Why not doing my PhD in France ?
During the year 2003/2004 I've pursued a Master
of Science by research in computer science at the University of
Hull (UK). This is a one-year degree which consists virtually only
in doing research on your own. No lectures, almost no
classes.
Since the beginning I though about continuing by a PhD. And I
planned to go back to France to do it. So from January till August
2004 I've applied and applied for PhD positions in France... with
nearly no firm offers as a result ! Out of 50 applications,
nothing. Why ? Mainly because I did not have the French DEA
(a kind of master that prepares to research). What does that mean ?
I've done one full year of research. I've designed and presented a
A1 poster [1]. I've written a 141-page thesis [2]. I've published a
paper in well-known proceedings [3]. I've been to an international
conference to present this publication during a 20-minute talk.
What the hell do French researchers want ? I cannot do more before
a PhD !
Deception after deception, I finally applied in a couple of
Universities in UK. The most famous ones only. And I got answers.
And I got offers... And the same thing from Spain.
Conclusion: if you are French and plan to do a PhD in
France, forget the European ECTS credits and the illusion of the
LMD (Licence-Master-Doctorat), do pursue a French DEA.
[1] My
poster
[2] J. Pansiot Immersive
Visualization and Interaction of Multidimensional Archaeological
Data
[3] J. Pansiot, P.M. Chapman, W.J. Viant and P. Halkon
New Perspectives on Ancient Landscapes: A Case Study of the
Foulness Valley
