Help: Mphil / PhD Difficulty

Hey guys,

I truly need your help.
I have an offer for a Mphil program and a PhD project in physics at Cambridge... both self-funded (subject to funding) because my application was late (applied in late March). Unfortunately, all relevant funding deadlines have already passed...

However, it´s part of the Mphil to carry out a research dissertation and now I was wondering whether I could ask my supervisor (PhD offer) for the possibility to accept the Mphil offer and to already carry out my Mphil research dissertation within his team. This would give me the possibility to apply for the necessary funding to carry out my PhD research with the mentioned supervisor next year. At least I would loose one year but I don´t think this is much of a problem, right?

I am able to fund one year at Cambridge but not 3 years and thus, I thought this might be a good solution.

Any thoughts about this??? All kind of answers are welcome.
Thanks in advance!

Cheers

Reply 1

nonswimmer

Sounds like a reasonable strategy. You can only ask.

Reply 2

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Latis

You can ask. But when you submit a PhD thesis at Cambridge you have to sign a declaration that you have not previously submitted any of the research in the thesis for the award of any other degree. I'm not sure how that would fit with your plan. It's worth asking though.

Reply 3

hobnob

Original post by threeportdrift

I thought what she meant was that she'd do the MPhil now and then apply for a new PhD with the same supervisor, but this time with the option of getting funded? So she wouldn't be duplicating anything, she'd just be doing a self-funded MPhil instead of taking a year out.
Or did I misunderstand what the plan was? :confused:

Reply 4

kikkoman

Original post by Latis

What happened to the fully funded option at the UCL-LCN ?

Reply 5

Latis

Hey guys thanks for your opinions....

and hobnob....
You nailed it :biggrin:

That´s exactly what I meant!!!

Cheers

Reply 6

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by hobnob

Original post by Latis

Hey guys thanks for your opinions....

and hobnob....
You nailed it :biggrin:

That´s exactly what I meant!!!

Cheers

Aha, sorry, that makes much more sense. I was in between the interview and the dreaded phone call - I probably shouldn't have been thinking of anything more sophisticated than raiding the fridge!

Reply 7

Latis

Original post by kikkoman

What happened to the fully funded option at the UCL-LCN ?

It´s still in the game! I am just sorting out my possibilities :smile:

I want to consider everything before making my final decision.

So far I withdrew my application to the 4 yrs laying DTC at ICL because I simply can't afford it. However, the director was very sorry for me and offered me a tuition fee scholarship + £ 5000 for an one year lasting Mres instead. He said that could buy me the time to apply for funding for the PhD in the next year.
... So another route to be considered ...

@threeportdrift
Maybe I just didn´t express my enquiry clear enough. Sorry for that... :wink:

Reply 8

poohat

You need to sit down with your potential supervisor and find out what they think. If you arent doing the MPhil project with their group, and if doing the MPhil doesnt increase your chance of getting funding, then it seems like you're wasting £15k (or however much youre going to spend on fees+living costs).

What are your chances of actually getting funding next year? Can your supervisor guarantee it, or are you fighting it out for a competitive scholarship? Would you actually gain anything useful from an MPhil? Have you done a 4 year physics MSci degree already, and/or are there important gaps in your physics knowledge? How many of the modules are going to be related to the field you want to work in? etc

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9

Latis

Yeah your´re probably right. I will do that...
The Mphil is something I am really interested in anyway because of the impressive guest speakers and the integrated economics part.

Another question....
Do you know whether it is possible to apply for a MRes or Mphil course after successful completion of a PhD degree?
I was wondering if one can study for another Mphil degree when already holding a PhD degree....

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Original post by poohat

Reply 10

poohat

You could, but its not clear why you would ever want to.

Reply 11

Latis

Original post by poohat

You could, but its not clear why you would ever want to.

I thought it might be a good idea to get better business and industry contacts....
For a MBA I will have to work at least 3 yrs as far as I know, right?
Consequently , I thought I could do one of those research enterprise Masters in Cambridge after finishing my fully funded PhD degree at e.g. UCL. However, if I decide to choose that one...

Cheers

Reply 12

poohat

Honestly, it sounds like you desperately just want to go to Cambridge and are going to find any excuse possible. If it really means that much to you then just do the unfunded MPhil and get it out your system; doing a PhD with the intent of doing another masters afterwards doesnt make sense.

An MBA is something else entirely, there is no real comparison to a MPhil or MSc.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 13

Latis

I am just figuring out what´s the best option for me.
The Mphil in Cam has a big economics part with good links to industry. That´s why I am considering this route.
The PhD at UCL is very interesting and fully-funded but it´s a main characterization work. I like the applied techniques though....
But I am afraid that it´s too much basic research, which better suits an academic career....