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71 views4 pages

Assignment

Uploaded by

Chester Mochere
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Challenges Of Pursuing a Doctoral Degree

Student's Name

Affiliation

Course Name

Professor's Name

Date
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Introduction

From a young age, I always considered earning a doctoral degree the pinnacle of

academic excellence. This made me dream of earning one someday when I got older. However,

completing a doctoral program requires rigorous research, complex learning, and comprehensive

examinations. Challenges extending from extracurricular to professional activities exist in these

programs. However, as Marshall et al. (2017) state, understanding and critically analyzing these

challenges is essential to address them effectively. Below is an analysis of the challenges I

anticipate I will encounter during my doctoral program and the relevant strategies I will use to

manage them to ensure I complete my program successfully, and on time.

Doctoral Program Challenges and Strategies for Addressing Them

Doctoral workload is often heavy, especially during the research phase; therefore, time

spent with family during this period may be reduced. Isolation from loved ones, family, and

friends may also arise because of the numerous hours spent during writing and research. To

address this, I will establish an intentional and proactive communication effort at both

professional and family levels. I will inform my family of my study workload and develop clear

and appropriate time boundaries while establishing a healthy balance between family and

studies.

Another challenge I may face is being lulled into false complacency or the assumption

that there is a lot of time to complete the tasks that match the doctoral program's requirements.

Doctoral programs often run for three-four years. However, as Marshall et al. (2017) state,

several random assignments can crop up during the PhD journey. Time management is thus

crucial in the PhD process. To address this challenge, I will create a timetable that includes
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weekly, monthly, or quarterly tasks and assignments with their deadlines and allot sufficient time

for flexibility. This will enable me to clarify my hypothesis and problem statement in time and

start the literature review process early.

Reading, research, and writing is normally an individual task; therefore, during the

program, an unnerving sense of isolation may set in. To address this, I will actively engage with

close associates and peers and network by joining relevant study groups. Additionally, I will take

breaks whenever possible and spend time reflecting or pursuing some of my other hobbies to

help alleviate the stress and cheer things up.

Finally, I may also face the challenge of doubting the topic for my PhD. Like my master's

program, I know I may feel stuck or face hurdles when working on my research topic, making

me question whether it is ideal. To address this, I will take time to connect with experts and other

peers to obtain their perspectives on the topic. This will help me learn new facets and

perspectives I may have missed that may help me adjust my approach to formulating more

comprehensive research.

Conclusion

To conclude, throughout my doctoral program, I will watch out for other challenges

noted by Marshall et al. (2017); in addition to the ones I have mentioned above and implement

their recommended strategies as I see fit. While I know the attrition rate from doctoral programs

is high, I am confident I will make my childhood dream a reality with this knowledge, hard

work, and commitment.


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References

Marshall, S. M., Klocko, B., & Davidson, J. (2017). Dissertation completion: No longer higher

education's invisible problem. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 7(1), 74-

90. https://doi.org/10.5590/JERAP.2017.07.1.06

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