time was mostly thesis, sleeping, eating and not abandoning my hobbies . Even then, remember that ‘finishing’ your thesis doesn’t mean ‘completing all the things’ - plan out what you need to achieve in order to have a good, examinable thesis. You may need to let go of other experiments/analyses if you simply do not have the time. This ensures you don’t end up doing an endless PhD, but can also be somewhat liberating; it’s nice to say “I simply haven’t got enough time left” and not have to worry about months of optimising, failure, or gaining a deep understanding of the method only to find out it doesn’t help you answer your question anyway.

Don’t worry about hours. Your time is up to you, especially once you’re in the writing up phase. I mean, don’t sleep through meetings with your supervisors, but in general, I found it beneficial to try and let go of the idea that I had to be in at 9am each day. You have a finite number of hours between now and when you submit, so it makes sense to use them whenever you will be most productive. If you need more sleep, get more sleep. If today’s a bad day and you only get a couple of hours work done, that’s okay. Nobody’s counting (and if they are, they shouldn’t be - like I say, we’re aiming for efficiency this year, not total time spent in agony). Weekends and evenings are probably going to be necessary, but I tried to leave easier work (like formatting) for these times when I knew my brain wouldn’t be very happy to be working.

At some point this year you may feel overwhelmed. Sometimes you will be so overwhelmingly overwhelmed that you find yourself unable to work. I found that this usually happened when I was hit by the sheer amount of work I had left to do (unquantifiable) and the short amount of time in which I had left to do it (quantifiable). I think this is where the panic comes from; the uncertainty of exactly how much time you do need, and the certainty of how much time you’ve got left. Something that helped me overcome this was to remember that at no point do you have do all of this work at once. The entire PhD is completed one small task at a time, no matter how good you are.

I would write lists or plan things out on paper when I became overwhelmed. This is where fountain pens and nice quality paper can change your life (that’s what I reckon anyway). Keep planning and replanning. This can keep you clear on what your goals are for each day. Make the tasks small (subsections or paragraphs for example); the smaller they are the more you get to tick off in a day, and the more productive you will feel. What is the most urgent task? What is the first step? Go from there. Sometimes taking a few minutes to clear your head (with a free 5-minute guided meditation for example, like in the Headspace app) can help you refocus and get cracking on something. You don’t need to plan out your whole week, or even your whole day - just what comes next. While you are writing up, you may also be needing to write some job applications. It is hard to do both at once when you are so stressed, but that’s okay - just slot it into your plan. Work on an application when you get sick of your thesis.

Also, in general - don’t compare yourself to others. It’s not a reliable measurement as there’s too many variables that differ and you’re each a sample size of 1. You really are your own worst critic. Be nice to yourself - remember, the poor thing is trying to finish a PhD.

Don’t forget about your family, friends, partner, children or fluffer. They love you. In the final year when you are probably at your busiest, it’s important to remember to make time for them. But you’re so busy, I know. However, remember that periods of rest are as essential as periods of work for long-term functioning. That’s how hearts work , and look at their productivity. Make the commitment to a dinner, some games, an outing, a short holiday - it doesn’t have to be much, but a bit of time without the PhD on your mind can be a great relief. It is challenging to combat the guilt, but I often reminded myself that I will be more efficient tomorrow if I conk out at 1pm, have a break, and come back fresh than if I push through into the evening when I’m just not feeling it. Always prioritise sleep.

The other important part of your life is food. Try to continue to eat well; if you eat poorly, you’ll feel worse in general (though I absolutely understand that a whole bag of chips can get you through a chapter). It really helps to have someone at home who can cook all your dinners for you (thanks Scott). If you don’t, look into those budget one pot meals and a slow cooker and cook up as many servings at once as you can (e.g. Budget Bytes ). This is especially useful when your scholarship funds have run out. Just don’t fill yourself with 2 minute noodles - you may never shit again. At least have some Metamucil with them.

I like producing good pieces of writing, and I’m reasonably good at it. The trouble with producing good writing is the part where you actually have to write the thing. You may experience a strong desire for your vague mental image of a chapter to just happen (you promise not to tell anyone if the universe just messed up and it appeared). How easy it must be for everyone else to say “you’re nearly there!” and then sit back for a couple of months until your complete thesis emerges into existence.

I cannot match the writing advice of countless books and blogs, so here’s my bit. Just put something. Just spill your thoughts onto the page in some way. Then have a look at it another day, and fix it a bit. Then you can fix it some more, and maybe someone else will help you fix it. Then it will look much better. Having access to a whiteboard is useful for organising thoughts. Read it out loud to yourself and see if anything sounds dopey. Writing can be hard and it can suck, but each day you write something , even if it later gets deleted, is progress. Know that you are always moving forwards and never backwards. Additionally, it doesn’t have to be perfect, or even really great. If it’s not good enough , your supervisors and/or your examiners will let you know. Once your PhD is complete, you will not be reading it several times in the years to come thinking “that paragraph’s a bit crap and could have been better.” I mean you might, but you a) should probably never look at it again for your own sanity and b) won’t care, because you’ve got the PhD anyway.

Remember, that’s the ultimate goal here: get a PhD.

Also, keep in mind that you not only need to write your thesis, but to format it too. Don’t overlook the formatting; it can take much longer than you think. If you’re formatting in Word, prepare for it to refuse to save your document, destroy your computer, and shift all of your figures into the void behind the page each time you correct a typo. If you are using something better suited to theses like LaTex or Bookdown (highly recommend if you’re willing to learn), start formatting some completed chapters early if you can; LaTex in particular can be a steep learning curve and you will need to spend a decent amount of time troubleshooting errors and improving appearances on the page. Getting this done earlier in the year will greatly relieve your stress when writing the final discussion.

So. To all of you who are in the final year of your PhD, or have a final year coming up: you are always moving forwards, even if it doesn’t feel like it. You will soon leave the PhD-phase of your life. The bad days will happen, and they will pass. Just move on to the next task. Continue moving on until the task is ‘submit’.

I hope this was a helpful, comforting or relatable read. Keep in mind that all of the advice you receive this year is just advice - only you know what is best for you. Feel free to leave a comment below, find me on Twitter , or email me . Thanks for reading - and you will survive!

1 In a good way! I can deal with stress, deadlines and pressure with greater ease now that I have done a PhD. It helps knowing that I’ve made it through something tough before. It probably also helps to not be in the midst of a PhD anymore, but the point is; I can have faith in my abilities if I just remember that I made it through a PhD. No matter where your career goes after this, that is something to always remain proud of.

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You may also enjoy, tips for introverts at scientific conferences.

11 minute read

Published: July 19, 2018

Earlier this month I was at ASM 2018 in Brisbane, which contained a lot of great microbiology! I always love spending time in Brisbane, but this time, I was giving a talk at 5:20pm on my birthday… at least it was a productive birthday!

The microbiome in children with recurrent ear infections - new paper

Published: February 26, 2018

This year is the PhD’s final year, so I’m going to become a bit of a hermit and will probably be blogging less.

Text editing from the command line with vim

9 minute read

Published: December 21, 2017

When learning bioinformatics, you will perhaps need to create or edit text files, shell scripts or Python scripts from the command line. Using a Unix-based text editor is also good practice for getting used to the environment if you are new to the command line. I have seen that many people have their preference for nano , emacs or vim . I started with nano, as it is quite straightforward to use - but then I moved to vim (probably because it had lots of colours).

How I teach myself new bioinformatics tools

8 minute read

Published: November 08, 2017

I’m not sure if there’s a name for people who thought they would be doing lab work for the rest of their lives and then find themselves thrust into the deep end of bioinformatics, but I am one of them. This seems to be a common occurrence in research labs, and will probably continue to be until undergraduate programs catch up with the bioinformatics skills required in many fields of research. Fortunately I quite enjoy the stuff, but I am continually learning new things, and I find that with much of it self-taught it can be a long process to learn and then do each analysis.

• Career Advice

6 Tips for the Final Year of Your Dissertation Marathon

By  Samina Gul Ali

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What a long 18 months it has been. You made it this far as a graduate student during a pandemic. Congratulations! Now you are in your final year of funding, and you need to finish up that dissertation.

You’ll find plenty of advice on writing and productivity out there, as well as tips for navigating an increasingly challenging job market -- academic and otherwise . But what is often left out of the conversation is your mental well-being.

Many of us have heard the adage “the dissertation is a marathon, not a sprint.” To get through the last few miles of your dissertation marathon, you will need a holistic approach that prioritizes your mental health alongside productivity and writing. Here is a list of tips that helped me through that final stretch.

Join or start a weekly writing accountability group. The final dissertating year is one of isolation. Add in a pandemic, and you are looking at many extremely lonely months ahead. And when COVID first hit the United States, one way my university trimmed its budget was by cutting our dissertation writing group. I knew I needed some kind of accountability to get to writing again, so I decided to create my own group. Luckily many others were eager to find a writing group at the time, so within a few days I had 10 members ready to go -- although we eventually whittled down to four core members.

When I first sent out feelers to see who might be interested in joining a writing accountability group, I made two things clear: 1) this was not a group for unsolicited advice, and 2) you could only join if you were seriously committed to meeting every week. I envisioned my writing accountability group as a place for cheerleading rather than for advice. We were there to remind each other of our successes and progress more than anything else. And if anyone directly requested advice, we could do our best to share what worked for us while still respecting boundaries and understanding the different limitations we each faced because of the pandemic.

This approach works best when everyone is at a similar level careerwise. The people in my group, for instance, included early-career scholars who were not yet on the tenure track and graduate students in the final two years of their programs. I could not have completed my dissertation without this group, the members of which I now consider to be very close friends.

Get your butt to a therapist. You have many good reasons to check in with a mental health professional during the final year of your dissertation: a pandemic with no end in sight ; the harsh realities of the academic job market ; the recent assaults on academic freedom; the stresses of teaching online , in person or hybrid ; the impostor phenomenon , the grad school blues ; and just general languishing . In fact, many graduate students do not complete their dissertation because of the mental health struggles that plague the final year. But the important thing to remember is that you are not alone.

I am the first to admit that I was incredibly hesitant to start therapy. I was raised to believe that it was only necessary for people who had already experienced total breakdowns. But after struggling with depression-induced writer’s block much longer than necessary, I knew I needed an assist to reach the finish line of my graduate program.

If you are still an enrolled student, start with your university counseling center. If you have health insurance, check out the providers listed on your health insurance website. If you do not have access to either of those options, reach out to some private practices near you and see if they offer sliding-scale services. Your state also probably provides mental health services at low or no cost, depending on your income. You can also find resources here , here and here .

Communicate with your nonacademic friends and family. A big part of the final dissertation year is feeling like your friends and family don’t understand the specificities of what you are going through -- a feeling that rings especially true if you are the only person in your family who has attended graduate school.

The best way to deal with this challenge is simply to speak openly with your loved ones and explain the process. Let them know right at the beginning of the final academic year that, yes, you know you’ve been a “student” for seemingly “forever.” And, yes, you are happy to be almost done.

But also let them know that the stress of the final year is overwhelming. Tell Mom that she needn’t ask about job opportunities every time you chat -- you are actively applying, and you will excitedly alert her when you reach the interview stage. Let people know that it is a grueling yearlong process, that each application requires individualized documents and that academe is going through a difficult moment that the pandemic has exacerbated.

Those who care for you will hear you, understand and respect the conversational boundaries you’ve put in place. Once you get this explanation over with, you can spend your time with your nonacademic connections doing nonacademic things -- like enjoying life! And for those who don’t hear you, maybe that’s a sign you should limit your time with them until you submit your completed dissertation draft for review.

Preserve your weekends. A surefire way to destroy your wrists and your eyes is to spend all your time at your desk for the next nine months or so. The dissertation can wait until Monday! Same goes for those job applications -- I have yet to see a job app that requires submission on a Saturday. Remember that you are human and need rest.

Also remember that adequate rest time increases your productivity. After this year of collective burnout , rest is more important than ever if you want to complete your dissertation. And yet an unfair reality is that preserving weekends may not be an option for everyone. You may be juggling multiple jobs or have family obligations or other responsibilities that eat into your weekend rest time. No matter what your schedule is, you absolutely must find time to rest, even if it is just for 30 minutes a day before bedtime. The uphill battle to dissertation completion will become steeper and higher if you don’t take time to relax. It’s also a good habit to develop now so you don’t burn out quickly during your first year post-diss, whether you land an academic, industry or nonprofit position.

Limit your time searching job websites. When I first entered the job market, I was checking academic job websites every day -- indeed, multiple times a day. And it was making me insufferable because the lack of job ads in my field put me in a constant bad mood. Finally, a dear friend of mine suggested something that should have been obvious: Why not turn on the job alerts available on these websites so I receive a weekly report of opportunities straight to my email inbox?

That simple suggestion was revelatory to me. You do not need to check job listings every day. There is no job that has a one-day turnaround for applicants. Checking academic job posts every day will most certainly contribute to burnout during your final dissertating year. Job opportunities --both academic and nonacademic -- pop up all year round these days, so you will need to muster up the energy to apply to positions in October and April. Pace yourself.

Limit your social media use. This is a tough one, because many graduate students use social media for both networking and to find a sense of community when the grad school blues get them down. I am not advocating for complete disengagement from social media (although that worked best for me). For those who have been historically excluded from the academy, Twitter is a place to find commonality in experience and place microaggressions and macroaggressions within the larger systemic framework of inequity in higher ed.

But we have all succumbed to the allure of doomscrolling . And if it’s preventing you from focusing on your dissertation and prioritizing your mental health, you’ve probably reached max capacity for reading about all the ways that higher education is deteriorating right before our eyes. Maybe now is not the best time for you to see job placement announcements, award/fellowship announcements, promotion announcements and the like.

That doesn’t make you a bad person -- it just means you are going through a tough time because it’s a really tough time to be writing a dissertation . For two weeks, try to limit social media use to an hour at the end of your workday and see how you feel. No matter the outcome, keeping track of your time on sites like Twitter will give you a better sense of your work habits and how social media may or may not be affecting your overall well-being.

The final stretch of the dissertation will certainly be overwhelming. But the key to mitigating stress is to be mindful of and attentive to your overall well-being. Following these tips will help you navigate the road to graduate school completion. You are almost at the finish line -- you’ve got this!

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A PhD timeline for finishing quickly [Free Gantt Download]

Navigating the labyrinthine journey of a PhD program is no small feat.

From the day you step into your graduate program as a bright-eyed doctoral student, you’re immediately thrust into a complex weave of coursework, research, and milestones.

By the second year, you’ve transitioned from coursework to research, laying the groundwork for your dissertation—a pivotal component in your scholarly endeavour. 

Come the third year, you face the critical oral examination, a hurdle that could make or break years of hard work.

But how does one streamline this multifaceted journey? The answer lies in a well-planned PhD timeline.

This blog serves as an invaluable guide for any PhD student looking to complete their doctoral studies efficiently, walking you through each milestone from coursework to graduation.

How to Begin with the PhD Timeline Planning?

Planning your PhD timeline is an essential first step in your PhD program.

Success in any PhD program depends, to a large extent, on effective time management and keeping track of progress through a thoughtfully crafted PhD timeline. 

Start with outlining all your major requirements:

• coursework,
• dissertation,
• and the expected time needed for each task.

I also highly recommend factoring in failure time – give yourself a little bit of wiggle room for when things, invariably – go wrong. 

It’s crucial to remain realistic about the time you can commit daily or weekly while keeping long-term goals in mind.

Regular check-ins on your PhD timeline and supervisor will help you stay on track and allow you to adapt if necessary.

Adjustments may be needed as you progress through your PhD program, but having a timeline as a guide can make the journey less daunting and more achievable. 

Elements to include in a 3-year PhD timeline

The initial stage in this timeline typically involves coursework, often lasting one year, where the student engrosses themselves in advanced study in their chosen field.

Once the coursework is done (USA PhDs), they focus on proposing, conducting, and presenting their initial research.

By the end of the second year, most students should have a clear direction for their dissertation, a core component of the PhD process.

In this third and final year of the PhD timeline, the student focuses primarily on completing their dissertation, which involves collecting data, analyzing results, and organizing their research into a substantial, original, and cohesive document that contributes to contemporary knowledge in their field.

Regular reviews and modifications of the PhD timeline may also be necessary to accommodate various unpredictable circumstances, thus making this timeline both a guide and a flexible workplan.

It is a significant tool in successfully navigating the maze of becoming a PhD holder. 

Create Your PhD Timeline for a 3 year completion

Creating a timeline for a 3-year PhD program requires careful planning, as you’ll have multiple milestones and tasks to complete.

This timeline may vary depending on your specific field, institution, or country, but here is a general outline you can use as a starting point:

Free Gantt chart excel template

Here is a free template you can modify for your own research:

Example Gantt chart for a USA PhD

Here are some common steps involved in completing a PhD, which I’ll use to create the Gantt chart:

• Orientation and Coursework (Semester 1) : Familiarization with the university, department, and coursework.
• Coursework (Semester 2) : Continued coursework and possible teaching/research assistantships.
• Select Advisor and Research Topic : Usually done towards the end of the first year or the beginning of the second year.
• Preliminary Research : Initial research and literature review.
• Complete Coursework (Semester 3) : Wrap up any remaining required courses.
• Research Proposal : Develop a full research proposal including methodology.
• Qualifying Exams : Exams to transition from a Ph.D. student to a Ph.D. candidate.
• Begin Research : Start of actual research based on the approved proposal.
• Conduct Research : Data collection, experiments, and analysis.
• Intermediate Review : A review to assess the progress of the research.
• Write Papers : Start writing papers and possibly publishing in journals.
• Finalize Research : Final experiments and data analysis.
• Write Dissertation : Writing the actual Ph.D. dissertation.
• Dissertation Defense : Defending the dissertation before the committee.
• Graduation : Completing all requirements and graduating.

Example Gantt chart for a UK, European and Australian PhD

For Ph.D. programs outside the United States, especially in Europe and some other parts of the world, students often go straight into research without the need for coursework. Here are some common steps for such programs:

• Orientation : Familiarization with the university and department.
• Select Advisor and Research Topic : Usually done at the beginning of the program.

Wrapping up

The journey to earning a PhD is complex and demanding, filled with academic milestones from coursework to research to dissertation writing.

The key to a smooth and efficient doctoral journey lies in well-planned time management—a structured PhD timeline.

This blog serves as an invaluable guide, offering detailed tips for planning out each academic year in both U.S. and international PhD programs. It emphasizes the importance of starting with an outline of major requirements and factoring in “failure time” for unforeseen challenges.

For those looking to navigate their PhD journey in three years or beyond, having a flexible but comprehensive timeline can be the compass that guides them successfully through the academic labyrinth.

Whether you’re just starting out or already deep into your research, the principles and strategies outlined here can help streamline your path to that coveted doctoral hood.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

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Your PhD journey

A quick summary of the different phases of your PhD, and signposting to development support. Includes our PhD Planner to download.

Download our PhD planner

For a concise overview of different stages of a PhD, you may want to view our PhD planner.

This guide includes quick tips from other Postgraduate Researchers, plus quick checklists suitable to different stages of your PhD.

This can be downloaded from this site, collected from your School postgraduate office, or obtained directly from the IAD

Download our PhD planner (PDF)

Research student training and development

Contact details.

• Email: [email protected]

Think about the support you need

Whatever stage you are at, it is important to spend time thinking about what support you need, and seek out the appropriate support, from your supervisor, School / Research Institute, from us, and from appropriate external bodies.

Get the right help at the right time

We have gathered information and advice by PhD stage to help you make the right choices for you, whatever stage you are at:

Starting out: tips on what support you need from your supervisor and school, setting your initial research programme milestones, assessing what skills you need to succeed, and finding the best training to help you at this stage.

Starting out on your PhD

Keeping on track : tips on getting setting new milestones, assessing what skills you need now, and recommendations for internal and external training and support to help you at this important stage.

Keeping on track with your PhD

Nearing completion : tips on setting those final important milestones, writing up and submitting, planning the skills you need now and for your next career steps, and recommendations for internal and external training and support to help you at this stage.

Nearing completion of your PhD

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PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health

PhDs are renowned for being stressful and when you add a global pandemic into the mix it’s no surprise that many students are struggling with their mental health. Unfortunately this can often lead to PhD fatigue which may eventually lead to burnout.

In this post we’ll explore what academic burnout is and how it comes about, then discuss some tips I picked up for managing mental health during my own PhD.

Please note that I am by no means an expert in this area. I’ve worked in seven different labs before, during and after my PhD so I have a fair idea of research stress but even so, I don’t have all the answers.

If you’re feeling burnt out or depressed and finding the pressure too much, please reach out to friends and family or give the Samaritans a call to talk things through.

Note – This post, and its follow on about maintaining PhD motivation were inspired by a reader who asked for recommendations on dealing with PhD fatigue. I love hearing from all of you, so if you have any ideas for topics which you, or others, could find useful please do let me know either in the comments section below or by getting in contact . Or just pop me a message to say hi. 🙂

This post is part of my PhD mindset series, you can check out the full series below:

• PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health (this part!)
• PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion
• How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Studying

What is PhD Burnout?

Whenever I’ve gone anywhere near social media relating to PhDs I see overwhelmed PhD students who are some combination of overwhelmed, de-energised or depressed.

Specifically I often see Americans talking about the importance of talking through their PhD difficulties with a therapist, which I find a little alarming. It’s great to seek help but even better to avoid the need in the first place.

Sadly, none of this is unusual. As this survey shows, depression is common for PhD students and of note: at higher levels than for working professionals.

All of these feelings can be connected to academic burnout.

The World Health Organisation classifies burnout as a syndrome with symptoms of:

– Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; – Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; – Reduced professional efficacy. Symptoms of burnout as classified by the WHO. Source .

This often leads to students falling completely out of love with the topic they decided to spend years of their life researching!

The pandemic has added extra pressures and constraints which can make it even more difficult to have a well balanced and positive PhD experience. Therefore it is more important than ever to take care of yourself, so that not only can you continue to make progress in your project but also ensure you stay healthy.

What are the Stages of Burnout?

Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North developed a 12 stage model of burnout. The following graphic by The Present Psychologist does a great job at conveying each of these.

I don’t know about you, but I can personally identify with several of the stages and it’s scary to see how they can potentially lead down a path to complete mental and physical burnout. I also think it’s interesting that neglecting needs (stage 3) happens so early on. If you check in with yourself regularly you can hopefully halt your burnout journey at that point.

PhDs can be tough but burnout isn’t an inevitability. Here are a few suggestions for how you can look after your mental health and avoid academic burnout.

Overcoming PhD Burnout

Manage your energy levels, maintaining energy levels day to day.

• Eat well and eat regularly. Try to avoid nutritionless high sugar foods which can play havoc with your energy levels. Instead aim for low GI food . Maybe I’m just getting old but I really do recommend eating some fruit and veg. My favourite book of 2021, How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reduce Disease , is well worth a read. Not a fan of veggies? Either disguise them or at least eat some fruit such as apples and bananas. Sliced apple with some peanut butter is a delicious and nutritious low GI snack. Check out my series of posts on cooking nutritious meals on a budget.
• Get enough sleep. It doesn’t take PhD-level research to realise that you need to rest properly if you want to avoid becoming exhausted! How much sleep someone needs to feel well-rested varies person to person, so I won’t prescribe that you get a specific amount, but 6-9 hours is the range typically recommended. Personally, I take getting enough sleep very seriously and try to get a minimum of 8 hours.

A side note on caffeine consumption: Do PhD students need caffeine to survive?

In a word, no!

Although a culture of caffeine consumption goes hand in hand with intense work, PhD students certainly don’t need caffeine to survive. How do I know? I didn’t have any at all during my own PhD. In fact, I wrote a whole post about it .

By all means consume as much caffeine as you want, just know that it doesn’t have to be a prerequisite for successfully completing a PhD.

Maintaining energy throughout your whole PhD

• Pace yourself. As I mention later in the post I strongly recommend treating your PhD like a normal full-time job. This means only working 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Doing so could help realign your stress, anxiety and depression levels with comparatively less-depressed professional workers . There will of course be times when this isn’t possible and you’ll need to work longer hours to make a certain deadline. But working long hours should not be the norm. It’s good to try and balance the workload as best you can across the whole of your PhD. For instance, I often encourage people to start writing papers earlier than they think as these can later become chapters in your thesis. It’s things like this that can help you avoid excess stress in your final year.
• Take time off to recharge. All work and no play makes for an exhausted PhD student! Make the most of opportunities to get involved with extracurricular activities (often at a discount!). I wrote a whole post about making the most of opportunities during your PhD . PhD students should have time for a social life, again I’ve written about that . Also give yourself permission to take time-off day to day for self care, whether that’s to go for a walk in nature, meet friends or binge-watch a show on Netflix. Even within a single working day I often find I’m far more efficient when I break up my work into chunks and allow myself to take time off in-between. This is also a good way to avoid procrastination!

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

During your PhD there will inevitably be times of stress. Your experiments may not be going as planned, deadlines may be coming up fast or you may find yourself pushed too far outside of your comfort zone. But if you manage your response well you’ll hopefully be able to avoid PhD burnout. I’ll say it again: stress does not need to lead to burnout!

Everyone is unique in terms of what works for them so I’d recommend writing down a list of what you find helpful when you feel stressed, anxious or sad and then you can refer to it when you next experience that feeling.

I’ve created a mental health reminders print-out to refer to when times get tough. It’s available now in the resources library (subscribe for free to get the password!).

Below are a few general suggestions to avoid PhD burnout which work for me and you may find helpful.

• Exercise. When you’re feeling down it can be tough to motivate yourself to go and exercise but I always feel much better for it afterwards. When we exercise it helps our body to adapt at dealing with stress, so getting into a good habit can work wonders for both your mental and physical health. Why not see if your uni has any unusual sports or activities you could try? I tried scuba diving and surfing while at Imperial! But remember, exercise doesn’t need to be difficult. It could just involve going for a walk around the block at lunch or taking the stairs rather than the lift.
• Cook / Bake. I appreciate that for many people cooking can be anything but relaxing, so if you don’t enjoy the pressure of cooking an actual meal perhaps give baking a go. Personally I really enjoy putting a podcast on and making food. Pinterest and Youtube can be great visual places to find new recipes.
• Let your mind relax. Switching off is a skill and I’ve found meditation a great way to help clear my mind. It’s amazing how noticeably different I can feel afterwards, having not previously been aware of how many thoughts were buzzing around! Yoga can also be another good way to relax and be present in the moment. My partner and I have been working our way through 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene on Youtube and I’d recommend it as a good way to ease yourself in. As well as being great for your mind, yoga also ticks the box for exercise!
• Read a book. I’ve previously written about the benefits of reading fiction * and I still believe it’s one of the best ways to relax. Reading allows you to immerse yourself in a different world and it’s a great way to entertain yourself during a commute.

* Wondering how I got something published in Science ? Read my guide here .

Talk It Through

• Meet with your supervisor. Don’t suffer in silence, if you’re finding yourself struggling or burned out raise this with your supervisor and they should be able to work with you to find ways to reduce the pressure. This may involve you taking some time off, delegating some of your workload, suggesting an alternative course of action or signposting you to services your university offers.

Also remember that facing PhD-related challenges can be common. I wrote a whole post about mine in case you want to cheer yourself up! We can’t control everything we encounter, but we can control our response.

A free self-care checklist is also now available in the resources library , providing ideas to stay healthy and avoid PhD burnout.

Top Tips for Avoiding PhD Burnout

On top of everything we’ve covered in the sections above, here are a few overarching tips which I think could help you to avoid PhD burnout:

• Work sensible hours . You shouldn’t feel under pressure from your supervisor or anyone else to be pulling crazy hours on a regular basis. Even if you adore your project it isn’t healthy to be forfeiting other aspects of your life such as food, sleep and friends. As a starting point I suggest treating your PhD as a 9-5 job. About a year into my PhD I shared how many hours I was working .
• Reduce your use of social media. If you feel like social media could be having a negative impact on your mental health, why not try having a break from it?
• Do things outside of your PhD . Bonus points if this includes spending time outdoors, getting exercise or spending time with friends. Basically, make sure the PhD isn’t the only thing occupying both your mental and physical ife.
• Regularly check in on how you’re feeling. If you wait until you’re truly burnt out before seeking help, it is likely to take you a long time to recover and you may even feel that dropping out is your only option. While that can be a completely valid choice I would strongly suggest to check in with yourself on a regular basis and speak to someone early on (be that your supervisor, or a friend or family member) if you find yourself struggling.

I really hope that this post has been useful for you. Nothing is more important than your mental health and PhD burnout can really disrupt that. If you’ve got any comments or suggestions which you think other PhD scholars could find useful please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

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Open Access

Ten Simple Rules for Finishing Your PhD

* E-mail: [email protected]

Current address: Gene Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

Affiliation Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Affiliation Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Affiliation Society for Experimental Biology (SEB), Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

• Jacopo Marino, 
• Melanie I. Stefan, 
• Sarah Blackford

Published: December 4, 2014

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003954
• Reader Comments

Citation: Marino J, Stefan MI, Blackford S (2014) Ten Simple Rules for Finishing Your PhD. PLoS Comput Biol 10(12): e1003954. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003954

Editor: Philip E. Bourne, National Institutes of Health, United States of America

Copyright: © 2014 Marino et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: The authors have received no specific funding for this article.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

After years of research and with completion in sight, the final year of the PhD often represents the most challenging time of a student's career, in which the ultimate reward is the PhD honor itself. A large investment in time, energy, and motivation is needed, with many tasks to be completed; concluding experiments must be carried out, results interpreted, and a research story mapped out in preparation for writing the final thesis. All the while, administrative obligations need attention (e.g., university credits and mandatory documents), papers may need to be published, students mentored, and due consideration paid to planning for the next career move. Without some form of strategic action plan and the employment of project management skills, students run the risk of becoming overwhelmed and run down or of not meeting their final deadlines. Personal time management and stress resilience are competences that can be developed and honed during this final period of the PhD.

Here, we present ten simple rules on how to deal with time issues and conflict situations when facing the last year of a PhD in science. The rules focus on defining research goals in advance and designing a plan of action. Moreover, we discuss the importance of managing relationships with supervisors and colleagues, as well as early career planning.

Rule 1: Plan Your Last Year in Advance

Preparing a plan of action for the final year of your PhD is vital. Ideally, devised and agreed upon with your supervisor, a plan will help to optimize the time left and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. Individuals plan in different ways; some prefer to work towards their goals in a stepwise linear fashion, whilst others are more comfortable flitting from task to task until all the jobs are done. There is no definitive way to plan, so find out what works best for you. You may decide to map out a timeline, or perhaps a mind-map is your preferred planning style. Whichever method you use, it's important that you adhere to your plan whilst allowing for some flexibility (but not distraction or procrastination).

Your time frame will vary according to the organization of your graduate school, your supervisor or advisory committee, and even your graduation date, but one year before submission of your doctoral thesis is the time when you should decide on how best to invest the last months of your research and associated activities. Having a plan of action will help to avoid time wasting, e.g., being distracted by superfluous experiments that might be interesting but are not necessary. Furthermore, from a psychological point of view, referring to a concrete plan can make you feel more secure and in control. Ideally, the supervisor and PhD student should both agree on the overall plan (with provision for the unexpected, e.g., technical issues), with intermittent reviews every few weeks to check that progress is being made. Your supervisor should also be able to advise you on the organization and writing of your thesis—for example, its structure—and the number and length of chapters to include.

Rule 2: Make Your Priorities Clear

Select the activities you want to include in your plan. What are your priorities? They are likely to include experiments that will give the thesis a conclusion or that may be necessary to publish a final paper. Mandatory administrative tasks will also need attention, and allowing time to prepare for your next career move will give you the best chance of a seamless and successful transition post-PhD. As a final year PhD candidate, you are likely to have acquired high-level competencies comparable to those of a junior postdoctoral researcher, in which case your supervisor may offer you responsibility for new projects or graduate students. Saying no to him/her can be difficult for various reasons, e.g., fear of potentially creating conflict in your relationship or causing a negative reaction or of perhaps losing the opportunity to be included in future research activities and publications. It can also be difficult to let go of a topic or project to which you are wedded or to miss out on the opportunity to help train the next generation of scientists. In such situations, referring back to your plan (Rule 1), previously agreed upon with your supervisor, should help to remind you both of your priorities and deadlines, making negotiation easier. However, should any conflict of opinion arise between you, bear in mind that finding a mutually agreeable solution is the best way forward. You can take advice from a mentor or refer to the many publications that provide approaches and tactics for effective negotiation. If the relationship between you and your supervisor is more complicated and cannot be resolved by a discussion, you may need to turn to your graduate school, your academic committee, or other senior managers in your institution, who can act to mediate the situation.

Rule 3: “The Truth Can Wait”

A research project is never really finished, so do not try to do everything before submitting. In fact, the perfect doctoral thesis does not exist; there are students with good research projects and many publications and others with more difficult and testing challenges who are still waiting for their first paper. If the project is ambitious, it might take several years to reach the final goal, and thus the thesis might only be a small part of the whole story. If the project is going well, it will open up new research questions and future directions, some of which will be beyond the scope of a PhD. At some point, you need to decide that what you have is enough for a PhD and start writing (a strategy we heard described at a dissertation-writing seminar in Cambridge as “the truth can wait”; it helps to write this on a post-it note and stick it on your computer!). Starting to write the thesis is not easy when there is a sense that more could be done to accumulate more data and a fuller story; a common mistake is to go back to the lab instead of getting started with the results chapters of the thesis. To postpone writing will cause delays and not necessarily improve the thesis whilst increasing the prospect of unfulfilled and extended deadlines. Thus, once the experiments that you have agreed on have been completed, it is really important to start writing with the data in hand.

Rule 4: Enlist Support

Finalizing experiments and writing the thesis (and even papers), as well as considering your next career transition, can be stressful and even isolating. It is a contrast to the relatively more relaxed earlier years of the PhD experience, and the writing process does not come naturally to everyone. The prospect of facing these stresses alone can make the experience even harder to bear, so it is advisable to communicate with and find support in those you trust and respect. Relying on such people during this period can help to ease the strain and enable you to achieve your final aims so that you arrive at your PhD graduation with your sanity still intact! Talking about personal feelings with selected colleagues usually helps you to realize that you are not alone, whatever difficulties and challenges you might be experiencing with your research project, supervisor, or coworkers. Sharing uncertainties and talking through issues can be constructive, helping you to understand the strategies other people use to cope with similar problems. As well as colleagues, it can also help to talk to friends and family, even though they won't be as au fait with the highly particular challenges you are experiencing. You can share your feelings and anxieties with them, but they can also act as a welcome distraction to help you to relax and take a break from thinking about the stresses of your PhD.

Support and advice can also come in the shape of courses, books, blogs, mentoring, etc. There is much published on the subject of how to write a thesis [1] . Furthermore, graduate schools, such as those in which we are based, usually offer courses to help PhD candidates improve their personal and professional skills. For example, the University of Zurich organizes courses on, amongst others, time and self-management skills, managing conflict, and academic writing and publishing [2] . The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard lists workshops and resources offered across the university on topics such as scientific writing, time management, and overcoming procrastination. In addition to relying on your supervisor, postdoctoral researchers in your group or department (or even friendly collaborators) may agree to read chapters of your thesis and comment on aspects such as content, logical flow of ideas, and the overall structure. At a later stage, you may want to engage someone to check your grammar, spelling, and reference style (this can be especially important if you are not writing in your native language). If your PhD defense includes a presentation, try to practice beforehand, preferably in front of some of your peers, and include asking for feedback and possible questions that may come up. This should make you feel more prepared and confident.

Rule 5: Get Familiar with the Software

Being familiar with software for both writing and making figures will facilitate the creation of your thesis. One of the most effective tools with which to produce a scientific document is LaTeX ( www.latex-project.org ). This software, freely available, is not as immediately understandable as other text editors, but the advantages are greater: it offers a professional layout similar to published books, it makes the insertion and management of figures easier as their position in the file does not depend on text editing, and it allows for easy typesetting of mathematical equations and referencing of articles from a bibliography database. Moreover, the text file size does not increase while inserting figures, making its handling easier. An example LaTeX package for typesetting dissertations is “classicthesis”, written by André Miede ( http://www.miede.de/index.php?page=classicthesis ). Although advantageous, LaTeX can also present disadvantages. In contrast to commonly used text editors (e.g., Microsoft Word), it does not make it easy to track changes in the manuscript, often a preferred way for supervisors to correct theses in an electronic form. Therefore, we suggest you discuss the preferred software with your supervisor when you agree upon your plan (Rule 1).

A professional design software can also speed up the creation of figures for your thesis, which can be further used for your final PhD presentation, so check whether your institution provides an introductory course to some of these software packages. Taking a one-day class can save you a lot of time later. Organize your bibliography; many excellent reference managers exist that allow you to catalogue and annotate the papers you have read and integrate them seamlessly with text processing software (e.g., Endnote or the freely available Mendeley and Readcube). Choose one that fits your needs and check whether your university provides institutional licenses (and be disciplined about adding each paper you read to it!).

Consider using version control software. This allows you to keep a log of all the changes you make to a file or directory and makes it easy to recover a previous version if something goes wrong or to merge two versions of a file. This is often used in software projects to produce, document, and improve computer code, but it can also be useful when working on a long text document, such as a dissertation. Commonly used free version control systems include git/GitHub [git, github], Subversion [svn], and Bazaar [bzr] (see Table 1 ).

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Most important of all is to have a backup strategy. A hard-drive crash at the wrong moment can set your work back by weeks and jeopardize the timely completion of your thesis. Institutions or departments will often have a backup system employees can make use of. This may require you to install a specific piece of software on your computer that backs up your data at regular intervals or to save your file on an institute server. Contact the information technology (IT) department at your institute to learn about your options.

Rule 6: Know Your University's Procedures and Regulations

During the course of your PhD, you will have been acquiring project management skills, such as organizing your time and resources, reviewing progress, and meeting deadlines. In order to avoid last-minute surprises, you can capitalize on and develop these skills during the final year of your PhD. Prepare a list of all the documents and certificates that you will need, even before you start writing; it will be of critical importance to include this information in your plan and priorities (Rules 1 and 2). Having a good working relationship with someone who can help you to navigate a bureaucratic process will usually be an asset and will ensure you are familiar and aware of all the rules. Considering the amount of documents and certificates that are needed for handing in a thesis, it is advantageous to introduce yourself to the institute secretary or human resources manager, as well as any other staff who can help you to deal with the administrative side of the process. Don't rely on previous documents, which may have been revised since the last person in your group graduated. Be aware of all the necessary institutional administrative requirements (e.g., credit points, research seminar attendance, publications, etc.), as well as the faculty criteria, including deadlines (as well the date of the graduation ceremony), thesis copy numbers and format, font size, binding, and supporting documents. Take time to go through the list of documents and start collecting them in a folder. Get the formatting right early on, e.g., by using a dedicated template file. With your documents in order, you are bound to feel you have the situation more under control, which can help to reduce stress and enable you to focus more closely on writing your thesis.

Rule 7: Exploit Synergies

You are doing a lot of work for your thesis, so use it to your advantage. The literature review in your introduction can also be used to write and publish a future review article, an idea that might also be welcomed by your supervisor. If you are intending to write a grant proposal for a postdoctoral fellowship on a similar research topic, you can use some of the thesis introduction and future directions as a basis for your research plan. If you are keen to gain teaching experience, you could propose a short course on your specialty area. For instance, at Harvard Medical School, senior graduate students and postdoctoral researchers can be involved in lecturing on short, specialized “nanocourses” [3] . You may also be able to deliver a specialized lecture within a class your supervisor is teaching or, ideally after you have completed the PhD, teach at a workshop or summer school.

Take advantage of opportunities to deliver a talk as an invited speaker at a conference or at another institute, for example, if you are visiting a research group or investigating possible postdoctoral options. This will give you the chance to practice your defense presentation in front of an unfamiliar audience and, at the same time, allow a potential future supervisor and colleagues to gain a more complete picture of your research interests, skills, and personality.

Rule 8: Pay Attention to Your Career

It is not always easy to decide on which career path to follow after your PhD. You have been trained primarily towards an academic research career, and so many PhD graduates choose to continue on with a postdoctoral position as their first career destination. This is perfectly acceptable, and many industrial employers look upon early-career postdoctorals favorably. However, it is worth bearing in mind that permanent tenured positions are hard to secure nowadays and competition is tough, with less than 5% of those who complete a PhD ultimately realizing an academic career [4] . For those who are determined to have an academic career, a strategic research plan is crucial; for those who are unsure, a viable alternative career plan is equally important.

Knowledge of your professional and personal skills and capabilities, personality, values, and interests, as well as how to map them onto the job market and sell them to employers, will help you to make effective career decisions and a successful transition to your next job. In addition, factors such as your personal situation and priorities, mobility, and preferred work–life balance all need to be taken into consideration before entering the complicated world of the job market. Be ready to make compromises either in your work or personal life, depending on your priorities. Take advantage of courses and professional career guidance and coaching while you are still at university, as they are usually offered free of charge. Along with books and websites, face-to-face career support can help raise your self-awareness and knowledge of the job market so you can start to decide which types of career may best suit you. Blackford's book and blog [4] contain useful material on career planning for bioscientists, with concrete examples of different career paths within and outside of academia, and further information and resources. In addition, the Science Careers portal offers an online tool [5] to create an individual development plan and explore your career options based on your skills, interests, and values. Also, take advantage of dedicated career job boards associated with specialist websites, such as that of the International Society for Computational Biology [6] .

How soon should you start job seeking? Finding a job whilst writing up your thesis can seem like an attractive prospect, but it's important to consider that applying for jobs can easily take up as much time as working a full-time job. Then, if you do secure a job, the time left for writing up your thesis, completing experiments, and wrapping up your lab work will be seriously limited. It is exceedingly hard to write a doctoral thesis in the evenings after work or on the weekends, so in case you are offered a job before you have finished the PhD, consider seriously how this might affect your work and life. On the other hand, finishing a PhD when scholarship money has been seriously reduced (or has run out) comes with a different set of challenges. Many students need to tap into their savings (if indeed they have any), drastically reduce their spending, and move out of their accommodation. Losing employment at the university can also affect health insurance, social security, and visa status. Finishing up a PhD under these additional constraints and pressures can be extremely challenging, both logistically and psychologically. To ensure that you can concentrate all your time on (and get paid for) finishing your PhD, start planning ahead one year earlier. Be aware of your university's regulations, talk to your supervisor about the funding situation (is it possible for you stay on as a postdoctoral researcher for a short period?), and know what you need to do in order to finish on time (Rule 1).

Rule 9: Network

Unofficial statistics tell us that only around 30% of jobs are advertised, so to enhance your employment prospects you would be well advised to network in order to access the hidden job market. During the final year of your PhD, and even earlier, you can build up and extend your network so that your chances of finding the job of your choice are optimized. If you are looking for research positions, your supervisor might have contacts or know about positions available in academia or industry. Reviewing your personal network further will reveal it consists of colleagues, friends, and family. You may also have a wider network of collaborators (research and industry), people associated with your research whom you have met during the course of your PhD, as well as many others. Conferences, seminars, informal gatherings, and learned societies are great places to meet the academic community face to face or to broaden your horizons. Job fairs are held at universities and sometimes during conferences, where experts from industry look for potential employees as well as sometimes provide informal advice on your curriculum vitae (CV). Try to exploit these opportunities if they come your way.

A relatively recent, and highly democratic, addition to the networking system is social media, through which it is possible to meet people online from all over the world and from all walks of life. More and more professors, researchers, students, policy makers, science “celebrities”, science communicators, industry personnel, and professionals have a presence on social media, using it primarily for work-related purposes. Researchgate, LinkedIn, and Twitter are probably the most useful platforms for networking with academia, business, and the wider world, respectively. Your online profile should be fully completed and reflect your expertise, achievements, and personality. Used to greatest effect, social media will give you access to information, jobs, and influential people—its importance to you as a PhD student cannot be overestimated.

Rule 10: Leave on Good Terms

Wrap up the work in your lab, especially if you are leaving the institute. This includes any required training of new personnel in the methods and techniques you use, having lab notes in order, making it easy for other lab members to access your protocols and data, organizing and labelling your reagents and equipment, and documenting your computer code. If someone is taking over an unfinished project from you, take time to hand it over. Discuss with your supervisor to find a solution for who will do the final experiments, how to proceed with the writing of journal manuscripts, and what should be the order of authorship. If you have started a project that you want to take with you to your new lab, discuss with your supervisor how to handle possible future publications and how to agree on material transfer. If your work resulted in patents or patentable innovations, make sure you are clear about regulations concerning patents and intellectual property, both at your PhD institution and at the institution to which you are moving. Stay in touch with your former colleagues and cultivate the contacts you have made in graduate school; they are sure to be useful during the course of your career.

Acknowledgments

Jacopo Marino is grateful to colleagues from the University of Zurich for the everyday discussions that have inspired this manuscript. Melanie I. Stefan is likewise grateful for discussions on the topic with fellow predocs (and sympathetic postdocs) at the European Bioinformatics Institute. She would also like to acknowledge advice and support from Nicolas Le Novère and Susan Jones, which helped her navigate her PhD and graduate in a timely manner. She has since learnt a lot from discussions with colleagues at the California Institute of Technology, the University of Tokyo, and Harvard Medical School.

• 1. Turabian KL (2013) A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 8th edition. Chicago (Illinois): The University of Chicago Press.
• 2. University of Zürich (2014) Courses for PhD candidates and postdocs. Available: http://www.grc.uzh.ch/phd-postdoc/courses-uzh_en.html . Accessed 30 October 2014.
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• 5. Hobin JA, Fuhrmann CN, Lindstaedt B, Clifford PS (2012) You Need a Game Plan. Science Careers Career Magazine. Available: http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_09_07/caredit.a1200100 . Accessed 30 October 2014.
• 6. International Society for Computational Biology (2011) ISCB Careers. Available: https://www.iscb.org/iscb-careers . Accessed 30 October 2014.

PhD Experience Interviews

Wondering what it’s like to do a PhD? And how you can develop your career after you gain your PhD? We’ve interviewed a variety of PhD students at different stages of their degree and PhD holders that have developed their careers and businesses in different directions, to help answer this for you.

View the profiles below to gain an insight into the life of PhD student – from their typical day to their biggest challenges and personal advice. Click here to read our interviews with PhD holders.

Current PhD Students

Clara Inés Alcolado Olivares

Clara is in the first year of her PhD at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain. Her research is based around understanding the reactivity of peroxynitrite with organic compounds such as commonly used drugs, food preservatives, or components of atmospheric aerosols.

Akshay Deoras

Akshay is in the final year of his PhD researching how well models can predict Indian monsoon low-pressure systems. The results of his research will help improve disaster preparedness and long-term planning.

Frances Boreham

Frances recently completed her PhD at the University of Bristol. Her research investigated the causes and consequences of hazardous lava-water interactions.

Nidhi Menon

Nidhi is a PhD student at Virginia Tech, focused on developing an engineered platform to study the breast tumor microenvironment, for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Priya Pollard

Priya’s a 1st year PhD student University College Dublin. Her project involves investigating a novel seaweed-ensiling process as an alternative to drying to preserve seaweeds nutritional and monetary value.

Nina Higson-Sweeney

Nina’s in the first year of her PhD in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath. Her project is focused on furthering our understanding of fatigue within adolescent depression.

Freya I. Addison

Freya’s in the final year of her PhD at the University of Leeds. Her project is about improving the precision of observations between collocated ground-based weather radar and airborne platforms.

Helena Hartmann

Helena is pursuing a PhD at the University of Vienna. Her research is centred around how we perceive, understand and share the suffering of other people around us, aka empathy for pain.

Calvin Swords

Calvin is coming to the end of the second year of his PhD at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His research is focussed on how recovery as a concept is socially constructed in mental health services.

Henry Powell-Davies

Henry is in the first year of his PhD in the Cronin Group at the University of Glasgow. His research is based on the automation, optimisation, discovery and design of ontologies for robotic chemistry.

Abdullah-Al-Zubaer Imran

Abdullah recently finished his PhD at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His computer science research developed deep learning-based algorithms for medical image analysis.

Nathan Mistry

Nathan is about to enter the 2nd year of his PhD at the University of Hertfordshire. His research looks at how lifestyle stresses can impact skin barrier biophysics and skin barrier and oral cavity biochemistry and microbiology.

Jay is in the third year of his PhD at Savitribai Phule Pune University, researching the applications of mesenchymal stem cells and nanocarrier for bone tissue engineering.

Islam is in the final year of his Physics PhD program at Washington State University in the field of particle cosmology. His research is on the Possible Connections Between Inflaton and Dark Energy Within An Oscillating Reheating Framework.

Guy Cameron

Guy is in the 3rd and final year of his PhD in Immunology and Microbiology at The University of Newcastle, Australia. His research primarily focuses on investigating roles of our immune system outside of the typical pathogen surveillance.

De-Shaine Murray

De-Shaine is 2nd Year Neurotechnology PhD Student at Imperial College London. His research looks at monitoring the brain when it’s severely injured after a traumatic brain injury or stroke and patients are in neurocritical care.

Elpida Vounzoulaki

Elpida is about to start her third year of PhD research at the University of Leicester. Her research focuses on preventing type 2 diabetes in women who had gestational diabetes, and she an active STEM Ambassador.

Emmanuel Junior Zuza

Emmanuel is a year and half into his PhD at The Open University School of Ecosystems, Earth and Environmental Studies. His research is on understand the influence of environmental and social factors on smallholder macadamia production.

Christine Streeter

Christine is entering the 4th year of her PhD Carleton University, researching worker’s experiences of the changing conditions in the Non Profit and Social Service sector, pre and during COVID-19.

Jad Mahmoud Halabi

Jad is a 4th year PhD student at New York University Abu Dhabi/ New York. His project is title Smart Molecular Crystals: From Synthesis to Applications and has a particular interest in science communication.

Rakhi Vishwakarma

Rakhi is a PhD student at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India. Her research is on the production of Borneol and Menthol and development of separation process from the reaction mixture.

Sara is currently in the 4th year of the Physics Doctoral Program at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her research investigates quantum transport properties of 2D electron systems.

Kamalpreet Singh

Kamal is a second year PhD student University of Toronto in the department of Chemistry. His research is focused on making hydrogen gas more affordable and easier to generate from water to use as a clean energy source.

Noelia Dominguez Falcon

Noelia is just two months away from submitting her PhD thesis at the University of East Anglia. Her research focuses on the application and the study of novel tissue engineering strategies for tendon repair, aiming to overcome some limitations from current therapies.

Harneet Sangha

Harneet’s heading into the fourth year of her PhD at the University of Leicester. Her research looks at the electrical currents in the Earth’s magnetosphere: how they change with time, and under different conditions.

Adam Netzer Zimmer

Adam’s about to start his fifth year of PhD research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he’s earning a doctorate in anthropology as an affiliated researcher with the University of Iceland’s medical school.

Charlene N. Rivera Bonet

Charlene is a 5th year PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She studies depression and neuroticism in people with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) using MR Imaging and behavioural tests.

Fabian van den Berg

Fabian’s in the final year of his PhD research at Maastricht University. His project is about how humans learn numbers and how hands might help that process; this is especially useful for children developing their maths skills.

Gabrielle Huizinga

Gabrielle’s a 2nd year Immunology PhD student at the University of Michigan. Her research focus on the complications of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the clearance of respiratory bacterial infections.

Lewis Bridgeman

Lewis is a third-year PhD student at CVSSP at the University of Surrey. His research involves using multi-camera broadcast footage of sports, and using this data to create new viewpoints in virtual and augmented reality.

Pei Qin (Sabrina) Ng

Sabrina’s in the third year of her PhD at The University of Adelaide. Her esearch combines molecular techniques, data analysis, and next generation sequencing to investigate modifications on RNAs in plants.

Kat is in the second year of her PhD at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Her research involves studying supermassive black holes at the centres of distant galaxies.

Pavan Bagri

Pavan’s nearing completion of her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree at the University of Toronto, whilst also working 4 days/week as a Clinical Pharmacist across 3 hospital sites in the Greater Toronto Area.

Elmira Vagapova

Elmira is in the third year of her PhD program at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, researching the mechanisms of acute myeloid leukemia cells resistance to targeted therapy.

Kyle Morgenstein

Kyle’s in the first year of his PhD at the University of Texas in Austin. His research interests are in the development of algorithms for advanced mobility for legged robotics and computer vision for exploration of extreme environments.

Julia is entering the third year of a combined master’s and PhD program at Stanford University. Her research explores how to give robots the sense of touch to make them more useful for tasks such as dexterous manipulation.

Michele Ponzelli

Michele is a first-year PhD candidate in a double degree program between the University of Girona (Spain) & Technical University Munich (Germany). His research has the aim of innovating water treatment technologies.

Rose is a final year PhD student at the University of St Andrews. Her research is focussed on modelling stars similar to the sun in its youth and understanding better the magnetic fields of these stars.

Emma Strand

Emma is a third year PhD student at the University of Rhode Island. Her research focuses on the physiological and genomic response to climate change stressors.

Bijou is a second year MD-PhD candidate, starting her second year of medical school. At the end of this academic year she’ll transition into doing a genetics PhD full time at Case Western Reserve University.

Annabel Farnood

Annabel is a third-year PhD student at the University of Glasgow, looking at the effects of online self-diagnosis and health information seeking on the patient-healthcare professional relationship.

Aaron Jones

Aaron’s now writing up his PhD thesis at the University of Birmingham. His research has investigated the Impact and Mitigation of Wavefront Distortions in Precision Interferometry.

Chris Sampson

Chris is making minor corrections to his PhD thesis post-viva at the University of Nottingham. His research was on optimising the cost-effectiveness of risk-based screening for diabetic retinopathy.

Freija Mendrik

Freija is half way through her PhD at the Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, researching the transport of microplastics through the Mekong River and to the South China Sea.

Ellen Brewster

Ellen is in the third year of her PhD at the University of Oxford. Her project looks at eighteenth-century reading manuals, using them to find out how eighteenth-century people theorised reading aloud.

Daisy Shearer

Daisy’s a year and half into her PhD at the University of Surrey. Her research project is based around the control of electron spin state in InSb quantum wells using quantum point contacts.

Julia Ravey

Julia’s in her final year of her PhD at University College London. Her research is helping to better understand how Alzheimer’s disease arises, which could lead to new successful therapeutics.

Bethany Cliffe

Bethany is a 1st year PhD student at the University of Bath, researching the adaptation of a self-help smartphone app (BlueIce) to prevent self-harm and improve the mood of University students.

Chloe Casey

Chloe is a 2nd year PhD student at Bournemouth University, researching the mental health of postgraduate researchers and is designing interventions that may improve their wellbeing.

Maria Sharif

Maria is a 1st year PhD student at the University of Birmingham, researching how to employ and exploit the biology of human gamma delta T cells for development of cancer immunotherapy.

Gareth Raynes

Gareth is getting ready for his PhD viva at Aberystwyth University and has been researching bacteria living inside coastal plants that can help other plants grow in salt contaminated soils.

Hannah Lewis

Hannah is a 1st year PhD student at Cardiff Metropolitan University. The aim of her research is to clarify what strategies are the most effective in supporting young people with dyslexia.

Chris Proctor

Chris is a third (and final) year PhD student at Ulster University. His project aims to develop a novel method of delivering antibiofilm compounds directly to an infected wound bed in patients.

Carlos Gonzalez Diaz

Carlos is a third year PhD student at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Intelligent Games and Games Intelligence (IGGI), as part of the University of York and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Danny is a third year PhD student at the John Innes Centre and the University of East Anglia, working with Pseudomonas bacteria to understand how they infect their hosts.

Helena Bates

Helena is a final year PhD student at the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Oxford. Her research is on understanding the evolution of asteroids through analysis of meteorites.

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca recently finished her PhD at the University of York. Her research investigated the adaptations that occur in the symbiosis between the tsetse fly and its bacterial microbiome.

Raluca Gaina

Raluca is a final year PhD student at Queen Mary University of London. Her research is on exploring the algorithms of rolling horizon evolutionary algorithms for general video game playing.

Daniel Hernandez

Daniel is a third year PhD student at the University of York. His research is based around self-play training in multiagent systems; training AIs on a game such that they improve overtime.

Ellie Hurer

Ellie is a final year PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire, investigating a protein which is implicated in pancreatic cancer; this work can improve the efficacy of cancer drug treatments.

Nick Ballou

Nick is a first year PhD student at Queen Mary University of London. The long-term goal of his research is to help game designers make games that support healthy engagement and well-being.

Ryan Javanshir

Ryan is in the final write up stages of his PhD at the University of Southampton. His research is on understanding narrative structure, media specificity and genre in transmedia storytelling.

Amy recently entered her third and final year of her PhD at the University of Strathclyde. Her research has focussed on young people’s understanding of mental health stigma in Scotland.

Sammy Chapman

Sammy is a second year PhD student at Cardiff Metropolitan University researching how secondary school teachers can meet the demands of the Digital Competence Framework.

Eleni Routoula

Eleni is nearing the end of her PhD at the University of Sheffield on understanding Peroxidase immobilisation on Bioinspired Silicas and application of the biocatalyst for dye removal.

Alex Fitzpatrick

Alex is a PhD student at the University of Bradford researching ritual and funerary rites in later prehistoric Scotland: an analysis of faunal assemblages from the Covesea Caves.

Kai Arulkumaran

Kai is a PhD student at Imperial College London. His research centres around sample efficiency, transfer learning and interpretability for deep reinforcement learning.​

Christian Nathan

Christian is a PhD student at the University of Leeds. His research project investigatores the role of the molecular clock in sympathetic preganglionic neurons.

Carina Nicu

Carina is a PhD student at The University of Manchester who has just defended her viva. Her research focuses on dermal white adipose tissue regulates human hair follicle growth and cycling.

Sam is a new PhD student at Teesside University. Her research is focussed on better understanding how writing poetry can help cancer survivors to work through mental and emotional issues.

PhD Holders

View the profiles below to gain an insight into different ways that you can develop your work life after gaining your PhD. This could involve continuing a career in academic research, working in a commercial environment, starting your own business or doing something completely unrelated to your PhD. 

Dr Malika Grayson

Dr Grayson gained her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2016. She now works in industry as an Applications Portfolio Manager and is a STEM Speaker and Advocate.

Dr Kirell Benzi

Dr Benzi gained his PhD in Data Science from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in 2016. He is now a professional data artist and head of research at a tech company in Paris, as well as a trained public speaker.

Dr Sunni Patel

Dr Patel gained his PhD in 2011 from Aston University, researching risk factors & systemic biomarkers for Type II diabetes & cardiovascular disease. He is currently a business director at a large global pharmaceutical.

Dr Chris Pattison

Dr Pattison gained his PhD in Cosmology from the University of Portsmouth. He is now finishing a short term post-doc within the same research group and developing a career in science communication and science education.

Dr Nafisa M. Jadavji

Dr Jadavji completed her PhD in Medical Genetics & Neuroscience from McGill University, Montreal, Canada in 2012. She is now an assistant professor involved in a mix of research, teaching and service projects.

Dr John Young

Dr Young gained his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge. He is now a a Senior Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, Deputy Director for the Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences and more!

Dr Asher Williams

Dr Williams gained her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York in 2020. She is now a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University, researching simplifying vaccine manufacturing in low-income countries.

Dr Sherran Clarence

Dr Clarence gained her PhD in Higher Education Studies from Rhodes University, South Africa in 2013. She is now an honorary research associate at the University and also runs her own blog about working as a researcher/parent in academia.

Dr Gita Pathak

Dr Pathak gained her PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2019. She is now a Postdoctoral Associate training in psychiatric genetics at the Yale School of Medicine.

Dr Khalil Thirlaway

Dr Thirlaway gained his PhD in immunology from the University of Nottingham in 2018. He is now a Science Communicator at the Natural History Museum, London.

Dr Michael Norman

Dr Norman gained his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of East Anglia in 2018. He is now the Public Engagement Officer at the Babraham Institute.

Dr Tahira Anwar

Dr Anwar gained her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Helsinki in 2019. She is now pursuing a career within industry and becoming more active in science outreach.

Dr Adani Pujada

Dr Pujada obtained her PhD in Molecular Cell Biology at Georgia State University in 2019. She is now a biomedical faculty member, mentor, and science communicator with a particular interest in promoting STEM education.

Dr Jerelle A Joseph

Dr Joseph gained her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2018 and is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Physics at the University. Her research is on better understanding how cells organises its contents via the process of liquid-liquid phase separation.

Dr Omotayo Ilesanmi

Dr Ilesanmi has a PhD in Applied Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. He is now a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Dr Amy Easey

Dr Easey has a PhD from the University of East Anglia where she genetically modified viral ligase enzymes for industry. She is now a biomedical scientist working in the Haematopathology and Oncology Diagnostic Service at Addenbrookes hospital.

Dr Vanessa Cesário

Dr Cesário has a PhD in Digital Media from the University of Porto. She’s now pursuing an academic career as a Postdoc in HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) as part of an EU project. She’s also aiming to teach in subjects including User-Centered Design and Interactive Media Design.

Dr Jonathan D. Morrow

Dr Morrow gained his MD-PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. He now splits his time between providing clinical care to patients through the University of Michigan and research relevant to addiction and several other psychiatric disorders.

Dr Zoë Ayres

Dr Ayres completed her PhD at the University of Warwick in 2017, researching the use of diamond to make electrochemical sensors. She is now a research scientists in the water industry, developing different analytical techniques and sensors to help keep our water systems safe.

Dr Theanne Griffith

Dr Griffith gained her PhD in Neuroscience from Northwestern University in 2015. She is now a neuroscientist and children’s book author and will be opening her own lab in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology at the University of California Davis later this year (2020).

Dr Laura Tuohilampi

Dr Tuohilampi gained her PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of Helsinki in 2016. She is now a lecturer at the University of Helsinki, a Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales, Sydney and has also founded the company Math Hunger.

Prof Ramesh Raghupathi

Prof Raghupathi gained his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1991. He is now a professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Dr Ipsa Jain

Dr Jain gained her PhD in Molecular Oncology from the Indian Institute of Science. She is now a science illustrator and communicator, and works with TheLifeofScience.com to initiate conversations around sci-art and women in science.

Dr Harry Hothi

Dr Hothi gained his PhD in Orthopaedic Engineering from Queen Mary University of London in 2012. He is now the Implant Science Fellow at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, researching how to improve knee, hip and spine implants.

Dr Bishnu Karki

Dr Karki gained his PhD in the field of Nuclear and Particle Physics from Ohio University in March 2020. He is currently working as a postdoctoral associate in Prof. Haiyan Gao’s research group in Duke University.

Dr Day gained her PhD Physical Chemistry at the University of Nottingham in 2000. She is now a Science & Fiction writer, an Associate Editor at PseudoPod.org and runs the blog ‘The Chronicle Flask’ about all things chemistry.

Dr Amit Kumar Singh

Dr Singh earned his PhD in Nanotechnology from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), India in 2018. He is now a Senior Research Fellow developing low cost and biocompatible micro/nanomotors for anti-cancer therapy.

Dr Sam Rowe

Dr Rowe gained his PhD in the fields of Chemistry and Biological Sciences from the University of East Anglia in 2018. He is now a project coordinator for Norwich Science Festival and also for Pint of Science in Norwich.

Dr Joe Manning

Dr Manning gained his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 2019. He is now a postdoc researcher studying molecular simulations on nanomaterials at the University of Bath.

Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi

Dr Aitsi-Selmi gained her social epidemiology PhD from UCL in 2013. She now runs a private practice in Transformational Coaching and Consulting focused on careers, leadership and wellbeing.

Dr Jennifer Dillon (Bryant)

Dr Dillon gained her PhD in Molecular Cancer Studies at the University of Manchester in 2015. She now works at a biotech company called HairClone, optimising treatments for androgenic alopecia.

Dr Becky Smethurst

Dr Smethurst gained her DPhil in astrophysics from the University of Oxford in 2017. She is now an independent researcher at Oxford, runs a YouTube channel with over 100k subscribers and has published her own book.

Prof Carolyn Mair

Prof Mair gained her PhD in cognitive neuroscience from Bournemouth University in 2004. She is now a consultant working with the fashion industry and published her book in 2018.

Dr Rowan Hooper

Dr Hooper gained his PhD in evolutionary biology from the the University of Sheffield. He is now a journalist and writer (last book called Superhuman) and podcast editor at New Scientist.

Dr Ben Britton

Dr Britton gained his DPhil in material science research at Oxford University in 2010. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial College London.

Prof Debby Cotton

Prof Cotton gained her DPhil in the school of education at Oxford University. She is now the Director of Academic Practice and Professor of Higher Education at Plymouth Marjon University.

Dr Nikolay Nikolov

Dr Nikolov gained his PhD in the area of Anthropology of Architecture from UCL in 2020. He is a video journalist working with Mashable and advises PhDs consider options outside of academia.

Dr Emily Roberts

Dr Roberts gained her PhD from Duke University in 2014 in the field of biomedical engineering. She now runs her own business named Personal Finance for PhDs.

Gain valuable insight from our collection of exclusive interviews with both current and past PhD students. Learn from their best advice, personal challenges and career path after completing their doctorate.

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A year in review as a final year PhD student.

Early November was my defense for my PhD. Other then the stressful build up to to that I am so happy how I spent my year.

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In-course financial support for final stage PhD students

In-course financial support may be available for students in the final year of their phd.

Registered PhD students in their final writing up stages can apply financial support from LSE. This is particularly relevant if you have been funded for only the first three years of your PhD and are close to finishing but cannot quite reach the point of submission due to financial difficulties. We would not expect anyone already supported for their fourth year to apply (eg LSE Studentship Awardees).  The purpose of this scheme is to enable you to submit within the normal maximum period of registration.  

The awards offered under this scheme vary in size and depend on each applicant’s situation. Other income from any part time employment or teaching will be expected and taken into account. 

MRes or MPhil level students, or PhD students who have knowingly registered under-funded at the start of their research programme cannot be considered for this funding.  

Please note that students who have already submitted their thesis and are awaiting their viva are not eligible.

How to apply

This funding is assessed using the PhD Final Year Fund form (PDF). This application form can be completed electronically and submitted by email. Awards are made throughout the academic session; there is no fixed deadline to apply.

Your academic supervisor(s) will be asked to support you application and to confirm your expected date of submission.

Once you have submitted the completed application form with any relevant supporting documentation you should expect to receive a decision within ten working days.

PhD Academy Information for PhD students from registration to graduation

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PhD in Clinical/Counseling Psychology

Research from faculty in the Clinical/Counseling Psychology program is conducted in laboratories at New York University and the schools, hospitals, neighborhoods, and community settings in New York. Additionally, international research is a cornerstone of the program, with faculty and students engaged in studying developmental processes and contextual influences across countries such as China, Argentina, Denmark, and Korea. We work closely with our affiliated global faculty at NYU Shanghai and NYU Abu Dhabi campuses.

Student Research

Students participate in the research team of a faculty member of the Clinical/Counseling Psychology program (or another Applied Psychology faculty, by program approval), beginning the first semester of the first year. Students are expected to allocate half of their time (at least 20 hours per week) to this research team throughout their graduate career. Students are free to transition to another team or collaborate with other research labs and/or research centers during their doctoral training. It is expected that student research experience will entail research productivity, including papers, grant writing, presentations, and publications.

Areas of Research Focus:

• Women and depression; immigrant women; cross-cultural research; feminist epistemology and social action
• Development of prevention, intervention, and service delivery models for youth at risk for or affected with disruptive behavior disorders
• Development of, and social response to, violence and antisocial behavior, focusing on psychopathology, criminal justice systems response, and the role of gender and adolescence
• Immigration, community contexts, individual differences, and racial minority status and the mental health of Asian American individuals and families
• Multicultural assessment and counselor training; qualitative research methods; intelligence testing with diverse populations
• Psychosocial and cultural predictors of health among ethnic minority cancer survivors; development of culturally-sensitive psychosocial interventions; individual differences in emotion regulation and negative self-reflection
• LGBTQIA+ psychology (including homonegative microaggressions) and psychological assessment

Affiliated Research Centers and Institutes

The Consortium for Research and Evaluation of Advanced Technologies in Education (CREATE)  engages in research on the design, critique, and evaluation of wide-ranging advanced digital technologies for learning. Projects housed in the consortium involve interdisciplinary teams of scholars and developers who bridge basic and applied research, development, and evaluation.

The Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC) 's mission is to stimulate interdisciplinary research and influence social policy on children, youth, families, and communities in the context of a rapidly changing social world.

Metro Center

The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools (Metro Center)  promotes equity and opportunity in education through engaged science work: applied research, program evaluation, policy analysis, community engagement, and professional assistance to educational, governmental, and community agencies serving vulnerable populations.

Affiliated Research Labs/Projects

Chinese Families Lab (CFL)

The project draws from both the Nanjing Adolescent and Nanjing MetroBaby study, which are longitudinal, mix-methods studies with over 1100 Chinese families and children starting at 7th grade for the adolescent study and birth for the MetroBaby study. The project is led by  Dr. Niobe Way,   Dr. Hirokazu Yoshikawa ,  Dr. Sumie Okazaki,  and  Dr. Sebastian Cherng  from NYU, and is a collaboration across NYU, NYU-Shanghai, NYU-Abu Dhabi, University of Pennsylvania, and Southeast University in China. We are interested in how the changing social, economic, and cultural context influences Chinese parents' parenting practices and children’s development. The project has finished a ten-year follow-up from the MetroBaby project in 2016. Ongoing research papers under development include examining Chinese mothers’ and fathers gender socialization, adolescents' gender beliefs and their academic achievements, gender beliefs and friendship quality, parents' workplace climate and families' mental health, etc. 

The Culture, Emotion, and Health Lab (CEH)

CEH is directed by  William Tsai, Ph.D.  The lab studies how people regulate their emotions, cope with stress, and how these processes lead to health and well-being. We focus our research questions on how cultural tendencies and values can shape the development and use of these processes. Our work is interdisciplinary, spanning across social, clinical, and health psychology. Recently, we have begun a line of research with ethnic minority cancer survivors, which is a population that experiences significant cancer health disparities. We are interested in applying cultural psychology theories with psychosocial interventions to overcome cultural barriers to reduce the undue burden of cancer experienced by ethnic minority cancer survivors.

The Families and Children Experiencing Success (FACES) Lab

FACES is directed by  Anil Chacko, Ph.D . The lab was developed to serve the families of youth exhibiting disruptive behavior disorders such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, and other conduct disorders. Its research aims to understand how to develop the most effective prevention, intervention, and service models for youth with disruptive behavior disorders and related conditions, or those at high risk for developing them.

The Researching Inequity in Society Ecologically (RISE)

RISE is directed by Erin Godfrey, Ph.D.,  and  Shabnam Javdani, Ph.D . The team’s research and activities serve traditionally marginalized populations, focusing on health and mental health disparities in women and youth who are involved, or at risk of involvement, with the justice system. As such, the RISE Team takes a contextual, multi-level and interdisciplinary approach to systems change and implementing evidence-based practices promoting health and well-being, working closely with community partners to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Faculty Publications

To find out more about a faculty member’s research, please visit their NYU Scholars page by clicking on the professor’s name below.

Anil Chacko

Shabnam Javdani 

Lisa Suzuki

William Tsai

A. Jordan Wright

Applying to MD-PhD Programs

New section.

Are you considering a MD-PhD program? Here the basics about applying to MD-PhD programs to help you get started.

The MD-PhD dual degree training prepares you for a career that is busy, challenging, and rewarding, and offers opportunities to do good for many people by advancing medical science, developing new diagnostics and treatments for diseases, and pushing back the boundaries of the unknown.

How do I know if a combined program is right for me?

MD-PhD programs are specifically designed for those who want to become physician-researchers, also known as physician-scientists. Graduates of MD-PhD programs often go on to become faculty members at medical schools, universities, and research institutes such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

MD-PhD program students are being prepared for careers in which they will spend most of their time doing research in addition to caring for patients. It is critical that applicants have a passion for doing both—most MD-PhD graduates feel strongly that they would not be fulfilled by only pursuing medicine or science.

How do I apply?

Nearly all MD-PhD programs participate in the application process via the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) . On the AMCAS application, students designate themselves as MD-PhD applicants and complete two additional essays: one related to why they are interested in MD-PhD training, and the other highlighting their significant research experiences.

What schools offer this type of program?

Nationwide, there are more than 90 MD-PhD programs affiliated with medical schools. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) supports Medical Scientist Training Programs or MSTPs. They currently provide training grants that partially support MD-PhD programs at 49 degree-granting institutions. You can see which schools offer MD-PhD degrees in the  Medical School Admission Requirements  profiles under “Combined Degrees and Special Programs.” You can also review  Individual MD-PhD Program Information for Prospective Applicants  for easy access to individual MD-PhD program websites.

How long does it take?

Students enter an integrated curriculum that typically takes seven to eight years to complete. During which time, they satisfy the full requirements for both the MD and the PhD degrees.

What kind of work can I do? How much time is spent as an MD? As a researcher?

According to a  study of MD-PhD program outcomes , nearly 80 percent of graduates are following career paths consistent with the goals of their training, including working as full-time faculty in academic medical centers or for the NIH, research institutes, industry, and federal agencies. Those in academia, spend between 50 and 80 percent of their time conducting research, though this can vary by specialty. Their research may be lab-based, translational, or clinical. The remaining time is often divided between clinical service, teaching, and administrative activities.

MD-PhD Application Timeline

AMCAS application opens:  May preceding the year of expected entry Applicants interviewed:  October–March Final decisions sent to applicants:  December–March Applicants revisit program(s) to decide where to matriculate:  March–April MD-PhD programs start:  June–August

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How Long Does it Take to Get a Psychology PhD?

Obtaining a PhD in psychology comes with a number of benefits, from the freedom to start your private practice to the chance to dive deep into research.

But if you’re charting out the next steps of your academic journey, the big question is, “How long does a PhD in psychology take?”

Ultimately, it depends on a handful of factors, but you can expect to be in school anywhere from five to seven years. 1,2  Let’s break down the timeline together and explore why earning a doctorate in psychology may be well worth the commitment. 

Get Your PhD in Psychology Degree

Psychology PhD Program Overview

A doctorate of philosophy in psychology is a terminal degree that helps prepare graduates for a range of professional pathways. It’s often seen as an ideal choice for students who hope to gain teaching experience or produce fresh insights through scientific research. 3 PhDs in psychology may also earn their licensure and work directly with clients in clinical settings, such as a mental health clinic or a private practice.

PhD in psychology programs may vary from institution to institution. Yet, they’re typically broken down into four primary categories:

• Methods and statistics
• Assessment and treatment of mental health conditions
• Research – Research is an integral component of PhD in psychology programs. Throughout your program, you may fine-tune your ability to gather information, perform interviews, work with participants of your selected study (or studies), gather and evaluate data, conduct literature reviews, and present results.
• Clinical practice and research – The knowledge and skills you obtain through coursework and research are taken from theory into practice through supervised training and/or a doctoral internship. Depending on the school, you may also have the opportunity for teaching assistantships.
• Dissertation – Your dissertation and dissertation defense are the key to the completion of your PhD and a culmination of your academic coursework, research, and hands-on training. While some may compare a dissertation to a thesis, dissertations are much more substantial in scope and typically come in between 100 and 300 pages. 7 If you’re unsure about your focus, we have the top 10 clinical psychology research topics to explore for your dissertation.

Stages of the PhD Program

The phases of a PhD in psychology also range from school to school. Graduate students can expect the following:

• Comprehensive exams
• Research proposal
• Dissertation research
• Dissertation defense

Does this mean you’ll manage each of these one at a time? Not necessarily. You might attend a morning lecture, teach for an hour, see a patient for an intake assessment, and spend your evening working on your dissertation.

Factors Affecting the Duration of a PhD in Psychology

Several factors may influence your particular answer to “How long does a PhD in psychology take?” These may include:

• Part-time vs. full-time status
• Job obligations
• Family obligations
• Domestic circumstances
• Extenuating circumstances that occur during your program
• Area of specialization

The duration of your graduate program may also be contingent upon the strength of your relationship with your mentor/doctoral advisor and, importantly, what you bring to the program, such as time management skills, motivation, and momentum. 8

The Role of Internships and Practical Experience

Internships and clinical practicums are crucial to gaining the skills and confidence required to transition from your doctoral program into the “real” world.

The type of hands-on experience you gain—and where it will occur—will depend on your program and discipline, but PhD in psychology students usually observe a licensed clinical psychologist in action or work directly with clients or groups of clients. In both scenarios, you typically have the opportunity to ask questions and request feedback. 9

Where do these internships and practicums take place? In a range of settings, such as:

• Rehabilitation centers
• Substance abuse facilities
• Private practices
• Correctional facilities

The PhD in Clinical Psychology program at Alliant International University, for example, pairs doctoral candidates with clinical practicum opportunities within the community to further your professional development.

As mentioned, a PhD in psychology usually takes between five and seven years, plus, in most cases, a one-year internship. Bear in mind, however, that the factors noted above could potentially delay completion.

5 Tips for Staying on Track

There are several ways to remain on track throughout your graduate studies: 10

• Establish regular meetings with your mentor/dissertation advisor to evaluate your progress
• Set firm deadlines
• Select a manageable research topic
• Work at building a support system, inside and outside of your program
• Decompress with regular breaks, whether that means exercise, a staycation, or a quick weekend away

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), studies suggest that picturing the completion of your PhD and your future success can boost your motivation. Getting a PhD in psychology is no easy feat, but you are making a difference in the lives of others.

How We Support Our PhD Students

Alliant International University is intent on ensuring students receive the support they need to thrive throughout their academic journeys. We offer a number of resources to nourish your well-being, including libraries, labs, and online databases. Add an encouraging faculty to the list, and you can rest assured that we’ll help you stay on track.

Elevate Your Academic Career at Alliant International University

“How long does it take to get a psychology PhD” is case by case, much in the way your clients may be in the future. However long it does take is incomparable to what you may gain from your program, from in-depth knowledge of the brain to the finest research techniques.

Alliant International University nurtures these very things. We offer two doctoral degrees in Psychology: a PsyD and a PhD in Clinical Psychology . Both come equipped with attributes that can help students flourish—during their PhD degree programs and after.

Imagine your future in psychology by exploring our doctoral programs today.

• Kendra Cherry, MSEd. “Different Timelines for Doctorate-Degree Options in Psychology.” Verywell Mind, November 7, 2023. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-phd-in-psychology-2795131.  
• “Home.” Alliant Intl University. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.alliant.edu/psychology/clinical-psychology/phd.  
• “Doctoral Degrees in Psychology: How Are They Different, or Not so Different?” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2016/01/doctoral-degrees .
• “Psychology Doctorate Phd Defined: Explore Academic, Internship and Research Requirements for a Psychology Phd.” Psychologist, March 24, 2021. https://www.psychologist-license.com/types-of-psychologists/psychologist-doctorate-phd/.  
• “Best Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D.. and Psy.D.).” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, April 12, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/degrees/phd/.  
• “Daily Activities of a Clinical Psychology Phd Student.” Simply Mental Health, November 13, 2022. https://simplymentalhealth.ca/2022/11/13/daily-activities-of-a-clinical-psychology-phd-student/.  
• "How Long Is a Dissertation? Here’s the Average Length.” Dissertation Team. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://us.dissertationteam.com/blog/how-long-is-a-dissertation/.&nbsp ;
• Young, Sonia N, William R Vanwye, Mark A Schafer, Troy A Robertson, and Ashley Vincent Poore. “Factors Affecting Phd Student Success.” International journal of exercise science, January 1, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6355122/.  
• “Internships and Practicums.” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, April 10, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/resources/internships-and-practicums/.  
• “Revive Your Drive--Six Empirically Supported Techniques for Getting Excited about Grad School Again.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2008/09/grad-school.&nbsp ;

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2024 Graduate Tuition and Fees – UPDATES IN PROGRESS

Graduate student tuition and fees may be assessed through your financial account and will include but may not necessarily be limited to the following basic categories.

Tuition is assessed per term at differentiated rates between:

• First and continuing year of study
• Programs of study and degree route
• International (visa) students
• International Special Programs (ISP)

Ancillary fees

Ancillary fees are assessed on a per credit and sessional basis. Most ancillary fees administered by Brock University  are mandatory and governed by an Ancillary Fee Protocol established between the university and the students’ union. The fees administered by the Graduate Students Association  are established in accordance with their constitution.

Program specific fees

Program specific fees may be applicable because of the program you are enrolled in. Typical fees include internship and work placement fees.

Course specific fees

Course specific fees may be charged by the University for the reasonable cost of such things as field trips, learning material and clothing retained by the student. Please consult course descriptions to identify if course specific fees apply.

Miscellaneous or administrative fees

Miscellaneous fees or administrative fees are fees for service and may be incurred by a student as a result of a request or action.

Residence and meal plan fees

Residence and meal plan fees vary depending on the residence assigned and type of room. Meal plans are mandatory for certain residence facilities. For details consult the  Residence Services website .

Tuition fees are approved by the Brock University Board of Trustees, in accordance with the tuition policy set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The fee information is provided for illustrative purposes for typical situations. The actual fees assessed may vary from these schedules.

Tuition is assessed at differentiated rates between:

• Degree type and International student programs (ISP)
• Domestic and international (visa) students

Student fees per term

MA, MSc, MBE, MS, MEd (Research Based Route)*, PhD Arts & Science and PhD Education (note: PhD Education fees noted separately) For these programs, tuition fees are charged on a per term basis.  MA Linguistics International (non-direct entry) may require additional language support courses.  Please see the Other Graduate Programs Fees page for details.:

*The Province of Ontario charges an international recovery fee to be applied to all international students at public colleges and universities. This fee will be applied once in either fall or winter term based on the term of first registration for each academic year.

MEd Note: Students admitted under the 2009/10 graduate calendar, choosing a research based route, and student admitted on a prior calendar but who have chosen to proceed in completing their degree requirements for their research based route according to the 2009/10 graduate calendar, will pay on a per term basis.

Final Stage Status Fee for MA, MSc, MBE, MEd (Research route) and PhD programs:  Full-time and part-time students (domestic and (visa) international) who have completed all course work and have been approved by their graduate program for final stage status will pay $345.94 per term. Final stage status may only be awarded once and only for one term. All applicable ancillary fees apply.

Student fees per half credit

MEd (Course Based Route)*, MAcc, MBA, MADS For these programs tuition is charged on a per credit basis. Fees listed below are shown at a half credit rate. A full credit course will be charged two times the half credit rate. A quarter credit course will be charged at half the half credit rate.

*The Province of Ontario charges an international recovery fee to be applied to all international students at public colleges and universities. This fee will be applied once in either fall or winter term based on the term of first registration for each academic year.

MEd Note:  Students choosing to complete their degree requirements according to the 2008/09 graduate calendar or prior will continue to be charged the per credit fee.

International Cohort Programs (ISP)

BN/MN Combined Nursing Program

Ancillary fees (subject to change) 2024-2025.   Ancillary fee updates are published as they become available.

Sessional ancillary fees are assessed based on full-time or part-time status in a session or term. Most ancillary fees are mandatory and governed by an Ancillary Fee Protocol established between Brock University and the Graduate Students’ Association .  Please open the sections for amount breakdowns and other details.

Health Services Fee: $7.40-$32.77 (open for details) 2024-2025

Covers the operating costs of Student Health Services on campus. Non-refundable.

U.H.I.P per International Student: $756.00. 2023-2024 2024-2025 TBD

Mandatory health insurance for international students only (those not covered under OHIP). Coverage is September 1 to August 31.

Graduate Students' Mental Health and Wellness Fee: $24.53 2024-2025

This fee is charged in both fall and winter sessions to provide supports for graduate students, these services are provided both in-person and virtually.  These include, but are not limited to, psychological, clinical, out-patient and educational.

Full-time or part-time students  $24.53

Athletics Fee: $8.90 - $17.80 (open for details) 2024-2025

Athletics fee Charged per term except for Master of Education per course(#).

Recreation Facilities Fee: $2.78- $5.56 (open for details) 2024-2025

Recreation facilities fee Supplements department of recreation services to provide increased programming, recreational time, and employment for Brock students.

Zone Fitness Centre fee: $27.81 2024-2025

Zone fitness centre fee Allows graduate students access to the Zone Fitness Centre.

Zone Expansion Fee $17.00 per term 2024-2025

This fee is charged per term and provides assistance to the expansion project of the Zone Fitness Centre on campus, providing students with nearly triple the amount of gym space on campus.  This contribution is a 5 year commitment and will commence once the project is substantially complete.

Ombudsperson Fee $3.71 2024-2025

This fee is charged per term to FT and PT students and allows graduate students to access Ombuds services at the university.  Gives graduate students access to academic supports to assist them in their studies or research, ensuring necessary representation is always available.  ( https://www.brockbusu.ca/services/ombudsperson/ )

Aboriginal Student Services Levy $3.05 per term 2024-2025

Charged to all students in all terms to support Aboriginal Student Services (ABSS).

The following sessional ancillary fees are administered by the Graduate Students’ Association .

GSA Health and Dental Plan Insurance: $575.00 (Subject to change) 2024-2025 (Sept 1/24-Aug 31/25) / $380.00 Spring 2024 Entry (May 1/24- Aug 31/24)

Extended medical and dental coverage (September to August) charged to graduate students as described on the  Graduate Students’ Association Health and Dental Plan website .   This is a combined fee.

Spring 2024 entry: $380.00 covers May 1, 2024 – Aug 31, 2024

ALL STUDENTS (BEGINNING SEPT 2024 at first registration in either Fall or Winter term):

-FALL (1 year) $575.00

-WINTER (8 months) $575.00

GSA Universal Transit Pass: $331.01 (full time students) FW 2024-2025

Fee for the mandatory 8 month transit pass (September to April), valid with St. Catharines Transit, Welland Transit and Niagara Transit. Part-time students are not granted a transit pass. For further details, visit the  Universal Bus Pass website . Charged in the fall or winter session at the point of first registration in either term.

Graduate Students Association Membership Fee: (open for details) $43.67 per term 2024-2025

This fee is charged per term to support the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) activities, workshops, administration and advocacy.  The GSA represents the interests of all graduate students at Brock University, and is administered by an executive team elected each March for the coming year.  At registration, all graduate students become members of the GSA by virtue of this association fee.   ( https://brocku.ca/graduate-students-association/ )

Canadian Federation of Students Membership fee: $5.04 - $10.08 FW (open for details) 2024-2025

This fee is for membership in the Canadian Federation of Students. Formed in 1981, the federation allows a large number of student unions to pool resources and garner political clout to work on behalf of post-secondary education students in Canada, ensuring student rights and concerns are fully represented.

GSA Capital Maintenance Fee $8.41 per term 2024-2025

This fee is charged per term, and supports the GSA in addressing ongoing expense of repair and maintenance costs, associated with all assets and spaces owned or managed by the organization.

GSA Emergency Student Support Fund $1.92 per term 2024-2025

This fee is charged per term to provide direct graduate student emergency support services such as food bank/vouchers.

GSA Student Engagement Levy $7.87 per term 2024-2025

A fund to support Graduate student events and programming. Charged to all students in all terms.

Questions? Need Help? Contact Brock Central @ The Registrar’s Office

Click on the Brock logo for Brock Central information and details.

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