Hi guys, this is first post, so please be nice!

In a couple of weeks, i am due to finish my MSc in Human and Sports Nutrition. I am considering the future and am contemplating doing a Phd. However, i am not too sure what it will entail, in terms of commitment time-wise. Roughly how many hours per week will i need to put in, if i was to do it part-time? I desperately need to earn some cash! I can imagine this question being a bit like "how long is a piece of string?", but i really haven't got an idea.

I'm not too sure what subject area i want to do my PhD in yet either. Where do i begin looking? My BSc was in Sports Science, my MSc was in Human Nutrition and sports nutrition. I enjoy sports science and both clinical and sports nutrition. I am really confused!

I eventually want to lecture sports science and nutrition at university level, so am i right in saying a PhD is a definite requirement?

Also, do universities take on students and build them into a teaching role, with this in mind, or will i have to then do a teaching course afterwards?

Also, how demanding is the PhD compared to a MSc? I am not scared of hard work and research, but i would like to know what i am letting myself in for.

Do any of you doing your PhD's work part-time as well? If so, how many hours is average? Money is a big concern to me at the moment!

Any information you guys can send my way will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

1. I'd say at least 15 hours a week part-time - you'll be looking at 5 - 7 years for completion.
2. Unfortunately, these days a PhD does seem to be a standard requirement for teaching. I'm not too sure about something like sports science though, that may have a more practical/vocational side.
3. Few universities provide any formal teacher training for future lecturers, although you may attend an introductory teaching course. Basically, you're just dropped in at the deep end. Many uni's make new lecturers do a PG Certificate in HE, but this is once you have a faculty job.
4. A PhD is a completely different ball game to a Masters. The main difference is lack of structure or direction - you must direct yourself, and picking the right supervisor to help you with this is crucial. The quality of written work from a Masters to PhD must significantly improve.
5. I don't do a PhD part-time, but whether it's part-time or full-time it can be very financially draining (particularly if you're without funding, or with funding but based in London).

...I ran out of word count.

With respect to money, the best option will be to obtain a full-time PhD with funding, rather than a part-time without (and juggling a job).

Hi, just an update to this thread. Since I started this thread, i have got my results for my MSc, and i am so happy to say that i got a merit! I have taken some time away from studying, and actually really miss it. The PhD is high on my agenda, but think that really and truely, the only way i can do this is by working and undertaking the study part time. This having been decided, the next thing is to find out how it all works...

Am i to understand that the PhD is to discover new research in a subject area. If this is the case, how do some universities offer set programs for PhD's if it has never been done before? If so, does the program just ask the question, and then leave you to discover a sufficient method to form a conclusion?

Also, and i guess this does depend on the answer to the previous question, what does the application process depend on? Do we have to detail an experimental proposal when we apply, or is this something we form whilst we are undertaking the PhD?

Any information you can give me will be much appreciated. I am so confused at the moment that i don't know where to begin. All i know is that i have a deep passion for my subject area and i wish to pursue further study in it and aim to teach it in the long run. I feel that if i don't this now, whilst i have no real commitments, i will regret it and may never get the chance to reach such heights again.   

Hi Steve,

I'm also at the stage of wanting to do a PhD, so this is very interesting to me.

Unlike the poster above, I am afraid of hard work. I am defintiely planning to do my PhD part time, at least for starters. 5-7 years seems like a very long time.

I've done some university lecturing, and there wasn't really any formal teaching training given (the university did run a brief course on theory of teaching and learning, but I didn't go). So it's really make it up as you go - it has been very interesting for me trying to learn how to do the teaching thing. My wife is a highschool teacher and she is fairly horrified I think that I get to teach with no training!

Anyway - good luck with your PhD quest. There are teaching jobs without PhDs, but as I understand it PhDs are standard for most fields.

Cheers,

Whitey

i start my PhD in 3weeks time. full time but i plan to work about 30hrs spread over 3/4 days and fit in all the hours i can for my PhD. luckily while working i can also fit in my PhD work. i have no funding, i wish id applied but too late now. iv paid my fees and have just resigned myself to a life of PhD and work. sometimes i wonder how il manage as i have 2 teenagers but luckily as my ex has them weekends, il fit in working then. my uni expect me to teach first and 2nd year undergrads which il be paid for, dont know how much il be doing. i see a life of 3years of hard work and no social life but i want my PhD so much i am willing to take all thats thrown at me. i plan to fit in about 25-30hours work per week on the PhD (research and writing)