Changing university between MA and PhD & Part time PhD

Hi all, Just looking for some general advice, if anyone can help or has any experience it would be much appreciated. I'm about to start my MA and all going well will be applying for a PhD, either straight after or in the near future.

Does anyone know how common it is to change universities between an MA and a PhD? Do the majority of people just continue straight from one to the other in the same university?

Also, thought I'd put this in here as well, save multiple posting....anyone care to give their opinion on part time PhDs. There is no way I'll be able to pay my way through a PhD unless I get funding or do it part time. How achievable is the part time work/part time PhD approach? Is it possible to register full time in the start, apply for funding, and then switch to part time if you don't receive funding?

Any help/opinions on these much appreciated! :smile:

Reply 1

rottcodd

Is it possible to register full time in the start, apply for funding, and then switch to part time if you don't receive funding?

This is indeed possible, but it will vary between faculty, department and university. I would fire off an email to a couple of places that you are thinking about for PhD study and ask them. Most of the unis I have asked about this said that you can do this in theory. But they all tended to be a bit sketchy and hazy in their answer, giving a provisional "yes" but adding a "It would depend on circumstances at the time" so you won't know that it will be possible for definate beforehand - it's something that your supervisor would have to agree to, because they might not be planning on sticking around for the six - eight years it might take you to do the PhD part time. If you're worried about funding, you could apply to two different places for your PhD - apply to one as a full-time student and also go for funding, and apply to the other as a part-time student and don't go for funding. That way, if you do get funding, brilliant, and if you don't, you've got a back-up option.

Some people stay on, some people move on for their PhD. It doesn't really matter what the majority do - I know quite a few people that have switched uni's to do their MA, but then stayed on for PhD, but that doesn't necessairily mean it's the generally right thing to do. You just go wherever you need to.

As for the balance between part-time and working, Ethereal is the man you need to speak to!