Indiana University political science placement director writes scorched earth letter to PhD students

[Anonymous]

In a letter to graduate students announcing his resignation as departmental placement director, the Indiana University political science placement director (said elsewhere to be Abdul Sinno) is telling PhD students, in so many words, they're suckers. The university needs them as cheap labor. But getting a PhD in something like political science from a mediocre program like IU isn't going to do you a lot of good in the job market. Demand for academics in that field is weak as is the demand outside of academics in that field.

https://twitter.com/michaelsoftinc/status/1599810800096403469

[Anonymous]

They aren't wrong. Anyone getting a PhD should look around their department and think back to undergrad. How have degrees from their current program? For IU, the answer is zero full or associate professors and 1 assistant and two lecturers. How many of the articles that they are reading are authored by researches with degrees from their program? If the answer is zero, they have no real chance of an academic job.

[Anonymous]

It's a scam. but you can move to an Arab country and become a professor. It's still something.

[Anonymous]

He's not wrong. Universities churn out way too many PhDs for the available academic positions, and many PhDs don't really have a huge amount of job value outside the academy. As long as universities aren't fudging their placement numbers, you should be able to see if the school is placing graduates in tenure-track jobs or industry positions or not, and if they're not, you're a fool if you think you're going to be the exception.

[Anonymous]

Bottom line: We suck.

[Anonymous]

PhD in political science
They just couldn't get jobs, so keep falling into the pit.

[Anonymous]

This is not--nor has it been--a secret. Those entering PhD programs in the humanities should understand that they are training to be a professional student and low paid teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bottom line: We suck.

The bottom line is that 99% of universities suck at placing PhDs into academic jobs. If you aren't studying at somewhere like Harvard or unless you have very interesting research that has resonated enough to get you funding, you aren't getting a tenure track job.

[Anonymous]

Lots of people make bad decisions. Our child was a serious musician but basically decided that she would apply only to top 10 conservatories and if she was not accepted then she would not pursue music. It's like saying law school is a waste of time if you can't get into a top law school. People do this all the time. Anyone who goes to a nonranked PhD program or even worse self-funds that PhD program has only themselves to blame. If you're not good enough to get a full ride at a top program then you're not actually good enough to be a professor. It's like being a mediocre athlete and wanting to play pro ball.

[Anonymous]

I'm a professor and I advise my students to only get a PhD if they don't have to go into debt or if they're independently wealthy. Graduate programs will provide fellowships and stipends to MA/PhD candidates if they think they are stars; capable, but not the best, students are viewed as cash cows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a professor and I advise my students to only get a PhD if they don't have to go into debt or if they're independently wealthy. Graduate programs will provide fellowships and stipends to MA/PhD candidates if they think they are stars; capable, but not the best, students are viewed as cash cows.

I think the point was that even funded programs are a waste of prime years. You're underpaid and doing work that won't help you advance when you should be gaining relevant experience and building your career

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a professor and I advise my students to only get a PhD if they don't have to go into debt or if they're independently wealthy. Graduate programs will provide fellowships and stipends to MA/PhD candidates if they think they are stars; capable, but not the best, students are viewed as cash cows.

I think the point was that even funded programs are a waste of prime years. You're underpaid and doing work that won't help you advance when you should be gaining relevant experience and building your career

I would actually disagree with that. I think that the time spent earning one's PhD is highly rewarding, and not everyone has a high paying job as a life goal. But, it's not worth going into debt for the PhD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people make bad decisions. Our child was a serious musician but basically decided that she would apply only to top 10 conservatories and if she was not accepted then she would not pursue music. It's like saying law school is a waste of time if you can't get into a top law school. People do this all the time. Anyone who goes to a nonranked PhD program or even worse self-funds that PhD program has only themselves to blame. If you're not good enough to get a full ride at a top program then you're not actually good enough to be a professor. It's like being a mediocre athlete and wanting to play pro ball.

Reminds me of some friends' kids who are picking D-3 colleges because they can play sports there. I keep it to myself, but my thought is that they should just pick a college that's better academically and have fun playing intramural sports.

[Anonymous]

Even our DD who is doing a post grad work year at HYP school in chemistry says the PHD students have warned her off getting one. She doesn’t plan to go into academia if she gets one.

How will the US stay competitive with this type of system? HYP fully funds these types of PhDs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people make bad decisions. Our child was a serious musician but basically decided that she would apply only to top 10 conservatories and if she was not accepted then she would not pursue music. It's like saying law school is a waste of time if you can't get into a top law school. People do this all the time. Anyone who goes to a nonranked PhD program or even worse self-funds that PhD program has only themselves to blame. If you're not good enough to get a full ride at a top program then you're not actually good enough to be a professor. It's like being a mediocre athlete and wanting to play pro ball.

Law school is a waste of time if you can't get into a top law school.

Retired attorney.