Hi all,

This is my second post on this board. The first garnered some really good responses which enabled me to take different factors into account whilst making my decision(s).

So, after much deliberation, I have decided that withdrawing from my course is the most beneficial move for myself with regards to my career progression. However, I have an issue with notifying my supervisor.

We haven't really had that much contact in the past two months. My supervisor is currently undergoing treatment for an illness, however they are still contactable. So, to be honest, I feel REALLY bad about all of this. They obviously saw something in me to take me on (I interacted with them prior to being accepted by the university after reaching out), they're currently suffering from an illness, and having a student "quit" or "withdraw" apparently reflects badly on their portfolio.

I was just seeking guidance in how I actually approach this. As I have outlined, this is a rather volatile situation. I feel like I'm causing enough damage to my supervisor through withdrawing alone, without putting my message across in a way that is offensive.

A second point concerns whether I tell the TRUTH or the "truth." The reality is, the PhD is not for me, neither as a long-term or short-term goal. With this in mind, do I cite this as my "official" reason for leaving or do I fabricate a reason, therefore making it an easier process to cut away from. Bear in mind, I'm a fully-funded student, who's just approached their sixth month.

Many thanks!

MoC

MoC, it has been my experience that people of average intelligence will usually see through a "cookie cutter" resignation of any kind, and it usually has the double effect of coming across as sudden and vague "circumstances beyond my control" kind of thing if you follow me.

For anyone who has invested in me at any level, in my humble opinion, I owe it to them to be honest about my reasons for parting ways and thus the incompatibility of academic research with your long and short term goals is perfectly acceptable and above all decent.

Life is messy, the planets never align, and there is never that perfect congregation of favorable circumstances. You thank your peers for the trust, time and effort they have invested in you, you explain frankly and tactfully that you can only follow your good conscience after experiencing a taste of the academy, and you wish them well in life and all other endeavors.

This is my personal style of doing business, take from it what you will. All the best with your future, and trust me, processes like this is all part of the refining process of becoming who you wish to be in life.

Hi Fled,

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to reply with some very insightful comments.

It may be due to my cynical nature, but I always operate under the impression that the society in which we live DOES NOT value honesty. You see many people (personal and professional) who tell the truth and end up on the wrong side as a result. That being said, I agree with your comments about "cookie cutter" resignations and the fact that most people, especially within academia, will just see through it.

I'm a notoriously honest person. I believe in doing the right thing both for myself and by others. I also believe in the power of the truth. The two concerns I have, however, are: (a) what effect it will have on the funding (i.e., will they demand ALL money back [totalling about £8,000 and this years fee]; and secondly, (b) my supervisors current health and the effect (both personal and professional) having one of their "PhD students" withdrawing will have.

It is pertinent that I note that the university department that deals with the PhD funding arm does would not require me to pay back anything; the only money to be paid back would be over-payments (i.e., if I ended in May and I was paid by the funding body until July I would have to pay back June and July). However, returning to point A, is this policy flexible? And would it change if my reasons were merely "career change"?

Thank you again!

MoC

Hi MoC,

I completely understand your dilemma and agree with you about the value of truth these days. Fortunately for you, it does not sound like you intend to stay within Academia as a career path, so any repercussions from someone who may feel slighted by your resignation is extremely limited, and will probably not extend beyond the musings within your (former) department.

Which brings us your point of possible financial repercussions. Once again fortune is with you as these kinds of policies are usually a black and white affair with very little room for discretion. If there were any alternative exception to the rule, it would be clearly outlined in the clauses or subsections under that particular policy rule. I' m sure it would be easy to discreetly inform yourself of all the details with the appropriate office at your University. Be on the look out for phrases like "...or any other action which the University deems appropriate..."
However I suspect you would be in the clear. So ask some questions, without giving away your intentions until you are ready.

Unfortunately the ill health of your supervisor is beyond your powers, and is an unfortunate circumstance. His reputation subject to you leaving falls in that same category unfortunately. I may sound harsh, but you are not the first and you wont be the last candidate to leave a programme. You cant realistically stick around for his sake. Thats life unfortunately.

Take care now.

I agree with Fled. Go with honesty. I think, if society doesn't appreciate it, so what, society is not going to change unless people try to change it.

You don't normally have to pay stipends back, but if you just received one in April, and you quit a few days later, you may have to pay the rest of that one back.

I wouldn't worry about your supervisor's health in relation to you quitting. He's probably got other things on his mind and likely cares much less than you are expecting him to.

MoC,

I can only rehash what others have said. You've made a brave decision to quit and feel PhD is not for you. I'll add that possibly with your supervisor being ill (long term?), your withdrawal may actually be a relief as the University will not have to assign you to a new supervisor. He has enough on his plate.

I was funded quartely. If I'd withdrawn for any reason, then I'd have been expected only to pay back any money for the remainder of the quarter. Whether the University would consider the money worth recovery would also depend upon how much of the quarter remained.

I've looked back at your previous posts. You comment that during degree and masters, the qualifications weren't the be all and end all. I gather therefore you were doing these part time whilst working and thus had a normal career and life separate from these. It does come as a shock to the system to many how much the PhD can dominate your life, but it need not be for more than the PhD period. Post PhD can be busy too, but post-doc my life returned to a 9 to 5 pattern with odd late finishes and weekend lab visit (five minutes in and out) to ensure only that equipment was working safely. Much like normal work then!!!

People doing crazy hours post-PhD? For some work becomes everything. That to me sounds unhealthy, hindering good work rather than helping it if you don't have rest time.

A PhD is indeed totally different and that 'normal life' you had and want back is not there. I get that, I do. I see intelligence in your thoughts (ironically the analytical thought that suits a PhD) and if research / academia long term as you perceive it is not you then it is probably better to quit.

You've had a bad experience with little support from an ill supervisor. I can't help thinking you'd be feeling differently with a`solid, enthusiastic supporting supervisor.

Ian

This is what happened to me when I left a PhD. I ended up paying back a couple of week's worth of stipend but that was all.

As your reason for leaving is simply that you don't think this is for you, I think it's safe to be fairly truthful about it. When I quit my major reason was bullying and a generally toxic environment, while a minor reason was wanting to switch fields. I used my minor reason as the justification for going, as I wasn't prepared to deal with the fall out of discussing the major reason. But as you don't have these kind of unpleasant things to deal with you are probably safe to be honest.

I do agree with Iain that it sounds as though, in some respects at least, you were well suited to the PhD and perhaps under a different supervisor you might have considered staying. Which is not to say you are making the wrong decision - only you can know. However, be prepared for them to offer you an alternative to entice you to stay e.g. different focus, change of supervisor, switching to part time. You might want to prepare a response to such an offer in advance if you are totally adamant about leaving. Or otherwise be open to discussing alternative options with them.

Finally in terms of how this reflects on your supervisor, leaving within the first year is actually a lot less of a problem than leaving later on, so by making a timely decision you're probably doing them a favour compared to leaving after a couple of years.

Hi all,

Again, I am overwhelmed with the helpful replies that you guys have provided, so thank you!!!

Ian:

Firstly, I undertook both my BA and MA on a full-time basis whilst working full-time as a bar supervisor. It was tough, and I sacrificed a lot to get it done, including friendships and a long-term relationship at the time. My life was the antithesis of "normal." A normal week for me would look like this:

Mon: 0900 - 1800 (uni) Night: OFF
Tue: 0900 - 1530 (uni) 1700 - 2330 (work)
Wed: 0900 - 1900 (uni) After 1900: OFF
Thu: 0900 - 1600 (uni) 1800 - 0000 (work)
Fri: 0900 - 1600 (uni) 1800 - 0100 (work)
Sat: OFF
Sun: 1100 - 1800 (work)

And in my most recent position within the NHS I have worked a pattern of shifts that deny one's freedom of having a normal life.

Thank you for yours and HazyJane's really kind comments regarding my suitability for doing a PhD! They're much appreciated. To be honest, maybe my analytical thoughts and approach to life is rooted in the cynicism I have for modern life more generally haha! And I am kinda published already, albeit via Open Access.

I think its a little discourteous if I claimed to have received little support from my supervisor. Honestly, they only became ill in February. Up till that point, they had been tremendously supportive. I'd say that I first started feeling like the PhD wasn't the pathway for me about six weeks (mid-November) into the program. Hence why I have taken such a long time in order to make a reasoned decision - it changes my life whether I stick or twist.

Addressing all responses, it does seem that honesty is the way forward. This has come as a relief as I hate distorting the truth! My hands are tied for now, in any case, because I cannot "jump ship" - as it were - prior to obtaining a job of some kind.

Many thanks.

MoC