How to complete your post-

graduate studies/ PhD On time?

PROF DR. SUPYAN HUSSIN

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Faculty of Creative Arts, Multimedia University

4 Nov 2016

How long does it take for a

student….?

to master Shaolin Kung Fu?

to become a Shaolin Kung Fu Master ?

Master the skills or master the knowledge and skills?

5 – 7 years?

10-20 years?

Dr. Supyan Hussin

How much knowledge and skills to be

mastered? Bachelor, Master, Doctorate?

Ph.D. – go deeper in one specific spot

Bachelor degree

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Why pursuing Post-Grad degree?

Achieve your own goal/dream

Personal satisfaction

Career, job promotion, better pay

No job at the moment

Just ‘wanna-do-it’

Follow others, conforming the social norms

After graduation: what do you want to do?

• Career opportunity vs a scholar in the field

• Personal consumption vs shared consumption

• Terminal learning vs life long learningDr. Supyan Hussin

GOT: How?

Set the target

Plan the journey

Set the milestone

Apply strategies

Go through the

journey as planned

religiously

Any hidden factors?

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Understanding SWOT

Your Strengths

• Money

• Basic degree

• Family

• Computer, HP, internet

• Transport

Your Weaknesses

• Poor writing skills

• Poor Time management skills

• Uncertain, anxiety

• Poor methodological skills

Your Opportunities

• Supervisors

• Technologies, Online Libraries

• Special Interest Groups

• Useful Courses

• Scholarship

• Study leave

• Seminars, Colloquium, Forum

Your Threats

• Disaster

• Enemies

• Incomplete Supervisor’s

research project

• Death

• Accidents

Internal

factors

External

factors

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Understanding SWOTYour Strengths

• Money

• Basic degree

• Family

• Computer, HP, internet

• Transport

• Good methodological skills

• Good Writing skills

• Good Time management skills

Your

Weaknesses

• Uncertain,

anxiety

Your Opportunities

• Supervisors

• Technologies, Online Libraries

• Special Interest Groups

• Useful Courses

• Scholarship

• Study leave

• Seminars, Colloquium, Forum

Your Threats

• Disaster

• Enemies

• Incomplete

Supervisor’s

research

project

• Death

• Accidents

Internal

factors

External

factors

Dr. Supyan Hussin

These two

boxes

become

smaller

http://edal.dynu.com/finish-phd-601678.html

Any shortcuts?

“Mechanical” journey degree

Prepare Chapters 1-3 before register as a PS student

Collect the data in the 1st semester

Analyze the data in the 2nd semester

Writing the thesis in the 3rd semester (optional + 4th semester)

Attend the viva in the 4th semester (optional + 5th semester)

Total = 18 – 24 months

Is it “wrong”? Is it “ok”?

Master the writing skills to write a thesis vs the knowledge?

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Any shortcuts?

Scholarly journey degree

Interact with scholars (supervisors, other PS students, seminars,

dialogs, colloquium)

Consume most recent materials

Attend compulsory/elective courses

Present the proposal

Collect the data

Analyze and interpret the data

Present papers at seminars, dialogs,

colloquium

Publish articles in journals

Writing the thesis

Attend the viva

Total = 36 months – 48 months

Is it “bad”?

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Milestone – ideal or reality?

Pre- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Need analysis, explore possibilities X

Reading Literature x x x x x

Proposal writing x x

Pte-requisite courses x

Present proposal x x

Pilot study x x

Actual study x x

Data analysis x

Seminar papers x x x

Writing the thesis x x x x x

Viva x x x

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Routine strategies

Read and read and read ……

Writing regularly, consistently every week (set the no. of hours)

Maintain friendly atmosphere with supervisors

Meeting supervisors regularly (fortnight, monthly), put a request again, and again

Communicate with supervisors regularly via WhatsApp, Telegram, email

Send reminders to supervisors

Keep records of meeting, outcomes of discussion, email, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, voice conversation (date, time, place)

Submit sections of writing in stages; always submit the “best”, minimal errors

Join SIG – e.g., FB Doctorate Support Group (intellectual, emotional, psychological support)

SWOT analysis

1. Strengths

2. Weaknesses

3. Opportunities

4. Threats

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Challenges to achieve GOT

Self-discipline, self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, spiritual

inputs must be in place

Time-management skill

Conflicting roles: student, parents, siblings, community

members, spouse

Health: good diet, sports, rest

Unexpected conflicts: marriage, family, children, financial

problem

Yo-yo feeling: happy, enjoyable, adventurous, pride,

loneliness, frustration, depression, helpless, hopeless,

uncertain, fear.

SWOT analysis

1. Strengths

2. Weaknesses

3. Opportunities

4. Threats

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Conclusion

You decide what and how you want it to be

and when you want to complete your study

Manage and control things within your

parameters

Get help to overcome internal and external

problems if needed, don’t hide and don’t be

shy

Follow your plan in your milestones, don’t rush!

Dr. Supyan Hussin

A few reading sites

1001 problems while pursuing post-grad studies

https://www.quora.com/Should-I-run-away-from-a-Ph-D-position-if-

my-advisor-has-no-publications-in-the-topic

10 tips to finish PhD faster https://www.elsevier.com/connect/10-tips-

to-finishing-your-phd-faster

Guide on PhD https: //supyanphd.wordpress.com

How to Cut Ph.D. Time to Degree

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/12/17/phd

A PhD Student’s Race Against Time – How To Win/Graduate Faster. http://thegradstudentway.com/blog/?p=1573

Dr. Supyan Hussin

Thank you

supyan@ukm.edu.my

supyanhussin.wordpress.com