Academics cannot find a clear path after finishing a master's degree
11 posts across 4 communities since Jun 2026; 64% from r/AskAcademia.
“Hi everyone, I’m currently finishing up the coursework for my masters degree which is outside of the US. Originally I thought I’d stay at this university for my PhD but now I’m not so sure. A requirement to do the PhD here is completing a thesis so I had planned to do that, and…”
“I submitted a paper to a call for papers for a special issue (anthropology). The manuscript has already gone through peer review and was accepted pending minor revisions. The problem is that I'm currently finishing my PhD dissertation and working on postdoctoral applications…”
“I am entering my fourth year now. I am in a multi-disciplinary sub-focus, and it could eventually have direct commercial translation in the future but right now, kinda nascent. I do not want to let this aspect go because once it picks up speed, it'll be pretty big. But right now…”
Many individuals in academia are grappling with decisions about their career trajectory, including whether to pursue a PhD, how to transition between fields (like mathematics to physics), and navigating the complexities of international academic systems. There's significant anxiety around timing, funding, and feeling prepared for advanced degrees or job applications.
SOURCES (11)
“I am entering my fourth year now. I am in a multi-disciplinary sub-focus, and it could eventually have direct commercial translation in the future but right now, kinda nascent. I do not want to let this aspect go because once it picks up speed, it'll…”
“Context: I started my Master’s thesis in history a year ago in September 2025, with the timeline being that the first draft would be due in January 2027 and the final draft would be submitted in March 2027. I have fallen significantly behind my reading this summer due to burnout and a more sincere realization that I really do not enjoy this kind of work to pursue a higher education in it, and am truthfully unsure if I can make those deadlines given my additional obligations, such as working as a”
“Hi everyone, I’m currently finishing up the coursework for my masters degree which is outside of the US. Originally I thought I’d stay at this university for my PhD but now I’m not so sure. A requirement to do the PhD here is completing a thesis so I had planned to do that, and now I’m going to be completing my PhD apps in the fall. The problem is my thesis year starts towards the end of October so I won’t have any substantial sample from it to use in my applications that are due in mid December”
“Hello everyone, I am an undergraduate student about to have my thesis defence in around a week, and I have some questions regarding research writing & publication, which I would greatly appreciate. This year, I had applied for the MEXT scholarship in Japan, which requires applicants to write 2-3 page overview of their research proposal. I was not selected, however, I am getting ready to apply to both European and Japanese universities in the next year's intake. Meanwhile, I have lots of”
“I graduated earlier this year and my thesis was published on the university repository, open access. I don’t plan to go straight to PhD, am working in corporate a bit, will be doing a 2nd research masters next year. I wanted to bulk up my CV in the mean time. I figured I could break up my thesis into 2 research articles for open calls that have a deadline later this year. I would just retitle it, reword all the sentences and restructure some things like the research question but have the same co”
“Hello. I defended my bachelor thesis in 2019. Now I want to rewrite the thesis because I am now discontent about what I wrote. The thesis explored the importance of language in the perception of reality. Does anyone has experience on this? what would you recommend? Is it even possible after 7 years? Do I have to take another course on linguistics to rewrite? thanks for your answers! submitted by /u/Background-Size172 [link] [comments]”
“I submitted a paper to a call for papers for a special issue (anthropology). The manuscript has already gone through peer review and was accepted pending minor revisions. The problem is that I'm currently finishing my PhD dissertation and working on postdoctoral applications, both of which have deadlines around the same time. Because of this, I asked the editor for a one-month extension. They declined, explaining that they need to finalize the special issue, but offered me one additional wee”
“How to enter Physics now? I don't really know if this is the right place to ask.. but I want to enter into physics.. I am from India and last year I completed Masters in Mathematics and now I am trying to enter financial sector because I really need a job. However, I want to pursue a PhD in physics.. I don't really know the path at all.. do I need to pursue a Masters in physics first..? Honestly, I have forgotten physics a lot and I will restudy physics from scratch after getting the job”
“I (29F) recently graduated with my PhD a few months ago, and currently applying for jobs and postdocs. I have a zoom meeting with a prospective PI. It’s not an interview but a meeting to discuss research and see if there’s any avenue for me to join their lab. Anyway, I’ve been overthinking what I should wear to the zoom meeting. I did my PhD at the same institution and department I did my bachelors, so I only ever wore pretty casual clothes even during grad visit since I knew its a pretty casual”
“Hi everyone, I’m from Ukraine and I really need an advice. I have a BA in Journalism and I’m currently finishing my Master’s. I’d like to move to the US, either to study or work, and I’m trying to figure out the best path I talked to a few professors in the US, and they basically told me that doing another Master’s might not be worth it, since I’ll already have one. They said a PhD in Communication would make more sense academically. But honestly, I don’t feel ready for a PhD yet. I’m interested”
“Hello everyone, I hope this is the right sub (if not, feel free to delete the post). I'm currently looking into PhD programmes in Europe (I'm an EU citizen based in Ireland). I've always wanted to do a PhD but my 20s were a bit rocky and I ended up starting my Master's really late, I'm about to finish it but kinda demotivated for some personal reasons. Anyway, since I come from a working class family I had to find a full-time job to support myself and looking at the funding p”