Durham Doctoral Studentships

well, it could be this week or next, as they say by the end of April and it's only for the successful applicants. Everyone else is supposed to hear at the beginning of May. as much as I wold love to get the money, I am not really expecting much. It's ridiculously competitive!
What's your subject btw?

Reply 2

OP

well, it could be this week or next, as they say by the end of April and it's only for the successful applicants. Everyone else is supposed to hear at the beginning of May. as much as I wold love to get the money, I am not really expecting much. It's ridiculously competitive!
What's your subject btw?

English Studies. Funding in the Arts and Humanities is pretty difficult to come by, unfortunately. I spent 3 months working on the 500 words of my DDS application. :p:

We'll see what happens, but chances are pretty slim...I think practically all of the English Studies MA students applied for the scholarship this year (I'm told English Studies have only one DDS award and 2 AHRC awards), and who knows how many students from outside Durham applied.

What's your subject? And I wish you the best for your application as well!

Reply 3

silverswan

English Studies. Funding in the Arts and Humanities is pretty difficult to come by, unfortunately. I spent 3 months working on the 500 words of my DDS application. :p:

We'll see what happens, but chances are pretty slim...I think practically all of the English Studies MA students applied for the scholarship this year (I'm told English Studies have only one DDS award and 2 AHRC awards), and who knows how many students from outside Durham applied.

What's your subject? And I wish you the best for your application as well!

definitely one :-) I'm doing English as well.
I've heard about all those current MA students applying for PhDs, which probably makes my chances even slimmer, simply because they will probably be more willing to give the money to someone who they know is really good because they taught them, rather then someone new, especially as they have so many of their own students applying.
Oh well, let's wait and see. Not too long now. Fingers crossed for both of us!
May I ask, what are you going to work on? and who is going to supervise you?

Reply 4

OP

May I ask, what are you going to work on? and who is going to supervise you?

You may indeed. I'm planning to work on Oxford Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 108 (the earliest extant manuscript of The South English Legendary [a collection of saints' lives]). I'm framing my research of MS L within the context of Bakhtinian theories of narrative. Dr Neil Cartlidge will be my supervisor.

And I'll reciprocate: what is your area of research, and who will supervise you?

Reply 5

silverswan

You may indeed. I'm planning to work on Oxford Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 108 (the earliest extant manuscript of The South English Legendary [a collection of saints' lives]). I'm framing my research of MS L within the context of Bakhtinian theories of narrative. Dr Neil Cartlidge will be my supervisor.

And I'll reciprocate: what is your area of research, and who will supervise you?

Sounds really really interesting. Bakhtin has been my really good friend this past term. Just about to finish an essay on Baktin, Brecht and Lewis Carroll and start one on chronotope. I'm on the opposite end of the historical spectrum though as my main area of interest is postmodernism and I will be working on plagiarism in postmodern lit and visual arts and Patricia Waugh is going to supervise me, that is if I manage to magic the money to pay for it all.

Have you applied anywhere else? Or is it Durham or nothing?

Reply 6

OP

Sounds really really interesting. Bakhtin has been my really good friend this past term. Just about to finish an essay on Baktin, Brecht and Lewis Carroll and start one on chronotope. I'm on the opposite end of the historical spectrum though as my main area of interest is postmodernism and I will be working on plagiarism in postmodern lit and visual arts and Patricia Waugh is going to supervise me, that is if I manage to magic the money to pay for it all.

Have you applied anywhere else? Or is it Durham or nothing?

The more I read Bakhtin, the more I love him. Glad to find someone else who feels the same. :smile:

I've heard really good things about Pat Waugh. Hope you get to come study under her. (Stinking money. *grumble* *grumble*)

There are only three universities (Durham, Edinburgh, and Oxford) that I really want to study at for my PhD, so I only applied to those three. I've been rejected by Oxford, offered a place by Edinburgh and placed on their reserve list for a tuition fees scholarship (some other funding is pending), and I'm waiting to hear from Durham--which is where I want to be. I'll go to Edinburgh if they give me money but really hope I can stay in Durham. do you have somewhere to fall back on if Durham doesn't work out? I see you're currently at KCL...

Reply 7

silverswan

The more I read Bakhtin, the more I love him. Glad to find someone else who feels the same. :smile:

I've heard really good things about Pat Waugh. Hope you get to come study under her. (Stinking money. *grumble* *grumble*)

There are only three universities (Durham, Edinburgh, and Oxford) that I really want to study at for my PhD, so I only applied to those three. I've been rejected by Oxford, offered a place by Edinburgh and placed on their reserve list for a tuition fees scholarship (some other funding is pending), and I'm waiting to hear from Durham--which is where I want to be. I'll go to Edinburgh if they give me money but really hope I can stay in Durham. do you have somewhere to fall back on if Durham doesn't work out? I see you're currently at KCL...

Bakhtin existed as one of the authors whose ideas I was familiar with but haven't really read their actual works for quite a long time. Finally got round to his 'Rabelais' and 'Dialogic imagination' this year and got hooked :-) And when you think how limited he was in his access to scholarship and criticism, his work is even more impressive!

Anyway, yes, I'm at King's doing Comp Lit now. definitely not staying on here as there is no one to supervise me. And to be fair I really fancy getting away from London life.

I only applied to Exeter apart from Durham but not too keen on going there. Just found out that I'm not getting funding from them anyway, which I did expect as didn't put too much effort into the application. For me Durham is where I'd love to be next year as well. There is no one else around that is a better potential supervisor for my project then professor Waugh, so it would be amazing to work with her. And it's such a fantastic English dep.

Congrats on your Ed offer though! good effort with funding! wait list already means they really really like you! Not much of a conslation at this stage, I know, but fingers crossed it will all work out! Would you consider self-funding at all?

Reply 8

OP

Would you consider self-funding at all?

No. My family doesn't financially contribute to my education at all, and I'm unwilling to take out another loan. I had to take out a large one just come to the UK for my MA. I really can't afford to go further in debt. :frown:

If I don't get funding this time around, I'm off to find a job, make some money, and give the PhD another shot in a few years.

Reply 9

silverswan

No. My family doesn't financially contribute to my education at all, and I'm unwilling to take out another loan. I had to take out a large one just come to the UK for my MA. I really can't afford to go further in debt. :frown:

If I don't get funding this time around, I'm off to find a job, make some money, and give the PhD another shot in a few years.

Same here. I have been working my way through this year and although it is doable, it's definitely not particularly enjoyable and I really feel I'm missing out on a lot. I knew what i was putting myself into, so nothing to complain about, but I don't think I could carry on like that for the next 3 years!

Reply 10

OP

Same here. I have been working my way through this year and although it is doable, it's definitely not particularly enjoyable and I really feel I'm missing out on a lot. I knew what i was putting myself into, so nothing to complain about, but I don't think I could carry on like that for the next 3 years!

You have my sympathy. I worked my way through undergrad, and it was terribly difficult at times. I hope for both our sakes that we find funding somewhere. The very best of luck to you!

Reply 11