The Student Room Group

From MA to PhD

Hi,

I'm starting an MA in September and I intend to apply for PhD programmes afterwards.

So I was wondering if someone who's been there could share some tips on what I could do during the MA in order to be a stronger candidate when time comes for the PhD applications.

I believe I would profit from general advice, but I'll post some details below:

- BA in Social Sciences (7.5/10 which I think would translate to a 2.1)
- No research experience
- Over 10 years of professional experience in educacional settings (EFL school for children; private tutoring)
- I'll start an MA in Linguistics at Queen Mary
- I'm from Brazil

Thank you




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1) Get involved in other things at Uni that are connected to your course or Department - like being a course representative. This means tutors will notice you and realise you are a useful person.
2) Go to conferences. You aren't expected to give a paper but just being there and listening/talking to academic people will increase your knowledge of the current ideas and the people who are working in areas that interest you.
3) Read. Read everything on the reading list and then look around for more.
4) Read current journals n your subject area. Get familiar with the current 'names' in British academia and who is doing what, where.
5) Remember to have some fun sometimes and enjoy being in Britain.
Reply 2
Thanks, returnimigrant!
Your tips are very helpful and I'll definetely try to do what you suggested.

Take care


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Reply 3
Reply 4
Another good tip is to start building a list of potential PhD supervisors. As you read, are there people whose work jumps out as being particularly interesting to you? Do they have a good academic reputation in your field? At PhD level, who supervises you is generally more important than the uni or department in which you're based.

Also you have a better chance at PhD funding if you can fit your research interests into the specialism of the department offering the funding.

When you start planning your Masters dissertation, try to ensure that it's going in roughly the same direction as your PhD research interests. That will give you the beginnings of a research track record in your field, which will help.
Are you intending to start the PhD as soon as your MA finishes? If so, it is very likely that the application deadlines will be January. All of the above advice is useful, but you need to think about cramming as much as possible into that first semester, whilst also writing the PhD proposal. It's possible, but makes for a busy few months!



Original post by lomeu
Hi,

I'm starting an MA in September and I intend to apply for PhD programmes afterwards.

So I was wondering if someone who's been there could share some tips on what I could do during the MA in order to be a stronger candidate when time comes for the PhD applications.

I believe I would profit from general advice, but I'll post some details below:

- BA in Social Sciences (7.5/10 which I think would translate to a 2.1)
- No research experience
- Over 10 years of professional experience in educacional settings (EFL school for children; private tutoring)
- I'll start an MA in Linguistics at Queen Mary
- I'm from Brazil

Thank you




Posted from TSR Mobile
Not strictly true - whilst the main Research Council funding closes in January (for UK and /or EU applicants only so not available to a Brazilian anyway), many other studentships, scholarships and bursaries have much later closing dates. Some are only being advertised now - with August/September closing dates for an October start.
See : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2551148 AND http://www.jobs.ac.uk/jobs/phd
(edited 9 years ago)
Mmmm...I wasn't actually thinking about scholarships as such. My department had a January deadline on applications for a PhD. However, I imagine that the popularity of the department/supervisor will affect when you can apply.

A quick search for linguistics in both of the links you supplied shows no adverts for international students in the UK, although obviously there are other areas to search.

Let's meet in the middle and say that the OP should definitely check deadlines for application and funding as soon as possible!


Original post by returnmigrant
Not strictly true - whilst the main Research Council funding closes in January (for UK and /or EU applicants only so not available to a Brazilian anyway), many other studentships, scholarships and bursaries have much later closing dates. Some are only being advertised now - with August/September closing dates for an October start.
See : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2551148 AND http://www.jobs.ac.uk/jobs/phd
Reply 8
Thanks for the answers Klix88 and LifeOfDreams.

@LifeOfDreams
Ideally, I would like to start the PhD right after finishing the masters, but I don't think I'd manage to elaborate a good proposal nor get proper references (by the January deadlines I would have had only one term of student/teacher contact and I'm not sure if this would be enough). Also, out of the 8 modules I need to take, I think half of them are only offered during the fall term the other half during the spring term.

Anyway, I'll keep that possibility in mind!

Thanks again


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Original post by lomeu
Thanks for the answers Klix88 and LifeOfDreams.

@LifeOfDreams
Ideally, I would like to start the PhD right after finishing the masters, but I don't think I'd manage to elaborate a good proposal nor get proper references (by the January deadlines I would have had only one term of student/teacher contact and I'm not sure if this would be enough). Also, out of the 8 modules I need to take, I think half of them are only offered during the fall term the other half during the spring term.

Anyway, I'll keep that possibility in mind!

Thanks again


Posted from TSR Mobile


Check the departments you want to apply to. It's possible that, as return says, the application dates will be later (and different universities have different dates too!). It is possible to begin the Masters and in that first seminar apply for a PhD too. I did it!

It would be helpful to start thinking about a topic now. Maybe there's a supervisor you like. If so, take his/her classes (you can always attend extra classes, not just the ones you need for your Masters). If you're doing well in your Masters, have a good relationship with a potential supervisor, and have an idea for your thesis, then you have a good chance. The board who look at your thesis proposal will be aware that you still have some classes to take, and they'll take that into account.

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