PhB(Arts) at ANU

[/0]

Oh it wasn't that much, just had lunch and went to a number theory lecture

I guess it would be better with more people

[Greggler]

Hey guys just got a couple of questions relating to the PhB i was wondering if any of you could possibly answer for me...

My main query is really, what kind of career or job can you get with a PhB(Arts) degree. I love history and to a certain degree am very interested in philosophy and was wondering, say if i were to do a PhB and major in history or something what can i then do with that? Or is their even the opportunity to travel overseas and pursue a higher level degree?

Also i was wondering what would be the difference if i were to just do any Arts course and major in history compared to if i did a PhB of arts at ANU?

Thanks in advance

[Eriny]

I guess the most obvious career is as an academic or researcher, which you would need a higher degree for (and a first class honours degree at ANU is looked upon well, even internationally if you're interested in going overseas for a PhD). Other than that, public service and policy, jounralism and also things like information management.

It depends, if you want to use the stuff you learn, then definitely academia is a good idea (and potentially, things like museum curatorship and research stuff would be good with a history major). If you aren't set on using what you learned, then there are loads of career options.

[Greggler]

Thanks Eriny.
I'd certainly love to travel with any career path that i go down, and its good to see that i could possibly still do that.
However what does a career as an academic and researcher really entail?

Thanks again

[EvangelionZeta]

Better question - realistically, how hard is it actually to be an academic/researcher and not live off peanuts?

[Eriny]

So, I'm not sure what it's like at other universities, but at ANU all the academics are divided up into being part of the teaching school or part of the research school. Both types do research, and teaching staff are allowed to take time off every few years or so for research. The teaching staff have to take on a certain amount of classes per semester, usually 2 or so and they have to mark and lecture. Teaching loads increase if they don't meet publishing requirements (I think they're supposed to publish 2 papers per year?). Research school people, as the title suggests, just do research. They will usually work on a specific project or in a specific research school. I'm not sure but I guess they'd be required to publish quite a lot.

In terms of salary - superannuation is always very good in Australia, about double of the minimum requirement. I think salaries probably start at around $60,000 and it goes up by shit loads, comfortably 6 figures if you have some kind of senority (which usually takes ages). It's worth looking at The Australian's education supplement and the kinds of jobs/salaries that are there.

Usually you would start your academic career whilst still doing a higher degree - you'd publish papers while writing your PhD thesis, and you could start tutoring classes by third year undergrad, and at some universities you may be given the opportunity to lecture while you're doing a PhD or even Masters. After getting a PhD, it's a good idea to go to a different uni to work (otherwise you become permanently affiliated to your supervisor). You would most likely get a postdoctoral research position/fellowship, that's probably the most common path to actually getting a position at a university. If you've do a lot of good work then you will get tenure, which means that you're granted some kind of permanent status at the university and you become very difficult to get rid of. At this point, you go insane.