Duration of a Phd?

I'm in that scenario, currently close to submitting at the start of year 6. I was hoping to be a bit faster but the process is the process and it's hard to make it go faster.

Well a full time traditional PhD usually take 4 years at minimum, so if you're doing any work at all during that time obviously that'll extend it.

I'm currently in year 2 of a structured doctorate program, designed for people who are working and with assignments etc in the first 2 years that count toward my final credits - so my research topic and thesis will be significantly smaller in scope and shorter than a traditional PhD in my sector, but it'll still take a minimum of 4 years. I have the support of my organisation and can overlap some of my work and study but it's always going to be a significant chunk of work.

I 2nd that. My employer gives me one day a week for my research and obviously I use weekends and holidays etc. to keep on top of it but you basically have two full times jobs. Mine is a PhD by research as the structured option (which is a very good alternative) wasn't available in the field I was interested in. I am however doing a thesis by publication which has cut down on the volume of writing required at the end.

A PhD was described to me by a colleague as a test of perseverance and I have found that to be very true. It is a big chunk of work and it takes as long as it takes. If you get it finished more quickly; brilliant and well done but I think you have to go into it with at least some expectation that you are committing for a long haul.

An_Toirpin wrote: »

It depends on many factors, especially the project. In some fields research is just faster than other fields irrespective of someone's talent and work ethic.

If you sign up to a four year phd you have four years to do it, (without examptions) irrespective of the subject matter and domain knowledge. Talent and work ethic will indeed help you complete it faster.

There is timeframes on completion for a reason. As most phd follow the same trajectory, lit review, methodology, analysis, findings, conclusion, in arts and humanities and some sciences i dont see how research can be faster or slower. If the research endavour is over complicated it may be best suited to a team based project as part of post doc etc.

Of course, yes some do phd psrt time over 6 years or do with work and family committements. However, two people doing relatively similar projects of the same difficulty can often finish years apart. Talent, motivstion and work ethic will account for a huge amount in terms of finish time. The number of years it takes is not a reliable indicator of the work put in daily, weekly and monthly.

So yes, in general it is very possible to finish early circa 2-3 years all being equal