Hello. I'm from Taiwan so I know it's weird to ask this question in American forum.
Since there is few people studying HPS in Taiwan, I cannot discuss something like this with others.
I've bachelor degrees on physics and chemical engineering from National Taiwan University(NTU).
Now, I'm studying Electronics engineering graduate program at NTU.
Recently, it seems that I've a chance to study PhD HPS program at France.
My interest is history of physics, but I'm afraid I cannot find a job after graduation.
Is there anyone who also study HPS PhD program? Would you please share with me how you tackle with this problem?
Thanks in advance...and sorry for my bad English :(
The question I would have is, what kind of job you are thinking you would want? I can't answer except in the context of "a tenure-track HPS job in the USA," in which case the answer is easy: the odds of getting such a job are low, because there aren't that many of these jobs to be had. (I have one; I studied history of science.) Not impossible, but low.
But if the answer is, "a tenure-track job in Taiwan" — I have no idea. Or even Europe. These are very different markets.
As for whether you should do the specific program — it depends on where it is. Prestige of program matters a lot. I don't know the relative rankings of French PhDs in HPS. But I would look into this. In the USA, for example, there are big differences in job placement for people who get a PhD in HPS from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as opposed to people who get a PhD in HPS from a smaller school. But again, I am only talking about American jobs and American institutions.
The worry is that you’ll be neither a scientist nor philosopher (I’m a philosopher). The premier HPS program is at University of Pittsburgh. Have a look at it and its placement and program of study.
I trust you’ve done some philosophy?