Balancing a Part-Time PhD in Engineering: My Journey to Becoming a Professor

[Physics_UG]

So I tried a PhD program in the past on the other side of the country and got through about two semesters and dropped out. I didn't like being so far from home and I didn't like the huge university atmosphere. The class sizes were pretty large especially for grad classes.

I have since been working in industry and I am liking making some money but I really want to finish my PhD and become a professor or at least teach college engineering classes at night after work. I applied for a PhD program near my home and I was accepted. They will transfer two classes from the last PhD program I was in. I think I am going to take one class a semester a while just to get my feet wet and then I will take on maybe two a semester later on. Do you think this is feasible? Has anyone successfully done a PhD part time while working full time in industry? This is an electrical engineering PhD program. The advisor I talked to at the university said people have done it before at this university and it is definitely possible.

What do you think? Also, this school isn't all that well known in academic circles but it is close to where I work.

 

[Physics_UG]

Also, I understand that research is difficult to do part time. I am hoping I will find an advisor willing to work around my work schedule and meet with me in the evenings if needed.

 

[Jorriss]

Are you being funded in this program? I do not know of programs that will actually let you just take classes slowly until you are ready for research. Engineering could be a lot different though of course.

 

[Physics_UG]

Are you being funded in this program? I do not know of programs that will actually let you just take classes slowly until you are ready for research. Engineering could be a lot different though of course.

I am not being funded. I will be paying out of pocket until I might possibly end up a full timer. The tuition is really cheap for in state students though and I make plenty of money to pay for it.

 

[AlephZero]

Has anyone successfully done a PhD part time while working full time in industry?

I know a few people in the UK who did the "research" part of their PhD full time, and then planned to write up their thesis part time while working in industry.

All of them either ran out of time (IIRC you have to complete the PhD within 7 years in the UK) or they decided the experience of actually doing the research and then starting to build a career was more valuable than getting a few signatures on the front page of a thesis that few people would ever read, and abandoned the writing up.

But that doesn't prove it can't be done, of course!