Beyond The Thesis

Many factors lead to students undertaking a PhD. A student may, for example, be intellectually curious, and want to pursue an interest or understand a problem; or may be adventurous, and want to make a significant discovery; or be entrepreneurial, and want to create an innovation; or want to work with a particular scientist; or want to continue to participate in life on campus. Students may regard a PhD as an opportunity to acquire deep training in research in the field, and perhaps to distinguish themselves by completing a piece of major work, acquiring the title of 'doctor', and becoming a scientist.