<p>For those going into, currently in, or out of a Ph.D. program in the humanities or social sciences, where most of the work is not relatedto a particular technical field out there that's in demand...do you know what the job market is like for those who do not end up going into academia? </p>
<p>For example, if you're an English Lit Ph.D. ...or a History Ph.D. ....and don't end up teaching/researching at a university, what other options exist for you and what is the market like? </p>
<p>I've actually thought about either a philosophy Ph.D. (people WARN ME LOTS not to do it, because they believe it's a useless subject, but whatever...ignore that for now and play along with my hypothetical) or an economics Ph.D. </p>
<p>I am quite fascinated by both fields intellectually. But my main goal is to do law school, which I enjoy the pre-law work for as well, but find a better market for ...I've heard that Ph.D.s in the humanities REALLY struggle to find jobs after graduation EVEN if they've done quite well. </p>
<p>I'm not sure how true that is, but I'm sort of scared to get a Ph.D. in something like philosophy and have few job prospects. So am looking at what non-academic jobs might also available as well and the market. Just seeking some general perspectives from people who may be deeper into their graduate education and with more experience than me. Thanks!</p>
<p>Essentially, if you don’t want to pursue an academic career in English or philosophy, there is little reason to get a Ph.D in those fields.</p>
<p>A Ph.D is not “four or five more years of college” - it is an intensive, long-term internship in the execution of research, scholarship and teaching in your chosen field. It is training and preparation for doing those things in your career. If you have no intention of doing those things for your livelihood, why would you spend five years of your life learning how to do them?</p>
<p>Not a lack of desire, but lack of confidence in job prospects. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind being a university professor, but find the prospects more limiting than say law school…</p>
<p>A lot of lawyers do other things outside of law with the JDs but can a …Film Studies Ph.D., for example, do anything in the “real” world with that type of degree? Or a philosophy, Ph.D.? That’s what I mean.</p>
<p>Are there other possible paths? Sure. But it really depends on the field. A philosophy Ph.D, quite honestly, isn’t well-trained for much of anything outside academia. Could they get a job in some other field? Of course. But would that philosophy Ph.D help them get that job? Probably not. Which means they just wasted five years.</p>
<p>I could hazard a guess that film archives, etc. might hire film studies Ph.Ds, but I have no idea what that job market looks like.</p>
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<p>Actually, there’s not necessarily a whole lot of things outside of law you can do with the JD. Have you looked at post-law school employment statistics lately? They’re pretty awful too. And JDs come out with a lot more debt than Ph.Ds, in general.</p>
<p>Essentially, if you’re not 100% sure that you want to go to graduate school for anything, you shouldn’t do it. Grad school is a major life commitment with significant opportunity costs. I made the choice to pursue an MS only after I worked in the field, established job networks and developed a realistic plan.</p>