-4

I am based in Europe, and I am about to start my PhD. Europe refers to the set of countries I may want to work in: Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria.

Is it formally necessary that I earn it in field X if I want to have an academic career in field X?

By academic career I mean taking up a professorship, or in any case, a research position in some university.

Assuming that my research falls significantly under field Y as well, what disadvantages may happen in trying to have an academic career in Y?

What about X = mechanical engineering (focus computational mechanics) and Y = mathematics (focus numerical methods) ?

Improve this question
14
  • 1
    This question isn't answerable, it's too general. The answer is field-specific.
    – user438383
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 8:44
  • @user438383 Updated
    – Lilla
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 8:56
  • 1
    @Starship-OnStrike Can you please indicate what clarifications should I address?
    – Lilla
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 10:11
  • 1
    Okay I think thats enough detail then thanks @hahn76
    – Starship
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 12:26
  • 2
    While a PhD in Italian literature is likely a barrier to employment in an engineering faculty, much of STEM is highly interrelated and the specifics of what you studied and how it applies to what is happening in some department is the most relevant question.
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 15:40

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

Europe is not a country.

In some European countries, the PhD in topic X (say engineering) preclude you from being professor in department of Y (say mathematics). Some countries have granular divisions of topics, and some topics fit (are allowed to apply towards) a certain faculty, some another faculty.

However, what you ask is a bit non-sense. You can simply be Xy, a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on numerical methods applied to computational mechanics. With that knowledge you will have plenty of opportunities, in the academia and outside, in any country as long as you learn the local language (and even without knowing the language you can find something).

Improve this answer
1
  • +1 for "Europe is not a country", Iceland, the UK, and Greece are all in Europe
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Jun 30, 2023 at 10:38

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .