PhD and Applied Doctorates (Essay Sample)

PhD and applied doctorates
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[Institution affiliation]
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Introduction
The job market is increasingly getting more and more demanding when it comes to matters academic qualifications. The philosophy being spread currently is that one degree, an undergraduate degree alone for that matter is not enough. These are the kind of forces that are compelling people to have a continuous urge to farther their education qualifications with a hope of achieving job security in the long run. People are thus seeking more and more qualifications some informed, others misinformed. This study will focus on postgraduate studies in particular the PhD and professional doctorate and their impact on my career choices and path.
Discussion
The main difference between the two postgraduate degrees mentioned above is that the PhD is more research-oriented, whereas the professional doctorate is more of a practical approach to the workplace. The professional doctorate makes it possible for the student to link issues learnt in class with the workplace and thus apply it effectively CITATION Die09 \l 1033 (Fink, 2009). A professional doctorate is said to have a hybrid curriculum which involves the three environments which the student interacts with. These environments are: the university, the workplace and the profession. The professional doctorate is seen, as a perfect postgraduate tool as the knowledge gained is used by the professional to bring change in the socio-economic environment CITATION Die09 \l 1033 (Fink, 2009).
The research-oriented PhD is becoming more and more unpopular amongst employers. This is because it is more directed to a career in academics rather than a career in the normal working environment. PhD holders usually do a thesis that is usually very wide in terms of content. This is in contrast with the professional doctorate that has a project that usually focuses on the area of expertise which the student is attached to CITATION Die09 \l 1033 (Fink, 2009). This is a disadvantage to the professional doctorate holders as they can only apply their skill in only one type of environment –that which they have specialized in. PhD holders have an edge here as their vast knowledge can be applied in more than one environment.
It is, however, unfortunate how employees deem this vast knowledge acquired by PhD holders to be narrow. More and more PhD are getting less employable in the corporate world as the economy and society of nowadays demands that employees be having a broad range of skills which ultimately help them to further their opportunities. Majority of PhD holders are left with no option but to join the academic field as lecturers and tutors in universities CITATION Arw09 \l 1033 (Sung, 2009).
Scholars argue that the professional doctorate waters down the PhD and should not be considered to be at par with the PhD. This is because it has less research and has incorporated instead of only a supervisor representing the school, a panel from the corporate world and profession, as well. Another school of thought, however, argued it to be still a doctorate only that the method of delivery is the difference CITATION Arw09 \l 1033 (Sung, 2009).
The reasons for pursuing PhD’s and doctorates are more or less similar. The conventional path for PhD seekers, however, was that of the academic field. As soon as one had started the research of the thesis, one was given a job as assistant lecturer and soon after graduation a fully-fledged lecturer CITATION Arw09 \l 1033 (Sung, 2009). This is still the situation more or less today as many who pursue PhD’s usually have decided to follow the academic path. Professional doctorate students, however, do this to increase their chances of employability in the specifie...