If your MSc is relevant then you shouldn't be too disadvantaged by your first degree. What may hinder you is the gap between your MSc and now. However you are doing the right thing about it and should try and meet and talk to as many other people working in your field as possible. You have picked a subject which is both popular and poorly funded and academics will have their pick of candidates. If they've met you, you may at least get an interview.

There's plenty of undergraduate and masters courses in computer games technology. Any department offering such courses will also take PhD students in the same subject area. If you're more interested in the sociological impact of computer games then you shouldn't find it hard to find people working in this area. What you may find more difficult is finding funding.

Amsterdam is a place that seems a great idea to many people, however you should be warned that a PhD which would take 3 years in the UK could take between 5 and 7 years in Holland. This is not just due to the cafes, it's due to the different higher education system there.

As with everything, it depends on your subject area. Generally speaking if you are studying science or engineering (as I suspect you are) then there are plenty of opportunities to work in industry. This can be either immediately after a PhD or after further years of postdoctoral experience. The biggest entry point into industry is as a researcher, with the prospect of moving through to a more managerial role. Many blue chip firms recruit PhD graduates directly into their management training schemes. Further study after your PhD could take you into the very lucrative areas of patent law or management consultancy. Those who are less money motivated could go into teaching, publishing or technical writing/journalism. Others use their lab experience to move into selling/marketing laboratory equipment or providing technical support for the same. There's a lot of other options I'm sure I've left out, but no doubt other visitors to the forum can add to this list.

Try this thread for information and links on study in Germany

In general a UK student wishing to do a PhD in the sciences or engineering should be able to start a PhD with a 2(i) and no further Masters qualification. In the arts and humanities it is more common to do a Masters degree first.

These things tend to be very subject specific, as the level of funding available determines how difficult it is to get hold of. Ask your current tutors what they would recommend and then post what you find out here - don't forget to mention what your subject area is.

You should start applying for a PhD place as soon as possible. New studentships come available throughout the year and are filled throughout the year. The busiest time for PhD recruitment is from December through until March. If you want to start this October then apply as soon as possible. New spaces come available right until the middle of September (usually as a result of previously appointed candidates pulling out or not getting good enough grades), but competition is very strong if you apply this late and their are less projects available.

Many PhDs in sciences use techniques that are interchangable with other research projects. The quality of the research project and the lab it will be in should be your main focus.

Yes. Although it can sometimes be harder to get a place than it is with a 2i, a successfull result in your MSc will qualify you for most studentships. Have a look on FindAPhD for further information.

Our Funding section has information and relevant links.

Congratulations 'waiting to pounce'. This thread should be read by everyone on the forum to show that there is hope and above all that the best person to answer your queries is the supervisor concerned. They may be unreliable when it comes to answering emails, but they are not sleeping lions waiting to pounce on the first person who dares ask a question like 'did you get my application' or 'do you know when you're likely to hear about funding?'.

The same applies to undergraduate tutors (who are usually somebody's supervisor) - if you want to know about doing a PhD then ask them and they will tell you how it works in their field. We're happy to answer any questions we can on FindAPhD and often research answers to specific questions, but the best person to ask will always be somebody working in the field. Like most people, you'll find they'll be flattered when you ask them about their job.

Once you've found all the answers, please remember to put them up on this forum so everybody else can find out what to do.

You'd need to speak to academics in your field to get an idea of what risks you'd be taking with your career. The probability is that where a Masters degree may well help you to gain promotion or expand your career horizons in some other way following it up with a PhD may not be so usefull (when you balance the reduction in income and work experience during this time).

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