01-11-2011, 03:36 PM
Doctorates involve intense work, research, and require (in most cases) the production of significant, original work. People spend full years working on this thing, and when it's all said and done, it's submitted to a panel of people with more experience and knowledge in the area than you, whose sole purpose/interest is to rip it to shreds as much as is humanly possible. Persons who were friendly and supportive for years will lead an assault not only on the paper, putting extreme pressure at every kink and joint, but also on your legitimacy as a researcher, as an intellectual.
It's ridiculous.
That said, that's primarily for strong universities. If the standard of universities is lowered, just about anyone can get a Ph.D. Which is why the reputation/name of the university is so significant (even though it might seem, and perhaps with some justification, to be nothing more than tradition rather than legitimate strength).
Some persons fucking earned their Ph.D, and they are badasses.
Some persons did some work and got a Ph.D. They are not.
It's ridiculous.
That said, that's primarily for strong universities. If the standard of universities is lowered, just about anyone can get a Ph.D. Which is why the reputation/name of the university is so significant (even though it might seem, and perhaps with some justification, to be nothing more than tradition rather than legitimate strength).
Some persons fucking earned their Ph.D, and they are badasses.
Some persons did some work and got a Ph.D. They are not.