Being the First Professional Doctorate Graduate

On Thursday 14 July 2022 I became the first Professional Doctorate student to graduate from the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing. The day represented the official end of a long journey which started in 2014. I officially finished in 2020 but Covid-19 got in the way of me dressing like a hat-wearing parrot and striding across a stage to strenuously hug a person I have never met (the Dean of the School).

During the graduation I managed to talk with numerous other students and parents alike and there did seem to be genuine curiosity about the professional doctorate route. I was no sprightly teenager when I started, age 34, so people seemed keen to better understand what it entailed, the impact it had on my personal life and how it is impacting my professional life now.

The professional doctorate is a route for people who want to undertake academic research on a part-time basis typically, without necessarily being from an academic background or having academic qualification. I really saw it as a vehicle to attract people already in professional roles in industry, to better understand the world of academia essentially becoming a bridge between sectors where often there is a lack of interaction. My professional background is in the field of energy management, so it was therefore natural for me undertake a Doctorate in Engineering, where happily there was funding to help pay for most of the fees - hooray.

This included comprehensive support from my academic supervisors who led a series of ‘Doctorates for Dummies’ type sessions to accelerate learning on the key facets of undertaking research and the resources at my disposal. This engagement continued throughout the programme, and I can safely say that without it, progression would have stagnated and eventually stopped. I experienced a level of guidance and support that I did not expect and was massively grateful for. Establishing a good and trusting relationship with my supervisors was an essential step.

The whole professional doctorate process was like any other research degree (PhD) in that you broadly formed an idea, decided upon a research method, carried our research, wrote this up and prepared for the Viva Voce. It just took five years as it was undertaken on a part-time basis. As such it was a significant part of mine and my family’s life. I needed their agreement and support to be able to commit myself to the journey. Accommodation had to be made – I effectively agreed to only undertake research on weekday evenings, leaving the weekend free for rugby (an ability to escape is an essential), family and friends. 

There were other more specific challenges throughout the process, however the three main takeaways were:

1. It is a battle of attrition - There is a need to stick in there over an extended period, which is something people are not typically used to. I find 2 years is a typical length of time to undertake something before you get side-tracked, overwhelmed or indeed bored. You must work out how you overcome this. My plan revolved around planning in breaks where I knew I needed time away or would have other pressures from work or life itself (aka The Kids).
2. You will need to sacrifice something - Undertaking a professional doctorate does take time so something typically needs to give to provide you with this time. For me I basically cut television out of my life Monday to Thursday evenings. Exercise also dropped off, but that is because I refused to get up early and go for a run or the gym. 
3. You must be ready for the Viva Voce - This was for me the most challenging aspect of the doctoral process for me, as you must mentally prepare for significant scrutiny of your work, which may not be a common experience. You must also prepare well for the actual event; knowing your thesis back to front and front to back.

So, what difference has undertaking a professional doctorate had on my career. There were subtle impacts from approximately year two onwards. The need to present robust facts or references for any point I was making in my draft thesis or during supervisory sessions started to rub-off in my professional life. I started to substantiate my work to a better level whilst conversely positively challenging what other people were saying or their work, hopefully enhancing the overall output of things I was involved in.

I also learnt about research itself and some specific skills such as statistical analysis. From a professional career perspective, it has opened up wider opportunities to speak at events, conferences and undertake a little lecturing, all of which I feel enhances my ability to positively influence my sector and the people within it. This was a key outcome for me for undertaking the research. It also enhanced my CV and, in my book, help me to get a new job in 2021.

Overall, the professional doctorate was a very rewarding experience. It was undoubtedly hard work, but I am sure over the coming years this will be forgotten whilst the skills I gained and people I met along the way will still be there.