Yes, TreeOfLife I realise that, which is why, as it has still not been resolved, as you are saying, I am having my doubts. I wanted to learn, interact, discuss, research, engage, potentially publish... etc. My problem is that, obviously, I want a PhD :) I just cannot see right now how the current state of affairs is going to give me the environment in which to successfully do much other than drive myself mad with worries, frustration and a perpetual sense of skull-against-brick.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I have met my supervisors over Skype once or twice but I get more waffle than any help narrowing down my topic or any specific input on my writing or my questions.

The postgrad admin persons say that if I cannot finish at the agreed date, then they can put my enrolment on hold and I can pick up where I left after a break. I have explained that I have received very little apart from library access for my fees, and that what I need is in fact the opposite of a break.

There are some modules held online which I could not attend due to a problem with their software licence. There are no on-campus seminars and no modules that I am allowed to attend, bar having eventually after much negotiation (4 months) been allowed to follow an MA module just to get some interaction with human beings.

So, your current idea is to get 4-6 young offenders or grey-area cases into one room and ask them to discuss the role of their family in their encounters with crimes? What type of data will the focus group interview yield and does this data help answer your question? What kind of questions could you ask to explore whether 1) your constructionist framework rings true with your participants and 2) your thesis (theory, idea, argument) works and the data match your hunch?

Hi everyone
New around here. Started UK MPhil/PhD in June. Classed as a distance student, but have expressed that I would like to be on campus.
I am unsure of the level of interaction and input I should be able to expect from my supervisor(s).

A quick summary goes:
One supervisor was ill for a couple of months, and I was only told of this after saying I was unlikely to pay my fees if after several weeks, the person would not get back to me. My second supervisor also did not reply for a month after my starting, and then currently has a 4 week turn around time on emails.
I have not been shown around campus, given any information on library access until a month ago, and it was 3 months into my study before I was able to get them to explain was what needed for my final proposal, which is due after 6 months (I am part time). Freshers week is obviously round about now, but I have been given no information or invitation, and I don't think I would be welcome. I have met no other postgrads yet, despite asking repeatedly.
I am meeting with my two supervisors soon, but this is 4 months in and I have had 30,000 pages given to me by one supervisor, when I asked for a conversation about the current (past 5 years) relevance of a concept, which I was not able to trace past 2007, and it is fairly central to my project. I had hoped a that a dialogue could take place but this seems to not really be the case. The supervisor I have been able to speak to keeps saying that 'we will work it out' but the problem is that there is now only 2 months until my final proposal is due and I feel stressed by the lack of actual conversation and input.

I have two questions for you all if you don't mind:

1) Is this normal?

2) Am I expecting too much? Please be honest.