Structured PhD, Geography

Name: Brídín Caroll

Age: 28

Primary degree: BA Geography and Legal Science, NUI Galway (2002); LLB, NUI Galway (2003)

Postgraduate degrees: PhD, Geography, NUI Galway (2013)

After a few years of working, I decided that a postgraduate qualification would help me progress both professionally and financially. I could have done further study in my area of work (TEFL) but decided that if I was going to invest four years of time and money then I wanted to study an area I was particularly passionate about.

I'm currently in the second year of a four-year structured PhD. I didn't really know what to expect before I started, but I've not been surprised to discover that it's different to my primary degree in the sense that I have to be highly independent and take the initiative in my studies. I now spend my time on independent research and that suits me fine.

It's important at this level to have confidence in your abilities and ideas. Of course this is necessary as an undergraduate too, but it's fundamental to social research. Now my research is completely project-based – there are no exams, so the process is more like having constant assignments. Large amounts of self-motivation are vital: because you are working independently you might not have many deadlines, and this could result in a lack of progression if you don't remain focused.

I find it helpful to treat my course like a full-time job, and I'm generally in college 9.00 am–6.00 pm Monday to Friday. Having spent six years working between undergraduate and postgraduate level, I'm very aware of the world of work that awaits. As such, I'm extremely career oriented and take every opportunity to take part in activities that will ultimately help me to get a job. As I'm involved in social research, the job opportunities in industry aren’t as plentiful as those for science and engineering PhDs. However, there are agencies and organisations that I could be employed by, and lecturing is another great option.

I'm a self-funded postgraduate and I'm not in receipt of a fellowship. I receive a local-authority grant which covers my fees and provides a maintenance grant each year, and I also work part-time as a teaching assistant in my department. Juggling my own research commitments with the demands of part-time work is tough, but it can be done.

Working with leading academics

I have over two and a half years left on my course and within this time I hope to travel to the University of California as part of an exchange programme that NUI Galway is involved in. This will enable me to work with some of the leading academics in my field, gain a unique perspective on my work, and make some useful contacts.

For me, the most enjoyable aspect of my course so far has been the completion of sections of my thesis – it's very satisfying to follow the steps in research which culminate in the production of a new body of findings.

Top tips

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to research and apply for PhD programmes. Calls for fellowship positions come out at the beginning of the year for September starts so you need to give time over to applications for pre-established projects and for liaising with a potential supervisor if you're putting together an original research project of your own. This process can take a long time – I spent six months consulting with my supervisor before I began my research.