Applying for PhD at Oxford

The Boosh

almost! the "1" has to be recognised as a masters that offers research training (usually approved by a research council). if you don't have this, you can't apply for the "3" part of the 1+3, and you can't apply for research council funding (unless you are applying for the whole 1+3 route)

Right, so the MA has to be more a research based course than a taught one (as in almost like a 4th year of UG)?

Reply 22

i should point out that

all new route (1+3) and traditional (mphil/phd) students at exeter sit the same modules for the first 2 terms (the research training modules). the difference is that the new route students write a dissertation in the third term, whereas the mphil/phd students write a conversion paper and have a mini viva so that they can progress to the phd stage. so, in this respect, the routes are exactly the same. the differences are:

1. the new route students get an extra year (but can submit early)
2. the new route students write a dissertation (on research methodology)
3. the new route students are those that are entitled to apply for funding.

Reply 23

Stickyvix

Right so the MA has to be more a research based course than a taught one ( as in almost like a 4th year of UG)?

Ah, but you see, it is fully taught. It's just that they teach you research.

Reply 24

hobnob

14

Social sciences are weird. :s-smilie:

Reply 25

IlexAquifolium

But, confusingly, you can apply for departmental funding.

Actually, now I think about it, our system is ****ing stupid.

you can, IF the department has this option.

Reply 26

The Boosh

you can, IF the department has this option.

My head hurts. How did I ever manage to apply for this?

Reply 27

IlexAquifolium

Ah, but you see, it is fully taught. It's just that they teach you research.

I know it's taught - doubt they'd just leave you to it (well they might :p:

) but you're being taught methodology & frameworks rather than just modules on subjects you're interested in.

Which I know is what the MRes in History is like. 2 Modules on research & methods, an optional module linking to your interest and a longer dissertation.

hobnob

Social sciences are weird

yup.

Reply 28

Stickyvix

Right, so the MA has to be more a research based course than a taught one (as in almost like a 4th year of UG)?

in the social sciences, the "1" is research training, that is all really. its how to conduct research, so research methodology/methods.

keep in mind that the social sciences are empirical in ways that the arts/humanities may not be (history being the exception).

Reply 29

IlexAquifolium

My head hurts. How did I ever manage to apply for this?

lol no idea!!! but you are more on the ball as an undergrad than i was!!!

Reply 30

Stickyvix

I know it's taught - doubt they'd just leave you to it (well they might :p:

) but you're being taught methodology & frameworks rather than just modules on subjects you're interested in

that's right. that is basically it.

because of this, i cannot class it as a "research masters" because there isn't a big project. a taught masters to me implies that you are being taught about a subject, not how to research the subject.

Reply 31

The Boosh

lol no idea!!! but you are more on the ball as an undergrad than i was!!!

Yeah - I thought I was completely clueless, until I sat in a room with the (unfunded) 1 students some of whom, with a fortnight until the deadline, had yet to write a proposal or pick a supervisor!! Then I realised that although clueless, I was marginally less clueless than everyone else. You do have to wonder at a system that reduces 1st and 2.1 standard candidates to 'degrees of misunderstanding' though.

Reply 32

Stickyvix

I know it's taught - doubt they'd just leave you to it (well they might :p:

) but you're being taught methodology & frameworks rather than just modules on subjects you're interested in.

This, of course, being the critical point. *grumble*

Reply 33

IlexAquifolium

This, of course, being the critical point. *grumble*

Why do you think I'm doing an MA rather than an MRes? :biggrin:

Thankfully we do get research training (obviously nothing compared to what people doing MRes courses get) but I can go to the IHR & The History Lab for that.

Reply 34

hobnob

14

Stickyvix

I know it's taught - doubt they'd just leave you to it (well they might :p:

) but you're being taught methodology & frameworks rather than just modules on subjects you're interested in.
So you get seminars on exciting topics like "Amazing Archives: fun with dusty piles of old paper", "Dabbling with Databases (plus the optional module 'Actually Finding What You're Looking for')", "46 Cool Ways of Referencing Your Sources" and "How to Prentend You've Been Working When You Haven't"?

Reply 35

hobnob

So you get seminars on exciting topics like "Amazing Archives: fun with dusty piles of old paper", "Dabbling with Databases (plus the optional module 'Actually Finding What You're Looking for')", "46 Cool Ways of Referencing Your Sources" and "How to Prentend You've Been Working When You Haven't"?

Pretty much! http://www.history.ac.uk/degrees/metma/coursehistorical.html

Doesn't it look thrilling? :s-smilie:

Reply 36

hobnob

So you get seminars on exciting topics like "Amazing Archives: fun with dusty piles of old paper", "Dabbling with Databases (plus the optional module 'Actually Finding What You're Looking for')", "46 Cool Ways of Referencing Your Sources" and "How to Pretend You've Been Working When You Haven't"?

This made me laugh!

I actually think that last one would probably be considerably more useful to me than the options I have been offered. :biggrin:

Reply 37

hobnob

14

Stickyvix

Pretty much! http://www.history.ac.uk/degrees/metma/coursehistorical.html

Doesn't it look thrilling? :s-smilie:

Ugh - history without all the fun bits. :s-smilie:

Reply 38

hobnob

Ugh - history without all the fun bits. :s-smilie:

Quite! I get a module that's similiar to the first one on the Research MA on my taught MA. I'm particularly looking forward to the 2hrs spent on databases...

Reply 39