PhD in Computer Science: How and When?

Graduate School
21

While there are still some schools that haven’t been heard from, my child has committed to a PhD program (5-years, fully funded) and has forgone the opportunity to study for a masters in England.

The logistics of deferring the PhD to study in England were just too complicated and it isn’t clear England will have a handle on the pandemic by the fall. The logistics of getting sick in a foreign country was also a factor in the decision.

Our child is extremely happy with the program chosen as the research focus is the most closely aligned with current interests of all the schools applied to.

As parents we are happy because the demand for CS faculty and research-oriented PhDs in general is high (industry demand has made it hard to hire faculty) and is likely to stay high for the foreseeable future.

The only downside is that the new program, while in a different time zone from the undergraduate our child attended, has similar weather. Four years was tough, five more years is going to be brutal.

Thanks to all that weighed in.

4 Likes
22

Of course, after the student completes a PhD (or leaves early with an MA/MS), the location of employment afterward could be in any location.

23

Congrats! Maybe he can do some research travel or at least vacation in the UK.

24

Great choice! Congratulations.

25

Congratulations! Part of any graduate program in CS are internships.

Once your kid is done with their coursework, many colleges allow them to intern during the school year. So they could get away from the winter weather, if that’s the problem, while summer internships are always available, even while they are doin their coursework.