Admissions PhD Application in Physics: Age, Immigration, 2 PhDs

[CrysPhys]

Easier to land a job and I would also think easier to do the job since you do not do the research, but I would like to hear other opinions.

So, you mean it may be as equal as hard to teach at community college than to teach at a university? Based on my experience nothing compares to research.

According to the SJSU website, their master's in physics program takes typically 2 - 3 yrs to complete. Since they admit students without a bachelor's in physics, but require them to take remedial undergrad courses, I assume the 3 yrs applies to that category of students (and you fall in that category).

So if you want to spend 2 - 3 yrs studying physics for its own sake, fine. You know by now that the master's will qualify you to teach at some community colleges as an adjunct instructor, but getting a tenured position will not be as easy as you first hoped for. And the teaching job may not be as easy as you first hoped for. You don't appear to be interested in a job in industry (at least at this time); however, you should note that in the US, with exceptions, an MS in physics won't afford you greater job opportunities than the degrees you have now.

But you should think really, really hard whether you want to spend an additional ~6 or so yrs (after your master's) getting a PhD in physics if you are not internally driven to do research. Typically students pursue a PhD because they are internally driven to pursue research. They complete their thesis research, a finished outcome for one phase of their lives. Then they move on. To more research; or to some other career option.

But to pursue a PhD when you are not internally driven to do research, solely as a means for the end goal of landing a job teaching at a community college? Does that really make sense to you (regardless of the age issue)?

 

[Fernando Rios]

According to the SJSU website, their master's in physics program takes typically 2 - 3 yrs to complete. Since they admit students without a bachelor's in physics, but require them to take remedial undergrad courses, I assume the 3 yrs applies to that category of students (and you fall in that category).

So if you want to spend 2 - 3 yrs studying physics for its own sake, fine. You know by now that the master's will qualify you to teach at some community colleges as an adjunct instructor, but getting a tenured position will not be as easy as you first hoped for. And the teaching job may not be as easy as you first hoped for. You don't appear to be interested in a job in industry (at least at this time); however, you should note that in the US, with exceptions, an MS in physics won't afford you greater job opportunities than the degrees you have now.

But you should think really, really hard whether you want to spend an additional ~6 or so yrs (after your master's) getting a PhD in physics if you are not internally driven to do research. Typically students pursue a PhD because they are internally driven to pursue research. They complete their thesis research, a finished outcome for one phase of their lives. Then they move on. To more research; or to some other career option.

But to pursue a PhD when you are not internally driven to do research, solely as a means for the end goal of landing a job teaching at a community college? Does that really make sense to you (regardless of the age issue)?

Actually, it is not that I don't feel that motivated to do the research. I guess it is more like I find it hard from my experience from my PhD. Anyway, since I will be 3 years in the M.S. degree, I guess I have about 2 years to get research experience in Physics and talk to people at SJSU to make the decision of whether I will apply for the PhD or not. I will definitely need to consider a lot of aspects.

 

[mathwonk]

I also found getting a PhD the hardest thing I had ever done, partly because of poor pay, poor working conditions, exploitation by the university, family needs,.... But afterwards, research activity, .... well yes, it was still extremely hard, but was also a source of enjoyment, at least when I was able to converse and cooperate with brilliant colleagues on topics of real interest to us. By comparison, trying to teach hard material to large numbers of unappreciative students, for an unappreciative administration, can be very discouraging. Although many of my lower level classes were rewarding due to some of the hard working students, the real scientific stimulation in my day was the time talking research to colleagues, or teaching an advanced graduate class. But I had friends who preferred teaching to research. The ones who enjoyed it the most however were those who regularly taught only the very best students in honors classes. By definition this cannot be the lot of every teacher. If you aspire to teaching in a community college after years of study, I recommend you try to get a real sense of what it is like to explain physics to an audience of ill prepared, often ill motivated and ungifted students, and make sure this will engage you long term. To be sure, any student who wants to learn can be very rewarding to teach, but it helps greatly if you are, or can become, one of those teachers who can actually interest, or even inspire, average students to want to learn. good luck in your journey.