Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and currently studying for my undergraduate degree in Psychology (Final year) at the University of Gloucestershire. I'm currently writing my dissertation on masculinities and sexualities from a social constructionist perspective and I plan on continuing my research interests in the areas of gender and sexuality in the future.

I'm interested in beginning a PhD for entry in the autumn of 2009, giving myself plenty of time to prepare a proposal, obtain funding and find a supervisor etc.

Still the amount of information to take in at this point is enormous, and I wanted to ask everyone for their thoughts on a 'to do' list of sorts. Anyone have any advice on the steps an undergraduate fresh from their first degree might take?

Thanks all
Dan

Having seen how tricky qualitative methods like discourse analysis can be, the best thing I can suggest is make sure you have a clued up supervisor who knows the pitfalls and tricks to carry out the study properly.

If you want funding you will almost certainley have to do a masters before you go on to do a PhD. Finding funding for the masters can be extremely difficult. I suggest you research ESRC 1+3 studentships which provide funding for the 1 year of the masters and the 3 years of the PhD. Alternatively you could self-fund a masters this year and then apply for PhDs after that.

Thanks for the replies. I've looked into 1+3 studentships from the ESRC and I think that will be the way I need to go, given my total and absolute lack of funds!

As for qualitative methods, I've enjoyed them at undergraduate level (though transcribing is a nightmare!) but I realise theres more to it than that. I'd be keen to look into ethnographic methodology also as that seems to fit within a broader social constructionist framework.