Looking for info about distance PhD

osarusan

Hi, I'm hoping that some people here will be able to help me out with some information or advice about distance PhDs in linguistics/applied linguistics/TESOL.

I'm currently working at a university in Japan, but my contract ends next February (end of the Japanese academic year). I had planned to move back to Ireland (with my wife and 2 kids) and do a PhD in Trinity. This would obviously been quite an investment financially, but we figure we have the resources for it, especially if I can pick up some hours teaching in a language school in Dublin.

But the university I work for has offered me an extention, for two years basically, and definitely no more than that. The job is a bit different to my current one, but I can definitely do it, and it would leave me with some free time.

I would be interested in taking the job if I could find a university, in Ireland or the UK, which offers distance PhDs, or to put it differently, doesn't require students to be on campus.

So, if anybody has any suggestions for me, I'd be grateful.

TheBody

Perhaps it would be easier to do it in Japan?

Seanchai

osarusan wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping that some people here will be able to help me out with some information or advice about distance PhDs in linguistics/applied linguistics/TESOL.

I'm currently working at a university in Japan, but my contract ends next February (end of the Japanese academic year). I had planned to move back to Ireland (with my wife and 2 kids) and do a PhD in Trinity. This would obviously been quite an investment financially, but we figure we have the resources for it, especially if I can pick up some hours teaching in a language school in Dublin.

But the university I work for has offered me an extention, for two years basically, and definitely no more than that. The job is a bit different to my current one, but I can definitely do it, and it would leave me with some free time.

I would be interested in taking the job if I could find a university, in Ireland or the UK, which offers distance PhDs, or to put it differently, doesn't require students to be on campus.

So, if anybody has any suggestions for me, I'd be grateful.

I know plenty of people who have done PhDs which were spread over research in two universities, EUI in Florence & Sorbonne in Paris; Maynooth & the Sorbonne; UCD and Oxford in Britain, and, if I recall, UCD and Osaka (Tokyo?) in Japan (the guy was definitely doing a PhD in Japanese history). And so on. I'm also absolutely certain that many lecturers are doing research abroad while their students are at home doing their doctorates (keeping in touch via email, and meetings every few months).

Unless there's a resource problem - e.g. your research depends upon being in a certain place - then I can't see why you don't do one section in Japan and the other when you come home. You just need to tweak your research a particular way to justify dividing your thesis between two countries.

Remember: when you're doing a PhD, you're the customer. The university is the business which wants your business. They will facilitate you.

petronius

I know a number of people who have done Phds, in Scotland while working in Dublin.
Also a couple doing a Phd in Uni of Ulster - I think while it is a challenge meeting your supervisor - with the Internet and Ryanair etc. it is feasible