Why do so many get their doctorate when it isnt needed?

So you also do not understand why someone might climb Everest or train for an Ironman triathlon. You don't understand why someone might try to solve a complex mathematical problem or even to rebuild an old Harley.

 

In my case, it was mainly because I wanted to switch to a business teaching career. I was doing OK with my Masters but noticed that most faculty positions started to ask for a doctorate even for adjunct positions.

I have taught for few online business doctorates and noticed that there are few motivators for this. Few people believe that the doctorate will lead to a teaching career, this might not be the case for most but not many understand how academic careers work.


Others think that the doctorate will lead to senior positions. Many feel that a PhD in a resume wll make them eligible for a CEO, CFO, etc position that pays more than 200K. Many do not understand that most people that work as CEOs don`t have a PhD because they don`t need one. Writting a bunch of papers and a dissertation doesnt qualify you to run a fortune 500 corporation.

Although many have high expectations, most people do the doctorate because they feel that they will make them competitive in the work place and many use the financial support from their employers for this so they feel that there is nothing to lose. Many of the online PhDs are designed for this market, their course work is more professional oriented and dissertations tend to be more applied. We might argue that a DBA is more suitable than a PhD but for some reason the market sees the DBA as a weaker version of the PhD and most students register for the PhD and not the DBA.

 

My doctorate is in business, I would feel ridiculous calling myself Dr for a hotel reservation. I use the title for conferences, papers, publications, etc but that is about it.

 

Personally, I can retire in less than 10 years with a very generous pension, but in no way am I "retiring" as in not working anymore. I'm looking towards a second career doing a variety of things....counseling, teaching, consulting, and my mix of degrees (assuming I complete the doctorate) will make me very attractive in all three areas.

Because of an education incentive in Massachusetts, there are tons of active and retired police officers in the state with Master's degrees in Criminal Justice, but I don't know of any who have a Master's in CJ, a second Master's in Forensic Psychology, and a doctorate that combines the 2 fields. Having the doctorate especially will be put me over the top for teaching as an adjunct for community colleges/colleges and at the police academy.

I'm going to incur significant student loans, but even with the jobs I've already been offered upon completion of the doctorate, I'll be able to wipe them out in no time.

 

I wonder how many on DegreeInfo use loans for grad degrees? I suspect many use tuition assistance instead. onder:

 

I was joking...I work in healthcare and it would be misleading to call myself doctor in many ways. I never really did it for the ego.

 

No loans here.

 

I think the OP is making a lot of assumptions as to individual motivations. There are also two separate questions being asked 1) why would anyone get a Doctorate, and 2) why would anyone get a Doctorate if it meant going into significant debt to do so.

A Doctorate opens up many doors - to say "why bother because it would not help you in your career" demonstrates a narrow-minded perspective. People make decisions everyday that most others would not - so what? I would never spend the money to go to a NASCAR race, but I do not have a problem with those who do and honestly do not care why that is their choice as the answer has no bearing on anything I do whatsoever.

My personal journey included the Doctorate because it was something I always wanted to accomplish. I completed it with no debt and very little out of pocket expense. It has paid for itself several times over in the last year just from the opportunities it has opened up for me that were previously unavailable to me.

 

I don't currently envision ever earning a doctoral degree but I'm also aware that I can not accurately predict what my life and goals might be 20 years from now. I have played with the idea of getting a PhD in an area of interest (like Anthropology) just as a counterpoint to my technical career. To me it would be something like taking up a strange little hobby, do it for fun, do it because it's interesting, meet a lot of different people, etc. I could see getting a PhD in English Lit and then writing a book review column in my little local newspaper. It would be fun, it would be social. For me it doesn't have to be all about the money.

 

You guys are missing my point completely. Im not saying "why would anyone ever get a doctorate degree" and Im not specifically speaking about people on HERE. Im saying (and have clearly stated) that I know several people who ARE using student loans and DO NOT need a doctorate degree for their jobs. In fact, they have even said their bosses told them there would be NO BENEFIT to getting it since it would not open up any new doors at their jobs. They said they wanted to get the doctorate because it was available and they thought they should. I came on here to see if anyone could shed some light on WHY someone would incur that kind of debt, spend that much time and effort, and not get any real benefit from it. I cant see how the end justifies the means there. So MAYBE in 10 or 20 years they might need it so why not get it now? The thing is, they arent even getting the doctorate in a field they really enjoy. They are getting it in a field they are already working in where there will be no benefit to it. I just dont understand getting a degree for the sake of getting it "just because", building up that kind of debt, and having no real means to at least apply it to your career. A doctorate in game design. REALLY? You only need a 2 year degree to get hired. A bachelors degree with get you top grade pay. Even a masters degree is kind of useless since it doesnt help you advance (you need experience to advance). So to get a doctorate in that field...WHY? Just because its there? I dont even want to think about the kind of debt that my friend is going to incur by doing that. Another friend wants to get a DBA, again with student loans. WHY? Its not necessary. He knows its not, but he said he feels that he should get it because its available and he thinks his employer would view him as settling or being lazy if he doesnt get every degree available. WHAT??? How does that logic even work? This is what Im saying. WHY do some people feel they HAVE to get doctorate degrees when there's no real benefit to it?

 

I can speak to three motivations that make up my reasons for wanting to continue to attain a doctorate. I know you're not pointing fingers at anyone but I think that these reasons may be appropriate for a large number of people, they just happen to also be mine.

1. I was told at a very young age by my legal guardian that I'd never go to college because it simply wouldn't be paid for by them and was completely useless anyway. This led me to throw a big middle finger in the air and I've had that chip on my shoulder ever since.. (and to be completely honest and visceral, I've relieved myself on their gravesite annually. - yes I carry long standing grudges. - it's a character flaw.) I'll probably tape a photocopy of the degree to the back of the headstone when done.

2. I believe that the purpose of academia is not to get a job, but to create academics. That means I have to do original research and in order to do that well in my opinion, I need to go through a proper doctoral program. I'm also one of these people that make enough now to make the financial proposition of a degree invalid. I'd be better served just doing my job and not bothering with the books; but I'm not done with the process of academia yet.

3. I've noted that with each degree program, and the travails involved, I've become a better person. I've enjoyed the benefits of being more rational in approach and with the previously alluded to urinal as the exception; I've become a better person and role-model to my family. I don't think there's a dollar figure I could pay that would accomplish that.

Last, for many the credential isn't about the current job. It's about the opportunities that arise or are open to someone because they've run the gauntlet. In this case it's an exercise in personal faith, which I also commend.

Thanks,
ITJD

 

Some people ask me why I need a 430hp car when you can only go "55". They just don't understand.

 

Because it is a cool car and I have no idea why you did not offer me a ride in it!

 

Next time man. You can drive it. Its 6sp paddle shift.

 

These are good questions but I do not think you can generalize the answer. This is all a personal choice.

 

I have not driven a stick since the late 80's (my '73 VW Super Beetle)

 

lol.......

 

If everyone on this board is missing your point completely then I can only conclude that you are failing to clearly articulate your point. As for me, I am concluding that it is you who is failing to understand the answers that are being provided to you.

 

Nice.........I was thinking the same thing.