Hi there,

I started a PhD 2 months ago, and have realised very quickly that I made a huge mistake. I hate the project, and I don't get along with my supervisor, I am heading in the completely wrong direction I wanted to take.

The PhD project sounded very good on paper, however once I started many of the perks that were advertised are not actually a reality, and the project itself is not what I thought it would be, my supervisor is completely unhelpful, rude and I have no support from other lab members.

I have considered the possibility of changing project but maintaining the same supervisor, I don't want to do that. I have already identified another project in another department within the same university, which I really really want to do.

Does anyone know if it is possible to change project and department and supervisor? And if so in what kind of timescale this will happen? (For example does this mean starting again in October 2015?)
I am funded by an EPSRC DTP studentship, so I also hope this is transferable?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hey Bitteorca,

Apply for the MPhil at Cambridge, seriously you have nothing to lose. You would be surprised at Masters level how little they actually expect from an applicant, after all you are paying them a hell of a lot for a degree, so they are a lot less fussy than they are at undergraduate level.

With your academic and work history, I am sure you have a chance of being accepted. I know a few people who did that course (recently did a masters at cambridge myself), and you have a better academic record than some of them. Not to mention, it is an awesome university, which will give you a career boost and network that Manchester simply will not give you. Not to mention one amazing year of college life. Also I should mention the people I know who did the course had positive feedback about it and now all have excellent jobs.

A post-graduate from Cambridge has many more significant advantages than a post grad at Manchester, believe me. Many many master's students at Cambridge are older, and like you have decided that they took a wrong turn in their career, this will NOT hold you back!

Please please try applying for Cambridge, it really is worth it. Though I will mention the likelihood of you getting funding is basically impossible for the course you are choosing (finding funding for business/finance related courses is impossible anyway)

Best of luck, and have a good year in Cambridge ;)