Is it possible to do a job part-time whilst doing a full-time PhD?

H

Hi all,

I'm about to start a PhD in American Literature and will be self-funding my first year. Does anyone have any ideas about how many hours per week of paid (non-PhD) work it's possible to squeeze in without compromising your project?

Let me know of your experiences.

Cheers.

W

If you have teaching duties at university, they generally state that about six hours or so is acceptable and won't jeopardise your PhD.

C

In my first year I was lucky enough for my department to pay full time fees for me. But I didn't get the AHRC so had to work for 20 hours a week in the university library.

It was hard work and by the time my AHRC acceptance letter came in August last year I was exhausted. My project probably has been damaged - my records for my reading in my first year are scant. But at least I managed to do some kick-ass research,

Good luck.

A

I've worked between 15 and 20 hours a week in my part-time job for most of my PhD, and I've done teaching and exam marking and stuff on top of that (teaching and preparation took maybe an afternoon a week averaged over the year). I've given up work over the summer now while I finish writing up, and I'm hoping to be finished by Christmas (so that'll be three years and a term). It's do-able, but don't expect to have a spectacular social life! I don't think my thesis has suffered, but there's extra things in the dept which I haven't been able to do that would have looked good on my cv, but I just don't have time for.

I was also lucky that I had a relatively stress-free, often quiet, and well-paid job, so I sometimes got £8 an hour for a ten hour shift, of which six hours were spent reading. Sadly, my job has changed now, which is one reason I've quit for a few months!

T

I think my work load would allow me to have a weekend job, generally I am busy during the week then free at weekends.. I chose not to have one mainly because of my relationship situation.. my partner is doing a PhD at a uni 250 miles away from me so most weekends either I go to him or he comes to me so it makes the reality of a part time job a bit of a no go. Also I enjoy having some free time to myself, I would hate to work all week then have to work all weekend too, I think it would do my head in lol!

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