This maybe a question for the postgrad team, but feel free to answer. What happens to students who register for a PhD directly rather than going through MPhil/PhD route at the viva? If the direct routers fail the viva due to insuffienct work or some reason will they get a choice to submit it for a MPhil or is over for them?(...spend more years getting it right)

in oxbrigde, it's over.

in most unis, all students in the humanities have to do a year of Mphil then 2 years of PhD. i hardly ever saw someone not make it. hope i won't be the first.

I'm a PhD direct student too. I was informed by my supervisor on my first year that there is always option to submit the work for MPhil.

It's at the discretion of the external examiners. Although about 30% of people who start a PhD (or MPhil/PhD) still don't have one after 7 years, only a few people ever actually fail. Most of those who don't finish up with a PhD have dropped out, either at the MPhil stage or just when it all got too much. Others, whilst never dropping out, never got round to writing up.

For those who fall at the viva stage rather than being 'failed' they can be asked to resubmit their thesis - this can involve re-writing anything from a single chapter to virtually the whole thing. Another alternative open to the examiners if they feel the work carried out is not sufficiently novel or does not make enough of a contribution to knowledge is to award an MPhil.

HEFCE figures show that after 7 years 5% of full time students will have been awarded an MPhil & not a PhD - most of these will have stopped at the MPhil stage after only 1 or 2 years of study.

thanks to postgrad team for that long detailed answer and others also. Well in the end it looks like the almighty external examiner can do a lot. If it comes to the point of writing the whole things again, I dont think I will ever do that, I'd rather take the MPhil (if they offer it) I guess? by the way Jojo, are you an oxbridge student? and are you living up to the oxbridge-prestige