Check out the hydrogeology MSc at Leeds and Birmingham. There are more job offers than graduates at the minute, mostly in the field of contaminated land rather than goundwater modelling etc. Starting pay with an MSc is from £22,000 to £25,000 and that's withut any relevant work experience.

Giraffes. B***er! I thought they were long necked antelopes!

Olivia, the giraffe thread is in the area titled 'general' under the thread 'search for a phd' started by stone. You are now free to share your giraffe finding joy with them...have fun. I am off to see what other animals I mis-identify! I'll start by checking up on Skippy the bush rabbit.

You can still get a PhD without distinction grades! I have just been offered one at Hull and like you I am on course for a merit in my MSc and my BSc was a 2(1). When you add on the fact that I am 43, have no research experience to speak and did my BSc with the Open University while working full time in a non academic area, it shows anything is possible if you are enthusiastic. I applied for two, got interviews for both, first was negative, said they couldn't rsik taking on someone with no research experience at my age?? Why interview me then?? The second one at Hull stated my enthusism for the subject matter was the key! So go for it, and good luck.