1. Length of academic system
First of all, a doctor in Britain can graduate in three years in theory. Many British schools also expressly stipulate that you can apply for doctoral defense after nine semesters (nine semesters are exactly three years). So it is not uncommon for Britain to get a doctorate in three or four years. In the United States, in theory, it takes at least five years for students to complete their studies, but in fact, there are not a few students who studied in 6789.
2. The difference between admission and award application
Studying in Britain, it is very unlikely to apply for a full prize or a half prize. In addition, coupled with the impact of the current European economic crisis, there are even fewer opportunities to get scholarships. Of course, it will also depend on the differences in disciplines and majors and the length of study. But generally speaking, it is difficult for liberal arts majors to apply for scholarships. In the United States, most successful doctoral applicants will receive scholarships from schools to some extent. Especially for the research object, the doctor's offer means tuition fee reduction and living allowance.
In addition, during the application process, many British schools will ask applicants to provide a research plan during their doctoral period, explaining their research direction and implementation plan in the next few years. However, in the process of applying for a doctorate in the United States, such rigid requirements rarely appear.
3. Differences in training modes
Perhaps the biggest difference between Britain and the United States is the training mode of the two. Through the previous audit, British universities have full confidence in the knowledge reserve of admitted students, and basically do not need special classes. The first thing to do after entering school is to revise the outline of graduation thesis, and then start the topic quickly. American colleges and universities generally require all doctoral students (whether they have a master's degree or not) to complete the required credit courses in the first two years, and then they can start preparing for the topic in the third year.
In addition, the doctoral life in Britain may be more' free'. As the saying goes, a master leads his disciples, and practice depends on individuals. This sentence may be more in line with a state of studying for a doctorate in Britain. The tutor won't tell you how to do it, he will let you get started directly, then observe and guide silently, and remind you to correct your mistakes in time. This mode will make the communication between tutors and students deeper, but not frequently enough. The preparation of the paper is often thrown to the students themselves, and then the first draft is given to the tutor after completion, and then their suggestions are listened to.
The training of doctors in America is a systematic process. From enrollment to class, from class to teaching assistant, from teaching assistant to preparing for oral examination, from preparing for oral examination to opening questions, from opening questions to collecting materials to writing revision, each step is clearly stipulated in the syllabus before enrollment. The relationship between tutors and students has not been firmly established in the past two years, because students focus on taking credits instead of delving into their own research problems. The advantages of this model are solid foundation, comprehensive vision and rich teaching experience (both knowledge reserves and teaching methods).
Generally speaking, the doctoral studies in the two countries have their own characteristics, and the applicable population is also different. Students who want to study abroad should think rationally according to their own situation. After all, the time spent studying for a PhD is not short. Only by finding a suitable learning environment can our doctoral life be more enjoyable and scientific research results be more fruitful.