15th December 2008, 03:42 PM
Interesting article Kevin, reading it brings up mixed feelings...1) Sounds like a very unpleasant viva experience, and at no point should a candidate be ridiculed (especially if it is an open examination). 2) Doesn't sound like the candidate himself was necessarily the easiest person to work with either, and a deleterious breakdown has occurred...3) Academics can be a right funny bunch of children 
I love rocks is right, there are various systems in place at uni's to deal with a supervisor/PhD student break-down before it becomes deleterious to the project - but as with the PhD itself, much of it is down to you to sort things out, but there is support if required - a Director of Research etc is often a first point of call. I'm due to submit my thesis in August, so I've seen quite a few people pass through the PhD process now...it is a mixed bag of candidates, across the board...some leave after a few months...some pass through with a few minor corrections and are the success stories...some get major corrections, a year to do them and never resubmit...some scrape through and are unemployable and end up doing something completely different and have wasted 7 years plus at uni. If commercial archaeologists have high levels of personal responsibility, PhD candidates certainly have a very personal high-level of responsibility, unfortunately, at the end of the day it's ultimately up to you to be successful. But having said all that I've seen some woeful PhD supervision in other students, and when that happens there isn't really any excuses for senior academiics to behave in this way, as Kevin's article describes very clearly.
As for students not enjoying the course, don't think that happens where I am...probably cos they don't get asked to do very much
There is usually a very well defined payscale for the various paid opportunities like teaching/demonstrating and invigiliation etc - does sound a bit funny, unless the previous wage was 50% above the minimum rate...worth checking the state of play there medi-evil, but beware of the kafkaesque beaurocracy you will inevitably encounter! In my experience any admin mistakes (and I've had some corkers!!!) take many months to resolve due to a variety of unconvincing excuses but persevere.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant...it's been a long week already
I love rocks is right, there are various systems in place at uni's to deal with a supervisor/PhD student break-down before it becomes deleterious to the project - but as with the PhD itself, much of it is down to you to sort things out, but there is support if required - a Director of Research etc is often a first point of call. I'm due to submit my thesis in August, so I've seen quite a few people pass through the PhD process now...it is a mixed bag of candidates, across the board...some leave after a few months...some pass through with a few minor corrections and are the success stories...some get major corrections, a year to do them and never resubmit...some scrape through and are unemployable and end up doing something completely different and have wasted 7 years plus at uni. If commercial archaeologists have high levels of personal responsibility, PhD candidates certainly have a very personal high-level of responsibility, unfortunately, at the end of the day it's ultimately up to you to be successful. But having said all that I've seen some woeful PhD supervision in other students, and when that happens there isn't really any excuses for senior academiics to behave in this way, as Kevin's article describes very clearly.
As for students not enjoying the course, don't think that happens where I am...probably cos they don't get asked to do very much
There is usually a very well defined payscale for the various paid opportunities like teaching/demonstrating and invigiliation etc - does sound a bit funny, unless the previous wage was 50% above the minimum rate...worth checking the state of play there medi-evil, but beware of the kafkaesque beaurocracy you will inevitably encounter! In my experience any admin mistakes (and I've had some corkers!!!) take many months to resolve due to a variety of unconvincing excuses but persevere.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant...it's been a long week already