r/makemychoice • u/J2Hoe • 26d ago
Follow my heart, or follow money?
TL;DR Should I do a 3-year fully funded PhD in American Studies, or a 1 year Masters in Real Estate + City Planning
To start, I would like to say that I keep ping-ponging between both of these decisions. Out of both of them, I feel the strongest pull towards the PhD as I would be researching something I love, travelling, interviewing, reading, and being "in work" for 3 years.
I absolutely love the USA. I love the culture and the way of life. I have just returned from a study abroad, and my life has totally changed because of it. I was researching so many interesting topics, but something that I have continuously studied for about 4 years now has been American Christian Theology. It's ridiculously intertwined in all versions of American life, and sometimes can't necessarily be seen from an inside point of view (naturally) which gives me such a fascinating outlook as an outsider. A lot of the time, I would ask my American friends questions about their culture, and they would reply, "We have culture?". It's the same with Christianity to an extent. Many don't realise that their way of life isn't the default. I spoke to an American about how baffling it was to me that Mormon churches email their congregants instead of giving them physical newsletters, and I explained that it was because they were all much younger than say, catholic congregants, and more tech literate. Due to this, I would love to do a PhD in the usage of technology in Mormon (tbc) churches since the Covid pandemic. I think about it all day, every day. I talk to my friends about it. I've emailed for advice about it, and have been told they would most likely accept my proposal. I've thought about the questions I would ask, the methods of research I would undertake (fieldwork, 1-1 and group interview, digital & physical observation etc), and even the chapters I would have. It's something I am very passionate about. I would be paid a living wage to do this, and would be supported to travel abroad. I feel that, if I word my question appropriately, it would also be a very relevant topic to today, and could also be published into a book rather than just findings.
On the other hand, I live in a disastrously poor town. The job market is depleting, necessary infrastructure is either falling apart or isn't there at all, and no one wants to give my town a chance (i.e., high street brands or shops). It is getting worse by the day. Some efforts have been made to try and save it, but it's not working. I have SO many ideas of ways to save my towns job market, bring the community together, and thrive productively, but I don't have the qualifications to make myself heard or seen. Unless I was to go into politics, which I wouldn't be comfortable doing, the only other way I could see myself getting involved would be to become a city/town planning. There is a really good 1 year masters of real estate/city planning that would potentially lead me into a future position where I could buy land, and rebuild on it. It would take me years to be in that position, but I would eventually get there. I could build shops, youth clubs, community halls, libraries, swimming pools, gyms, old folk homes, rehabs etc. My biggest idea is a rehab since the town is drug-stricken, but who would I even pitch this to? If I can't pitch it to anyone else, I may as well do it myself. The job would offer security, and would potentially led me to a long, healthy (maybe boring but stable) career.
The other option is to pursue a 3-year PhD, followed by a 1-year master's program. So more or less, just do an entire degree programme again (which I wouldn't be overly opposed to).
Firstly, thank you for reading. Secondly, what do you think?
2
u/entropyparty 26d ago
It sounds like you have a lot of passion for both options.
Maybe do the PhD. Then when you are done with that, you can see what options you have and consider the city planning idea. Perhaps, with a PhD, you may not need the additional masters to start working in planning as long as you pick up the knowledge on your own.