How long to get phd after bachelors

Most students average four to seven years to complete a Ph.D. program. Adding the four to five years of undergraduate study to earn a bachelor's, and another two to three years for a master's, students spend an average 10 to 15 years after first entering college. This investment of time pays off, since the Ph.D. is the highest academic degree in most fields, and it leads to a wider choice of career options.

Coursework

Most Ph.D. programs require coursework, research projects, exams, the dissertation and a defense. As a beginning Ph.D. student, you will take coursework and do research in your area of study. Most Ph.D. programs require 36 to 45 hours of coursework, or 12 to 15 courses, which can include independent study courses you design in conjunction with a professor. Courses may emphasize concepts, such as the modern novel or Victorian poetry, or can be as specific as the Harlem Renaissance poets.

Research

As part of your coursework, you will be required to conduct and write up research projects, usually one for each class. Some classes in the social sciences and sciences may require you to build a survey instrument. The resulting papers will vary in length. In philosophy or psychology, papers can be 15 to 30 pages long. If you stay focused and don't fall behind, research may not extend your Ph.D. program, although students who do fall behind can end up adding years to their studies. For example, the American Chemical Society reports that the average time-to-degree for chemistry Ph.D. candidates is about six years, creating a glutted job market.

Exams

Coursework is usually followed by examinations, from preliminary tests to a series of comprehensive exams with a broad emphasis. In a discipline like English, you may have to take four written exams designed to test your historical knowledge, ranging from two to four hours each. You may be required to pass an oral exam, where you are questioned by a team of professors. Exams add no time to your studies if you are prepared to take them immediately after coursework. Some students need a semester to prepare.

The Dissertation

The average student will spend one to three years writing a dissertation. This will be your first book-length work. During the dissertation period, you will be working with your committee, a team of professors of your choosing who direct your research and writing. Students who work well with their committees and establish and keep chapter deadlines will find that they can complete three to four chapters a year; some even move more quickly through their dissertation.

The Defense

The final part of the Ph.D. program is the dissertation defense, which normally adds very little time to the Ph.D., as it follows closely behind completing the dissertation. In this period, you sit with your professors as a peer to discuss how you did your research, what your findings meant and where you think you would take the research in the future. Most Ph.D. candidates who finish their dissertations do well in this capstone to their four to six years of doctorate study and remember it as a landmark, if challenging, experience.

References

Writer Bio

Anthony Fonseca is the library director at Elms College in Massachusetts. He has a doctorate in English and has taught various writing courses and literature survey courses. His books include readers' advisory guides, pop culture encyclopedias and academic librarianship studies.

As with many things in life, how long it takes you to get a PhD depends mostly on you. Because doctorate degrees are flexible, the duration of study can vary. But if you work hard and are disciplined, how long will it take you to get a PhD

How long is a full-time PhD?

In most cases, PhD research involves full-time study. You should expect to dedicate around 35 hours per week to your work. However, in busy periods, such as writing up your thesis, you may need to work for considerably longer. 

In the UK

In the UK, it usually takes three to four years of full-time study to gain a PhD. Time is spent carrying out research and collecting data towards a thesis. Your thesis can take a year to write and will offer an original contribution to your subject.Once you have completed your thesis you will usually have to undertake a PhD viva to present, explain and defend your research.

Most students begin a PhD after completing a relevant masters course. A masters degree will usually take around one year to complete if you are studying full time, or two to five years if you are studying part time. So from undergraduate to doctorate, you should expect it to take at least four years full time.

In Europe

In Europe, the time it takes to gain a PhD can vary depending on the country and the subject of study. For example, in Germany, a PhD in a scientific subject might take two to three years full time, and a doctorate in the arts or humanities may take four to six years full time. In Norway, all PhDs usually take three years on a full-time basis. Most countries are similar to the UK, where you complete your PhD once you have done a relevant masters course.

In Norway, all PhDs usually take three years on a full-time basis – here is a great explanation from the University of Oslo. It can take up to six years to complete a PhD on a part-time basis, but this way of studying is unusual. 

In the USA

The USA has a different university set up to the UK and Europe as most doctorate degrees are gained by going to Graduate School straight after you have completed your undergraduate degree. This means that the time it takes to gain your masters-level qualification is built into the time it takes to get your PhD. It is common for it to take four to five years to gain a Doctorate from the time you start Graduate School, but it can take up to eight years of full-time study. It depends on the institution and the type of PhD you choose.  

Some institutions, like Franklin University, allow students to transfer credits and count professional work experience towards their doctorate degrees, so you could complete a PhD in as little as three years.

How long is a part-time PhD?

Studying for a PhD part time is a good way to accommodate other work or life commitments alongside your research. Typically, it takes twice as long as a full-time PhD and you will study for around 20 hours a week.

In the UK 

Not many PhD students undertake their doctorate on a part-time basis, but those who do will have between five and seven years to complete their PhD. 

In Europe 

Part-time PhDs are unusual in Europe. In Germany, you could expect a PhD to take four to eight years. France is similar to Germany, and it takes around three to four years for a full-time doctorate in the sciences, and four to five years for a doctorate degree in the arts and humanities. At the University of Oslo, it can take up to six years to complete a PhD on a part-time basis. 

In the USA

Part-time and online PhDs are more common in the USA and these take anywhere from five to 10 years to complete.

How long is a distance learning PhD?

There are some doctorate degrees which are studied by distance learning. These online PhDs allow students to study at a location and time that suits their schedule. These tend to be part time only and usually take up to seven years to complete. 

Entry requirements for a PhD

In the UK the vast majority of PhD candidates will begin a PhD after completing a relevant masters course. A masters degree will usually take around one year to complete if you are studying full time, or two to five years if you are studying part time. Once you've gained this qualification you can move onto the doctorate after you have excelled at your PhD interview.

Different countries in Europe have different traditions and regulations surrounding doctorate degrees. Most countries are similar to the UK, where you complete your PhD once you have done a relevant masters course. 

Why does it take so long to complete a PhD? 

Due to the complexity of the study and the amount of original research required, PhDs typically take longer to complete than other undergraduate degrees. It can take a long time to create a thesis, since you must make an original and noteworthy contribution to your field.

What is the deadline for finishing a PhD?

The deadline for submitting your PhD will be set by your university. In the UK, the deadline is defined by the last date on which you can submit your thesis. For most PhDs, the deadline is four years for full-time students and seven years for part-time students. It may be possible to extend the deadline up to four years, but this is at the discretion of the university. 

Does funding impact the length of a PhD? 

Generally, PhD funding providers will cover you for a set amount of time during the course of your PhD. Most students will aim to finish their PhD within the timeframe set by their funding provider to avoid incurring additional fees. 

Self-funded students cover their own tuition fees and other related costs, therefore many self-funded students aim to complete their PhDs in the shortest time possible. 

Read more about postgraduate tuition fees on our fees and funding information page.  

Find your ideal PhD

Search for your ideal PhD or browse our collection of helpful PhD articles on Postgrad. 

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