AHRC Funding for PHD Direct From MA

I assume most people with AHRC (or any other funding) for an MA go direct to a PHD. If you are starting an MA at a new uni, though, how will the department know what your grades are going to look like? You have to start submitting applications between January and March, but there is a good chance you won't have recieved any feedback at this point. Furthermore, if you are new to the department then how will tutors be able to give you a decent reference after only knowing you for a term?

Reply 1

apotoftea

This is the BIG BIG BIG problem of changing unis. Especially when you're using the MA uni as a springboard to apply elsewhere. Also given that unis now choose which students they want to fund it makes it doubly harder.

The best bet is to try and get to know tutors which is pretty hard, give them sample UG work so they can get idea of how you write etc and just hope to God it works.

My current MA uni does not give us ANY feedback or release our results until official results day. As a result I've had one rejection and although I got an offer for staying on at my MA uni, didn't get funding as all they had to go on was my undergrad transcript and my undergrad dissertation (because I'm not offering MA work that I don't know the standard of). I would love to know the percentage of people getting AHRC funding that have taken a year off between their MA and PhD and this is now what I'll be doing.

Reply 2

One Man Clique

Ah, a potoftea! My local freiendly AHRC advisor.

Unless there is a disaster, I kind of feel like I will be staying at Sussex to complete my MA and PHD. They gave me the AHRC Doctorate prep. scholarship without seeing any of my UG work, but I kind of feel like they would only give me the full PHD scholarship if I were earning my keep, which they'll have no idea about around the time of deciding.

I appreciate that having a year out between MA and PHD would be useful, but I have already deferred a year at UG and taken a year out between MA and PHD. I have decided this is what I want to do and just want to get on with it now.

Reply 3

apotoftea

If they've given you funding once, they obviously think you're good enough! So getting the PhD funding would be slightly easier I'd imagine than someone who's self-funded, kept quiet and not really got involved. It's a tricky one and one of those Catch 22 situations unfortunately. Also, it all depends on who actually decides who gets the funding - the people in the actual department you're studying in, may have the least input, who knows?

I'm having to take a year off now but tbh I need one and given I've had NO MA feedback, it makes sense instead of launching into a PhD and finding out that I only got a 50!

Reply 4

One Man Clique

What's the jump like? Would a 75 at undergrad mean a 65 at MA? Obviously you haven't had any feedback, but can you compare undergrad work to MA work?

Reply 5

apotoftea

It's supposedly meant to be 10%. I really can't compare mine as I tend to look back at my UG stuff and go "how on earth did I pass writing that, let alone get a 67" type thing :p:

My MA stuff is definitely better though, but have no idea whether it's a 50 or a 67!

I've noticed a big jump in my writing style and what I write, but marks wise I just don't know given I don't know how they mark at UG (changed unis between BA and MA).

I'll possibly hopefully know more if I get a reply to an email tomorrow and see if I do get any feedback. Otherwise, I won't know until November :rolleyes: