i enrolled in a badly reputed place with an inappropreate supervisor under strange circumstances. Now as i am about to complete 2 years i am planning to go to a different university. Would it be better to take an mphil and put an end to one project - or - it would be possible to finish a phD from a differnt place with just a year more...and ... how difficult would this process be, if time is not an issue?

Its a bit difficult to find a supervisor in the same field who is willing to supervise your thesis after two years. Write to different people before quitting. My advice is to finish the PhD first.

To transfer institution and keep the same project would require the co-operation of your supervisor and may still be quite a difficult proposition. If you feel you are not receiving adequate or appropriate supervision then you should contact the director of research in your department - if they feel your complaint is genuine then they may be able to assign you to an alternative supervisor within the same department.


If you submit for an MPhil after a full two years of research it may not look good when you apply for other projects - particularly if you are seeking a funded project.

My advice? Bite the bullet, finish the PhD (2 years of your time is a MAJOR investment), then look for a post-doc of your liking.